Merrick Garland’s cautious approach as Attorney General has drawn criticism for failing to hold Trump accountable for his actions.
Washington: Back in 2016, everyone was raving about Merrick Garland. The American Bar Association gave him top marks when he was nominated for the Supreme Court. They even had lawyers and judges singing his praises at his confirmation hearing.
People were saying he was practically perfect. But then, thanks to Mitch McConnell’s blockade, Garland never got that chance. Instead, he became Attorney General, and his biggest challenge was holding Trump accountable for trying to overturn the 2020 election.
Garland’s strengths, like being careful and modest, turned out to be his weaknesses in this role. He was so focused on keeping the Justice Department independent after Trump’s term that he hesitated to go after Trump for his actions leading up to January 6, 2021. He worried about how it would look to investigate the guy who just lost the election.
Meanwhile, Trump, being Trump, accused Garland of weaponizing the Justice Department against him. But the reality is, the law needed to be upheld. Garland did manage to bring back some norms to the department, but it feels like a hollow victory now. Trump is back in the spotlight, more powerful than ever.
Recently, Trump got a slap on the wrist for falsifying business records, but he’s still the only felon-president. Garland did say he’d release the final report from the special counsel about Trump’s actions on January 6, but it’s hard to see that as a win.
Garland’s time in office has left him in hot water with both sides. Republicans are mad he went after Trump at all, while Democrats think he didn’t do it quickly enough. Even Senator Adam Schiff has criticized the Justice Department for not focusing on the real culprits behind the Capitol attack.
Looking back, 2021 was a lost year for the Justice Department. They were busy going after the rioters instead of Trump, even though there were plenty of leads to follow. By 2022, people were questioning Garland’s slow pace. It took him until November 2022 to appoint a special counsel, and it wasn’t until August 2023 that Trump was finally indicted.
It’s easy to blame Garland, but let’s not forget McConnell and the Supreme Court’s right-wing majority played their parts too. Even if Garland had acted faster, Trump had plenty of ways to delay things. Ultimately, voters had the chance to decide Trump’s fate, and they chose otherwise.
It’s a shame that Garland, who could have been a great Supreme Court justice, ended up in this tough spot at the Justice Department.
