Merrick Garland

THE OPENER

PRESENTED BY

Current Position:

Nominee for Attorney General

Age:

68

Hometown:

Chicago

Education:

Harvard, Harvard Law School

Reputation:

We all know what Merrick Garland has been through. He was former President Barack Obama’s nominee for the Supreme Court in 2016, but Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) — then the majority leader — wouldn’t even give him a hearing, let alone a vote. This came after a highly esteemed career at the Justice Department — he was tapped as a federal prosecutor by a Republican, President George H.W. Bush — and in private practice. Garland was nominated for the federal bench by then President Bill Clinton and confirmed by a vote of 76-23 in 1997. That’s quite the healthy margin. Garland currently serves on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, one of the most important roles in the federal judiciary. He was chief justice of that panel for three years. Republicans and Democrats respect Garland and consider him a fair jurist with an excellent legal mind.

Political Considerations:

Garland is taking the helm at the Justice Department during a very precarious time. He’ll have to juggle the demands of a critical moment in the civil rights movement, calls for overhauling federal law enforcement and the need to restore trust in an independent law-enforcement institution. Garland has said publicly that he wants to take the temperature down at the department and help restore the fundamental health of democracy. There are plenty of tripwires for him. He’s been asked on several occasions hugely sensitive political issues — Should it still be illegal to cross the U.S.-Mexico border? Will former President Donald Trump come under a federal probe? How will he handle the Durham investigation into the origin of the Russia probe? The DOJ is in the lead of investigating the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol, another issue with big political ramifications.

Inside his orbit:

Vanita Gupta: Associate Attorney General, nominee
Kristen Clarke: Asst. Attorney General for DOJ Civil Rights Division, nominee
Kate Heinzelman: Chief Counsel
Lisa Monaco: Deputy Attorney General, nominee
Matt Klapper: Chief of Staff

Words of Wisdom:

I’ve known Merrick Garland for about 40 years … So I can tell you with total conviction, he doesn’t need advice. What I would say is simply stay true to your gut, your instincts and your convictions because they are rock solid and sound. Hire the best possible team, but at the end of the day, be true to your own beliefs and gut instincts. … He has a herculean task to restore the integrity and independence of the Justice Department. There are very few people in this country who could do it, he’s one of them. That’s why I would urge him to simply to stay true to his own north star.

Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.)

THE OPENER IS PRESENTED BY AMAZON

As the new administration and Congressional leaders take steps to protect the American people and revitalize our economy, Amazon stands ready to help. We’re excited to bring our innovative spirit to the critical work of ensuring fair wages for America’s workers, as we advocate for Congress to pass the Raise the Wage Act. This legislation will increase the federal minimum wage from $7.25 to $15 an hour by 2025. At Amazon, we raised our starting wage to at least $15 an hour back in 2018 because it’s good for workers, good for business, good for communities and good for our economy.

Passing the Raise the Wage Act would give 32 million U.S. workers the raise they deserve and help revitalize the national economy.