NPR: Merrick Garland among Biden candidates for Attorney General

[Nevilledog]

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Geoff Bennett
@GeoffRBennett
NPR: Merrick Garland among Biden candidates for Attorney General, @johnson_carrie reports

Merrick Garland Among Biden Candidates For Attorney General, Sources Say
The federal judge and erstwhile Supreme Court nominee — whose case was never taken up by Senate Republicans — could be asked by the new administration to take the reins of the Justice Department.
npr.org
9:45 AM · Nov 20, 2020

[lagomorph777]

1. Ruh-Roh!

Bad news for Team Turd.

He'll only get past McConnell, if we follow McConnell Rule #1: Confirmations are optional. Put him in, and let McConnell's police try to take him out (spoiler alert: Mitchie has no police).

[cilla4progress]

2. Hahahahahaha!

[dlk]

3. We need an aggressive AG

There are so many potential criminal prosecutions, a pit bull would be great!

[BComplex]

4. He's not considered a pit bull. He's pretty moderate.

[mopinko]

7. he WAS considered a moderate.

i'm guessin he's not so much any more.

[Hortensis]

25. :) He's a man of principle and deeply held beliefs with

strong intellectual bases, the only kind Obama would have considered. Biden wouldn't consider him if there was the slightest chance he'd lost his fine judicial temperament.

[peggysue2]

55. x1000!

Absolutely agree. Garland is one of several candidates on the list, all of whom are supremely qualified and will be champions of the country and the rule of law.

There is a certain fittingness to Garland's consideration after how badly he was abused by McConnell's obstructionism.

Another reason why those Georgia Senate seats are so damn important.

[Hortensis]

57. Yes, GEORGIA's on our mind! I like the "fitting" aspect,

but I can because I believe Garland's performance would be completely unaffected by what was done to him. My indulgences are not his.

[LizBeth]

12. +1

[Polybius]

16. The problem is getting one confirmed

Garland would be confirmed 95-5 or even 99-1. A pit-bull (Adam Schiff) never in a million years in this Senate.

[LizBeth]

17. So once again, the Democrats can do nothing because Republicans have all the power?

[Polybius]

18. Kinda

Unless we win both GA Senate seats, then we can nominate someone good.

[LizBeth]

19. Always. Regardless the crimes by Republicans, or unethical behavior, no repercussions.

Here we sit three weeks after a win, with Trump fuckin shit up and Republican congress go along doing nothing, and the nation watches. Always and I am damn tired of Democrats hands being tied for one reason or another. Always.

[Polybius]

21. Me too

I still upset that we lost NC and Maine. NC we had in the bag, but that affair came out at the last moment. Ugh. With Main though, I can't understand what happened. Collins was down in every single poll, yet won by like 8 points.

[LizBeth]

22. +1

[Volaris]

63. That's why you appoint the 'moderate' to the top spot, and then choose

The rabid, bloodthirsty attack dog as the Independent Prosecutor. No approval of the investigated criminals is necessary then.

I would love to see Schiff as Deputy AG or IP.

[TomDaisy]

39. I agree. My dream pick is Adam Schiff!

He already has all the information. He knows in detail what crimes have been committed. He will be a zealous advocate for the truth.

[Barbara2423]

50. Yeah, that is what I want.

[dware]

5. Oh please, please, please, make it so,

I would love to see Repub head exploding.

[malaise]

6. Yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeees!

That would be perfect

[tman]

8. Right man for the wrong times.

[a kennedy]

9. WE NEED THOSE TWO SENATORS FROM GEORGIA.......

I think I’ll go and contribute to both of their campaigns.

[Hortensis]

26. This!

[crimycarny]

10. Too moderate

Need a pit bull like Preet Bharara

[LizBeth]

13. +1

[Hortensis]

27. 'member, moderate in politics means ideology. Both

Last edited Fri Nov 20, 2020, 02:55 PM - Edit history (1)

he and Bharara fall in the moderate-liberal to moderate-conservative range ideologically depending on the issue. Which is fine. Our constitution, bill of rights, over 200 years of law since, and the principles they're based on aren't exactly considered radical these days. We need strong protectors of the principles and the practices based on a living constitution.

Fwiw, Bharara is rumored to be a candidate to run the SEC.

[crimycarny]

45. We need someone who won't bend over backwards to appear "apolitical"

And I fear Merrick Garland would tend to be like that. I want someone who isn't afraid of skirting, but not going over, the line of the law.

[Hortensis]

47. Legal principles ARE apolitical, but they're NOT a-principle.

No one Biden appoints will be a counterpart to the corrupt political agents the Republicans are appointing. Not Garland and not anyone else.

[crimycarny]

56. Again--not about the law, about the WILL to apply the law.

Just want someone who will pursue justice and not worry about "healing the nation" by allowing thieves and crooks to get way with such egregious crimes.

I'm not going to argue, everyone entitled to their own opinion.

[Hortensis]

59. ? It's not the AG's job to heal the nation.

I've been wondering at this "fear" out of nowhere that he's a weakling. Of course the far left has been hitting him, and everyone else who ever will be appointed, for not being one of them. Truth is no more useful to radicals seeking mainstream power than it is to the RW. So for them "weakness" probably serves as both a dogwhistle to their own for too mainstream and to the mainstream for fears that Republican criminals won't be punished.

But otherwise, I suspect the usual: mistaking the kind of noisy aggression that hits the news for strength.

AND mistaking the kind of quiet legal action that doesn't involve public strife, and copious public bleeding from the "other side," for weakness. Disgustingly easy for hostile agents, most on the anti-Democrat left in this case, to cast it that way when understanding the impact decisions will have would require seeking out and understanding complex issues. Cynical exploitation of people who really shouldn't have to.

[crimycarny]

65. you're one of those "have to have the last word people" aren't you? Sanctimony much?

Dear God, what a ration of sanctimony. I'm not far left. I'm not radical.

Everything you just wrote is a rant of suppositions based entirely on your own opinion. You're welcome to them (opinions), of course, but stop labeling people you don't agree with as "far left" or "radical" or whatever label you want to fling around.

[Hortensis]

67. Lol, Republicans are also not happy with liberal Democratic

moralizing about truth.

They behave as they have and resent the hell out of Democrats for not admiring their virtue.

Right and wrong, truth and deceit, are not just a matter of "opinion." And, just for one current topic, it's not even slightly more of a crime for Republicans to steal elections than it would be for far-left candidates, and those who support those leaders.

[Solomon]

52. Exactly. He'll go out of his way to prove how magnanimous he is in not holding it against the

Republicans. And if he does do something they will say it's because he's holding a grudge.

I don't like it.

[NewDayOranges]

11. KARMA?!?!?!

[LizBeth]

14. With someone like Garland, I think it will be an indication from Biden we are all just moving on. 4

years of corruption, laws broken, extreme and outrageous behavior and the democratic Party moves on to unite, and put out the fires the best we can. Nothing to see here.

[FoxNewsSucks]

32. that's what I'm afraid of

That policy would be a huge mistake

[LizBeth]

34. Yes. It would.

[BootinUp]

15. What a brilliant idea!

[Amishman]

20. Yes! Please let this happen

[Marius25]

23. This is not a good idea.

He's too moderate and why would he ever give up a lifetime appointment as Chief Justice of the DC Circuit for a temporary AG position?

[Hortensis]

28. Good question, except that if he did he'd

presumably believe rebuilding the DoJ was a call to very important duty.

[tritsofme]

46. He is nearly 70, it would be a nice capstone to his career.

His term as chief judge actually ended fairly recently.

And assuming we have the Senate, he would assure that Biden can name his successor on the DC Circuit.

[Hekate]

24. I am glad to hear it. But the qualities needed for judgeship and those needed for cleaning out...

...the wreckage Trump & Barr will be leaving behind are different.

Just sayin’

[DeminPennswoods]

29. It is too bad Garland was denied a seat on SCOTUS,

but that doesn't mean he should be up a job just to try to right an injustice.

First, Biden should not be removing any sitting federal judge at least while McConnell controls the Senate.
Second, there are better candidates for US Atty Genl such as Doug Jones, Sally Yates, Neal Katyal and more.

[roamer65]

30. I'd like to see Preet in that job.

[DFW]

38. That makes two of us! n/t

[NNadir]

31. Except in a banana Republic like the one Barr's been trying...

...to create, an AG is expected to be ethical and independent of interference, that is to investigate any and all crimes against the US.

That's very bad news for Barr and would be King Donald.

[FoxNewsSucks]

33. Adding a post in support of Preet

Besides the obvious fact that he's an excellent prosecutor, he's one of many great people who wouldn't be vacating some other government position.

[rso]

35. Garland

A great and learned gentleman, but we need an aggressive prosecutor. If Mitch won’t approve, Biden can appoint someone on an acting AG basis, just like Trump did. Two can play this game. Also, why surrender a powerful senior federal judgeship when we don’t know if Mitch would approve any subsequent Biden judicial nominations ?

[Autumn]

36. What a wonderful Fuck you Mitch that would be.

[kentuck]

37. The country needs a strong and aggressive AG...

The entire Administration will be defined by who he chooses for AG, in my opinion.

He needs someone that will track these *uckers to the end of the earth to see that they get justice. This cannot be swept under the rug or ever forgotten.

No justice - no peace. We cannot surrender justice in the name of bipartisanship or appeasement. The people deserve answers to a lot of questions.

[ancianita]

40. Preet Bharara or Danny Goldman. Garland can be the nominee for the expanded SCOTUS.

[tritsofme]

42. There is no path for SCOTUS expansion in the next Congress.

[ancianita]

58. Why not? Not enough senators?

[tritsofme]

60. Joe Manchin publicly came out against both ending the filibuster

and expanding the Supreme Court.

In a best case scenario for Democrats, the Senate would be split 50-50, so it can’t happen if Manchin is not on board.

[ancianita]

62. I see. I'm pretty sure the party can make sticking with the party worth his time and effort.

[tritsofme]

66. Trump got nearly 70% of the vote in WV.

I’m not sure what sort of leverage you think exists? Piss him off too much, and he could just become a Republican and hand the keys back to Mitch.

[Turin_C3PO]

64. There might be a few other

Dems besides Manchin who won’t be keen on Court expansion and getting rid of filibuster, namely Sinema and Feinstein. So we probably need at least 53 Senators before we can get down to business fixing this country.

[ancianita]

69. I hear you.

I think they'll go for party unity in helping the new administration, over whatever they think would help Republicans. Other pressures will come from constituents.

I'm hoping.

[Turin_C3PO]

70. From your lips to God's ears!

[volstork]

41. Two words:

SCORCHED EARTH

[FakeNoose]

43. He should assist in filing charges against Moscow Mitch

And THAT's just for starters!

[Roland99]

44. I want a shark at AG

[liberalmuse]

48. This would be...AMAZING!

I'm sure any of his picks are going to be well-thought out and more than competent.

[NurseJackie]

49. Interesting. (I'll bet he's not PUBLICLY LOBBYING for the job.)

[WyattKansas]

51. Oh my! Moscow Mitch wouldn't want him in charge of the Justice Department and FBI...

Especially when it comes to turning a blind eye to the fraud, corruption, and treason his Republican Party has been a willful participant in.

[kskiska]

53. How about Hillary for AG?

She's certainly qualified.

[OMGWTF]

54. Reminds me of when the Rethugs wouldn't let Liz Warren run the CPFB

so she ran for Senate instead and won. What a glorious "FU" to Moscow Mitch this would be!

[Buckeyeblue]

61. I don't know about that...seems like a rumor to get people talking

[radius777]

68. I much prefer Doug Jones,

who is out of a job and is a good politician and lawyer, and would be easily confirmed as well.

Garland may be a good judge but he's not a politician, and being AG requires political skills and dealing with the media.

We also don't want to remove Garland from the bench unless we retake the Senate, as Mitch will likely block any replacement.

[LisaM]

71. I suggested this recently!

Oh, please yes.