Seven years ago, Merrick Garland was the Chief Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. His nomination to the Supreme Court by then-president Obama was slow-walked and then ended when Donald Trump was elected. With that dream shattered by Republicans, Garland remained on the bench for five more years, then accepted the nomination for Attorney General.
Since his appointment, Merrick Garland has demonstrated that his failed nomination to the Supreme Court has driven his decisions as Attorney General. Garland has repeatedly said that he and his office are driven by the rule of law and fairness. He said:
Faithful adherence to the rule of law is the bedrock principle of the Justice Department and of our democracy. Upholding the rule of law means applying the law evenly, without fear or favor. Under my watch that is precisely what the Justice Department is doing. All Americans are entitled to the evenhanded application of the law, to due process of the law, and to the presumption of innocence.
Merrick Garland has demonstrated that his claim of faithful adherence to the rule of law is hollow. His principles are guided by politics. He works to bend the rule of law for the benefit of his party, apparently without fear but clearly with favor.
Over several months, it has become apparent that Garland has been deceptive in his testimony before Congress and, at worst, lied under oath. Garland claimed that he had nothing to do with US Marshals not arresting protestors outside of Supreme Court Justices’ homes. That was simply not accurate. Documents showed that the Marshals were instructed to leave them alone unless protestors physically attacked Justices.