Monday Judge Merrick Garland, President Joe Biden’s nominee for the United States Attorney General post, will testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee.
Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Dick Durbin (D-IL), announced the hearing dates on February 9th, 2021, via Twitter.
On Sunday, Durbin published Judge Garlands opening statement.
In his statement he explains:
The President nominates the Attorney General to be the lawyer — not for any individual, but for the people of the United States. July 2020 marked the 150th anniversary of the founding of the Department of Justice, making this a fitting time to remember the mission of the Attorney General and the Department.
It is a fitting time to reaffirm that the role of the Attorney General is to serve the Rule of Law and to ensure equal justice under the law. And it is a fitting time to recognize the more than 115,000 career employees of the Department and its law enforcement agencies, and their commitment to serve the cause of justice and protect the safety of our communities.
If I am confirmed, serving as Attorney General will be the culmination of a career I have dedicated to ensuring that the laws of our country are fairly and faithfully enforced, and that the rights of all Americans are protected.
Garland Opening Statement. 02/21/2021.
Durbin released his opening statement on Sunday evening.
He says that “the nation” now looks to Garland to restore, “honor, integrity, and independence,” to the Justice Department explaining that “the public’s faith in the Department of Justice has been shaken–” following the terrible former Twice-Impeached President’s four years in office.
Well, Judge Garland, the nation now looks towards you to do just that.
The public’s faith in the Department of Justice has been shaken — the result of four years of Departmental leadership consumed with advancing the personal and political interests of one man — Donald Trump.In fact, had it not been for several Justice Department attorneys threatening to resign this January, Trump might have gone even further than he did to overturn the election results. And that raises critical questions that this Committee and Judge Garland must reckon with.
Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman. 02/21-22/2021.
He closes by mentioning the attempt by Impeached Sore Loser’s to overturn a free and fair election, which he lost, by a lot.
I want to close by returning to the attempt to overturn the 2020 Presidential election.
For months, President Trump spread falsehoods far and wide about fraudulent voting. Before a single vote had even been cast he claimed that he could only lose as the result of widespread fraud.
Far too many gave credence to those unproven, dangerous claims. And we all know the result.
The President’s attempt to subvert democracy culminated in the events of January 6th, when an armed mob stormed the Capitol; sought to disrupt the counting of Electoral College votes; violently targeted us, our colleagues in the House, our families, the Vice President, and staff; and ultimately caused the senseless deaths of Capitol Police Officers Brian Sicknick and Howard Liebengood and D.C. Police Officer Jeffrey Smith.
When you are confirmed, Judge Garland, you — along with the rest of this nation — will continue to grapple with the January 6th attacks.
Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman. 02/21-22/2021.
Unlike 2016 when Garland was then-President Obama’s Supreme Court Justice nominee and couldn’t get many meetings on the Hill and his nomination was shelved in favor of then-Senate-Majority leader Mitch McConnell’s hypocrisy; this time around Garland is expected to have bipartisan support and sail through confirmation.
Day One’s testimony is scheduled to start at 9:30 a.m. D.C., time.
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