Attorney General Nominee Merrick Garland Gets Senate Confirmation Hearing

Merrick Garland, President Joe Biden's nominee for attorney general, appeared before the Senate Judiciary Committee Monday, where he vowed to guard the Justice Department from political influence and prioritize an investigation into the Jan. 6 Capitol breach. Garland, a federal appeals court judge, managed the investigation into the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing and supervised the prosecution of the "Unabomber" Theodore Kaczynski. If appointed, Garland would inherit several cases from the previous administration, including a probe into Hunter Biden's taxes and John Durham's investigation of the origins of the probe into former President Donald Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign. During questioning, Garland said he would allow Durham's investigation to continue, and promised to remain impartial in the investigation into Hunter Biden. Addressing a question from Republican Sen. Josh Hawley, Garland also said that Antifa’s attacks on a Portland courthouse last year may not have been “domestic terrorism,” because they took place at night when the court was not “in operation,” unlike the Capitol breach. Left- and center-rated outlets tended to focus on Garland's vow of impartiality, as well as his pledge to focus on the Capitol breach. Some right-rated outlets highlighted Garland's distinction between the Capitol breach and Portland riots.