WASHINGTON: President-elect Joe Biden has announced Merrick Garland as his pick for attorney general, saying the federal appeals court judge and three others he has selected for senior Justice Department positions will restore the independence of the agency and faith in the rule of law.
The four lawyers are to be introduced by Biden at an event Thursday afternoon in Wilmington, Delaware.
In picking Garland, Biden is turning to an experienced judge who held senior positions at the Justice Department decades ago, including as a supervisor of the prosecution of the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing.
Garland’s nomination will force Senate Republicans to contend with someone they spurned four years ago refusing even to hold hearings when President Barack Obama nominated Garland for the Supreme Court. Biden is banking on Garland’s credentials and reputation for moderation to ensure his confirmation.
Others being named Thursday to the Justice Department’s senior leadership team include Obama…