Merrick Garland in Biden Cabinet members actions and issues


On Crime: OpEd: deferential to police; lack of accountability

Elie Mystal, justice correspondent for The Nation, says Garland is an "underwhelming" pick, given his judicial record. "People need to remember that Garland was picked for the Supreme Court because he was a compromise candidate," says Mystal. "This is a centrist jurist who has a history -- a troubling history, to me -- of being deferential to police and being unwilling to hold police accountable for acts of brutality and misconduct."
Source: Democracy Now blog on 2021 Biden Cabinet Jan 8, 2021

On Government Reform: The rule of law is the foundation of our democracy

Garland: The rule of law is not just some lawyer's turn of phrase. It is the very foundation of our democracy. The essence of the rule of law is that like cases are treated alike, that there not be one rule for Democrats and another for Republicans; one rule for friends, another for foes; one rule for the powerful, another for the powerless; one rule for the rich and another for the poor; or different rules depending upon one's race or ethnicity.
Source: Democracy Now blog on 2021 Biden Cabinet Jan 8, 2021

On Principles & Values: Parents taught him hard work, community service

My grandparents left the pale of settlement, fleeing anti-Semitism. They settled in the Midwest, eventually making their way to Chicago. My father took me as he made the rounds to his customers, always impressing upon me the importance of hard work and fair dealing. My mother headed the local PTA and school board and directed a volunteer services agency, all the while instilling in my sisters and me the understanding that service to the community is a responsibility above all others.
Source: Chicago Sun-Times on 2021 Biden Cabinet Jan 7, 2021

On Education: Middle school reinforced my sense of community

It was an emotional homecoming for Judge Merrick Garland as he delivered the keynote address at Lincoln Hall Middle School. The Lincolnwood native, who graduated from Lincoln Hall in 1966, was tearful at times as he recalled his youth in the north suburb. "I am proud of the education I received and I am proud of my community. It was not just a great education. It was how it reinforced my sense of community," said Garland.
Source: Chicago Tribune on 2021 Biden Cabinet Sep 5, 2018

On Principles & Values: Sold his comics books to help pay for Harvard Law tuition

School board President Scott L. Anderson spoke about the judge's accomplishments at Lincoln Hall, which included serving as student council president. He also shared some trivia about Garland, including the fact that he sold his comic books to help pay for his tuition at Harvard Law School, where he graduated magna cum laude.
Source: Chicago Tribune on 2021 Biden Cabinet Sep 5, 2018

On Crime: Tends to defer to law enforcement, wartime executive power

While Garland is undoubtedly a legal liberal, his record tends to line up in favor of broad judicial deference to law enforcement and wartime executive power. In the area of criminal law, Garland's votes have frequently come down on the side of prosecutors and police. In 2010, SCOTUSblog founder Tom Goldstein observed that "Judge Garland rarely votes in favor of criminal defendants' appeals of their convictions."
Source: Reason magazine on 2021 Biden Cabinet Jul 5, 2018

On Principles & Values: An "insider's insider" in understanding Dept. of Justice

Garland is an insider's insider when it comes to understanding how the Department of Justice works -- and what its proper function should be. This insider status will be a huge help to Garland in running the Justice Department. The permanent staff will accept and respect him from day one. He knows how power works within the department's highly complex bureaucracy, and he will know how to choose and supervise his political appointees.
Source: Seattle Times on 2021 Biden Cabinet Jul 5, 2018

The above quotations are from Biden Cabinet members actions and issues.
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Page last updated: May 20, 2021