Some on the left have slammed A.G. Merrick Garland’s conduct of the investigation into Jan. 6th, and some even call for his resignation.
“Merrick Garland is currently failing America,” Dem. Texas Congressman Joaquin Castro said while on CNN Monday. In a tweet on Sunday night, he added that “Trump is a danger to our democracy, and we must treat him as such.”
Following a report from The New York Times on Saturday, which stated that President Joe Biden had urged for more decisive action by the FBI’s investigation into Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un and his regime, Castro took to Twitter to voice his concern. Members of the House Jan. 6 committee have complained about the Justice Dept’s sluggishness in seeking prosecution.
“The DOJ must act swiftly,” Democratic Virginia Rep. Elaine Luria said on MSNBC.
Last October, the DOJ rebuked the White House after President Biden urged for faster action in contempt proceedings connected to congressional subpoenas.
“The DOJ will make its own independent judgments in all cases based only on the facts and the law,” their statement read.
Some have called on Biden to replace Garland with a more active prosecutor since the pace of the inquiry has caused some frustration.
“It’s time for a group of well-known, experienced, and powerful legal eagles to write a letter to President Obama demanding the removal of Garland,” Cheri Jacobus, a former GOP political strategist, tweeted. “It has to happen and this might provide Biden with some political cover. The status quo cannot continue.”
In a Monday op-ed, Jennifer Rubin, who Politico called “one of the most dependable defenders of the Biden administration,” demanded Garland’s replacement.
“If Biden is dissatisfied with Garland — or feels he doesn’t have the necessary qualifications to do the type of investigation our fragile democracy demands — Biden has the authority to replace him. He has a perfect right to a new A.G. who embraces the public and educational nature of his job and resists institutional caution and traditional norms.”
Jonathan Turley, a legal expert at George Washington University, said the leaks about Biden’s unhappiness are intended to pressure Garland into prosecution while providing Biden cover.
“These are statements made to associates that were then leaked to the press in order to hurt Garland,” Turley explained on his website. “This allows the media to claim that Biden did not explicitly convey the statement to Garland, despite what he said.”