Attorney General Nominee Continues to Face GOP Roadblocks to Confirmation

The confirmation of Merrick Garland, President Biden’s nominee for Attorney General, is once again being held up, this time by obstructionist Senator Tom Cotton (R-AR)

Last month, Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) refused to schedule a timely hearing for Garland, delaying confirmation for the nation’s top law enforcement officer

Washington, D.C. – Today, the Accountable Senate War Room released the following statement on Senator Tom Cotton’s announcement to block a swift confirmation of President Biden’s nominee for Attorney General, Merrick Garland. 

“Instead of ensuring the nation’s top law enforcement officer is in place to deal with the aftermath of the insurrection his party helped propagate, Senator Tom Cotton is once again wasting everyone’s time by delaying the inevitable,” said Mairead Lynn, spokesperson for Accountable Senate War Room. “Cotton’s meaningless antics should only be described as what they are: a bad-faith, political temper tantrum out of spite for his party losing all of its power, and it shouldn’t be taken seriously.”  

This isn’t the first time Merrick Garland has faced obstruction from Senate Republicans: he was refused a hearing to fill a Supreme Court vacancy during the Obama administration, and just last month, Senator Lindsey Graham refused to schedule a timely confirmation hearing for the Attorney General nominee. Republican leaders in the senate, including Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and Senator Chuck Grassley, have already signaled their support, making Cotton’s antics nothing more than a futile display of obstruction. 

Read more on the latest roadblocks from Senate Republicans below: 

The Hill: Garland’s AG nomination delayed by GOP roadblocks

Jordain Carney

Merrick Garland‘s attorney general nomination is hitting GOP roadblocks that will likely delay his confirmation to lead the Justice Department until next week.

Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) — a member of the Judiciary Committee viewed as a potential 2024 contender — said on Wednesday that he is blocking an effort by Democrats to expedite Garland, whom they had hoped to confirm this week. 

“Democrats are trying to expedite Judge Garland’s confirmation vote. I’m blocking them because Judge Garland has refused to answer basic questions, including whether illegally entering the country should remain a crime,” Cotton said in a string of tweets explaining his opposition. 

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