GOP Senator Strikes Back with Plan to Grind Garland’s Department to a Halt

A Republican senator has proposed a plan that might make the Department of Justice, led by Attorney General Merrick Garland, reconsider politically motivated prosecutions. Sen. J.D. Vance has committed to obstructing President Joe Biden’s nominations for DOJ personnel, as stated in a video message released on Tuesday.

Vance revealed this strategy on the same day when former President Donald Trump made an appearance at a Miami federal courthouse for an arraignment hearing.

“It’s time we stopped just whining about this problem and debating this problem and actually do something about it. I’ve announced today that I will be holding all Department of Justice nominees that Merrick Garland will use, if confirmed, not to enforce the law impartially but clearly to harass his political opponents. I think we have to grind this department to a halt until Merrick Garland promises to do his job and stop going after his political opponents.”

In his statement, Garland expressed his concerns about the increasing inclination of the Justice Department to prosecute individuals who are political adversaries of the Democratic Party.

“Donald Trump is just one, and the most recent example of the fact that Merrick Garland uses his Department for political purposes.”

Vance’s strategy would not completely halt the confirmation process for new appointments to the Justice Department.

If Vance proceeds with his plan, DOJ nominees would need to go through floor votes instead of being confirmed through unanimous consent, as reported by The Columbus Dispatch.

With Democrats holding a narrow Senate majority of 50 seats, the confirmation of nominees could be at risk if Democratic senators are absent.

Under this plan, the appointment of new federal prosecutors to the Justice Department would be temporarily halted.

However, Vance has stated that he will make an exception for nominees of the U.S. Marshal’s Service.