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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsCharles Pierce: Merrick Garland Needs to Be Thanked For His Service and Shown the Door
He is not equipped to use all the tools god gave the Department of Justice to thwart the genuine threat to the Republic that is El Caudillo del Mar-A-Lago, and the dangerous political climate he has created.https://www.esquire.com/news-politics/politics/a46709640/merrick-garland-fbi-failure/
I have come to the sad conclusion that, like Brian Wilson, Attorney General Merrick Garland just wasn't made for these times, and, like Tom Hagen, he's just not a wartime consigliere. I hung in there longer than most people I know. But, this week, the case against him got overwhelming. The man needs to be thanked for his service and then shown the door.
He is not equipped to use all the tools god gave the Department of Justice to thwart the genuine threat to the Republic that is El Caudillo del Mar-A-Lago, and the dangerous political climate he has created. The former president* should have been charged federally with insurrection literally years ago. (Hell, during Thursday's oral arguments in the Supreme Court concerning the former president*'s eligibility under the 14th Amendment, even Justice Brett Kavanaugh wondered why he hadn't been so charged, and Kavanaugh used to work for Ken Starr, if we're talking about using all the DOJ's tools at your disposal.) The DOJ should have gone hammer-and-tongs after all the members of Congress who had the slightest connection with the insurrection. Somebody higher than the bear spray crowd should have been arrested and held until trial. Some of the expensive loafers should have been confiscated during the booking process rather than all those duckboots.
As diligent as Jack Smith has been, and god save the good work, he shouldn't have been necessary. This business didn't need a special counsel. It needed the Attorney General and the FBI right from jump. It should have been the very first item on Garland's plate when he walked in the door. And he's spent nearly four years faffing around until Republican congresscritters, some of whom had very curious connections to the events of that day, feel free to call the thugs and vandals, "political prisoners," and we've even come to arguing over whether or not the violence of that day constituted an "insurrection." Mother of god, the former president* is even money to be the next president, and the only real obstacle in his way seems to be whether or not his coronary arteries will do good service.
Thursday was the end for me. Appointing a Republican hack like Robert Hur to "investigate" the non-crimes of the president was bad enough, but then to allow Hur to pile on a political hit piece about the president's memory, thereby normalizing one of the former president*'s attack lines on DOJ stationery, is not admirably fair-minded, it's constitutionally suicidal. God save us from the fair-minded. They'll kill the country and wonder how they did it.
snip
Blue Owl
(51,430 posts)I said GOOD DAY.
mopinko
(70,762 posts)hur shd b shown the door rfn. i know how it looks, and how the media will howl. its always a no-win sitch when a dem actually shows the spine we all howl for.
but biden shd fire them both, and do it now. theres still time to get shit done before the election.
Demobrat
(9,166 posts)for one 24 hour news cycle, two if its a slow news day. Biden needs to take care of business with no regard for those jackals.
jaxexpat
(7,087 posts)"let Garland handle the justice part." That person needs to be silenced and their lectern handed over to common sense.
msfiddlestix
(7,303 posts)Idle curiosity, but I'm itching to know who that person is that's counseling/influencing Biden on garland's appointment, what his or her background is etc
oldsoftie
(12,927 posts)But now it seems like now Garland HAS been the wrong man for the job. But the past is just that. Its time to move on. & mover FORWARD.
Girard442
(6,148 posts)But being civil isn't always the virtue it's cracked up to be. Is it a good thing to graciously compliment the one who skillfully ties you to the stake just before the fire is lit?
et tu
(1,138 posts)shouldn't dictate legal procedure. i'm in total agreement~
ShazzieB
(17,051 posts)Just more assertive and purposeful, the way Jack Smith is. I think Garland has been too concerned about trying to appear nonpartisan for his own good, not to mention the good of the country.
LeftInTX
(26,357 posts)Heck, I don't really follow Democratic presidential political appointments because I really have no control over them (I get involved with local races and don't have time to read about every nook and cranny in DC). I trust the Democratic president. I know Garland is a moderate, cautious etc. Although some accuse of him of being a Republican, he has supported Biden with regards to voting rights, abortion rights, immigration and he's prosecuted Jan 6th, including the head of Oath Keepers. (If Trump wins, he will just pardon all those Jan 6th insurrectionists)
This Hur thing is a total disaster. I gotta wonder what's going on in Garland's head right now? I'm pretty sure he didn't want this kind of result. Obviously, he should have used better judgement when appointing a special counsel.
I assume that Garland knew him previously from the federal bench.
Hur was originally appointed by Bush, but stayed on through Obama's first term: From 2007 to 2014, he served as an Assistant United States Attorney in the District of Maryland, where he prosecuted gang violence, drug trafficking and firearms offenses, and white-collar crimes.
He was then appointed to the same position by Trump and was replaced by Biden in October 2021. I don't know if there were any "red flags". Since he was kept on with Obama and Biden didn't rush to get rid of him.
Our government is full of people who are fighting tooth and nail to destroy our constitution and a second set of people who want to preserve our constitution but think it would be 'improper' to fight back. It's maddening.
Sky Jewels
(7,335 posts)We needed a strong AG to pursue justice to shore up our fragile democracy. Instead we got Milquetoast Merrick, who failed us miserably.
Magoo48
(4,785 posts)in an informed and timely fashion. The dudes simply biding time, dog paddling; theres moss growing on his north side.
yorkster
(1,642 posts)Unless this is a newish thing like pronouncing vs. as verse, which I've almost given up on. I know, I know it started with the world of gaming..
Just realized can't do coup d'état in title - it gets auto-corrected. 😳
Will see self out. Mumbles apologies...
boston bean
(36,254 posts)crucial times. Making him a part of the destruction of democracy.
Farmer-Rick
(10,430 posts)11 days before the election.......like Comey.
PortTack
(32,979 posts)With the WH being openly dissatisfied, Maybe hell get the hint and resign. One can hope
AllyCat
(16,399 posts)Federalist Soc. work for them. I cant imagine they would allow him to quit. Hes been too valuable to their cause to destroy America.
MOMFUDSKI
(6,445 posts)way out of the door: You took advantage of my good nature.
Celerity
(44,630 posts)Mister Ed
(6,003 posts)However, I can not see any defense for his actions (and inactions).
KS Toronado
(17,937 posts)and his inactions on " members of Congress who had the slightest connection with the insurrection"
Time for him to go.
Skittles
(154,111 posts)yes indeed
Buckeyeblue
(5,521 posts)On one hand they are part of the president's cabinet, there to both advise the president and run the department of justice. But the department of justice is in place to enforce federal laws and prosecute them when they are violated. So your advisor can also be your prosecutor.
So as president how do you balance picking someone who will have your back but still have integrity?
AllyCat
(16,399 posts)Burning the country to the ground with his hand-wringing.
jaxexpat
(7,087 posts)Then be sure to appoint someone to AG who will go after those who do, prioritizing the prosecution of the highest-ranking criminals.
How hard is that? How compromised, as a society, must we be that we believe democracy is really all that difficult. Running an empire, now that may be challenging. Isn't it time we stop electing our leaders based on their "empire running" qualifications and maybe more for their democracy protecting qualifications?
yardwork
(62,084 posts)rubbersole
(6,985 posts)Shermanator
(45 posts)He needs someone with integrity and someone who won't run away from a fight every time the republicans scream and shout. The Attorney General is not there to assuage the fears of the opposing party. Their only duty is to the Constitution and upholding the law.
RKP5637
(67,112 posts)Joinfortmill
(14,877 posts)machoneman
(4,056 posts)many Trump loyalists infest our most important law enforcement positions. Even in losing, these people will continue to undermine the democratic processes of our nation. His iron grip on many of these disloyal public servants may result in even more mayhem, some obvious, some not. Let Joe hire folks who are beholden to our laws and the Constitution, rather than to a dictatorial narcissist who will work 24/7/365 to undermine our government and all Democrats and Independents.
Mark my words, even in defeat, we can expect worse days ahead from these miscreants unless we crack down on these insurrectionists.
mopinko
(70,762 posts)every single person hired from 2017-2021 shd b fired.
Voltaire2
(13,746 posts)Only political appointments can be dismissed by the executive. Everyone else is protected as a civil servant. It is TSF who intends to undo 140 years of civil service reform and fire everyone.
ShazzieB
(17,051 posts)Goodheart
(5,415 posts)I hear some man there keeps breaking world records for hot peppers.
Joinfortmill
(14,877 posts)Visited my son in September. Still a lovely place.
sop
(10,680 posts)I'm still waiting patiently for that to happen.
Captain Zero
(7,032 posts)Is ready.
Oh election season, suspend.
Blues Heron
(5,992 posts)but let the true architects and planners roam free.
BeyondGeography
(39,441 posts)Maureen Dowd has a similar line in todays column which, like nine out of ten Maureen Dowd columns, you should otherwise avoid:
yardwork
(62,084 posts)This kind of performative virtue irritates people, and too many Democratic politicians and insiders are guilty of it. People recognize that it's a form of elitism and egoism. And in the Trump era it's just laughably weak. People like Hur bulldoze right over it.
Hur is probably laughing about how he put one over on Garland.
Goodheart
(5,415 posts)When that didn't happen we should have known, right then and there, that Garland would be a failure.
Hey, let's prosecute some inconsequential redneck caught on videotape! That oughta be enough to satisfy the exigencies of democracy, right?
MOMFUDSKI
(6,445 posts)and come out swinging. Chiding these assholes doesnt work like it used to.
mn9driver
(4,459 posts)After all this time, he couldnt see the r*tf*ck coming? He needs to go.
The Magistrate
(95,450 posts)Because the only argument left for his retention is the difficulty of getting any appointment through the Senate....
paleotn
(18,208 posts)Here's an idea. Acting AG. Someone with cojones. The precedent was set in the previous administration.
calimary
(82,087 posts)For Petes Sake!!!
yardwork
(62,084 posts)Politics needs to be a rough business sometimes when so much is at stake.
spanone
(136,296 posts)Liberal In Texas
(13,774 posts)I keep hearing that it's too late to replace him. Wait until after the election.
NO. Get it over ASAP and stop the damage he might do before the election.
paleotn
(18,208 posts)Why on earth did it take so long to investigate and prosecute those involved in a failed coup? A fucking coup for god's sake!!! In much of the world, if you pull a coup d'etat and fail, you're dead. Literally dead. Extra judicial, taken out back and kicked to your knees and shot. That's the thing about coups and why they're so rare. I'm not advocating we do that, but dear god, prosecute those who planned and led it, not just the minions few people care about. And don't take 3 fucking years to do it! Otherwise, why not do it again? And better next time.
Sorry, Garland. I supported you and believed you were doing things properly. Now, I've come to agree, you're not the person for this hour. You don't have the steel spine necessary for the times. So thank you for your service. Buh bye.
jaxexpat
(7,087 posts)And why doe it take so long for people to clearly see what's been in front of their faces for nearly 3 years. I'm going a step further and telling the truth whether you like it or not. Not only is Garland useless at times like this but way too many who still see him as a worthy appointee are, perhaps, also useless at this time. To paraphrase Lincoln, "I can't keep this turkey, he won't fight."
Garland is throwing bones to the MAGA dogs when he should be prosecuting them. It serves no good purpose to enumerate the tasks the DOJ has undertaken while MTG and her cadre prowl the halls of congress.
Dear Mr. President,
Ask this moron for his resignation ASAP.
Hopefully yours,
American Citizen
Paladin
(28,420 posts)Merrick Garland should have been gone, some time ago.
"God save us from the fair-minded." Thank you, Charles Pierce. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
Fiendish Thingy
(15,939 posts)Both Garland and Biden could have redacted the offensive line in Hurs report, as Bill Barr did to much of Meullers report, but chose not to.
gab13by13
(22,136 posts)no one wants Merrick Garland to lie about what Hur did, Garland should say what it was, a political hit job on President Biden.
Didn't Garland say he would not be partisan. or was he only speaking to Republicans.
Fiendish Thingy
(15,939 posts)Bit of a dilemma
msfiddlestix
(7,303 posts)I wondered if Garland had sent it to the W.H. and waited for a response back from Biden?
I don't know how things generally work in this context, . but I have been a little curious about it.
Fiendish Thingy
(15,939 posts)So, definitely enough time for Biden to review.
msfiddlestix
(7,303 posts)observing his job performance from a public perch. I don't recall ever feeling confident about him on anything known to the public.
Imagine being in Biden's position and watching what was happening to his son, knowing that it was a political hit job but couldn't take a position, put his thumb on it in anyway for obvious reasons, but then..... this.
And Garland just let it happen on purpose. Despicable.
niyad
(115,146 posts)Basic LA
(2,047 posts)Whoever is next-in-line would do fine so as to sidestep confirmation hearings.
And next, the NYT needs to give Charlie Pierce a twice-weekly column to balance their right-leaning op-ed page. Do it now.
doc03
(35,620 posts)say rightly Biden is pulling the strings at the DOJ.
usaf-vet
(6,427 posts)How did we end up with Mueller and now Garland?
We are told day in and day out they are just doing fine UNTIL they aren't, and then it's too late to accomplish anything we might have expected.
Celerity
(44,630 posts)bucolic_frolic
(44,195 posts)Public opinion was raw and sharply divided in 2021, the nation was grappling with even identifying the insurrection - riot, touristy, protest, or coup. We won that naming battle, or the event defined itself. It is now referred to as insurrection, even for those who deny it.
Slowly grinding out the criminals worked to turn public opinion. But now we need someone with more fire to finish the job.
oldmanlynn
(123 posts)When Biden wins reelection then replace him.
I certainly think Garland deserves all the negative publicity like this from media.
Garland should have a press conference were he apologizes for what Hur did and contradicts the ageism and says he himself screwed up by not asking Hur to rewrite the report.
At this point Garland appears like he was on board with the slander and is most likely a republican himself
I_UndergroundPanther
(12,611 posts)That suspected he was a republican mole. I could not see any justification of substance with the foot dragging and wimping out.
There are republican dems and we need to know where thier loyalties are.
To trump,or our democracy and country.
LPBBEAR
(304 posts)should Garland be gone ASAP, EVERY Republican in any government office should be removed. I'm sick of the bending over backwards "our friends across the aisle" BS. Purge these partisan traitors NOW.
MichMan
(12,138 posts)You do know that would be ruled blatantly illegal, right?
more illegal than the crap the Republicans have gotten away with for decades. If they can do it we can too.
I_UndergroundPanther
(12,611 posts)But would it be possible to ruthlessly root out traitors now that shit has shifted so right even in the democratic party..
In the past would the dems tolerate traitors then,would the people have tolerated it?
One big difference media had to be fair.
It isnt truthful or fair anymore.
Fuck reagan he helped kill our free press.
bagimin
(1,346 posts)on the money.
Mike Nelson
(10,062 posts)... is that Garland is able to find the door by himself. I'd say wait until the current stuff blows over, but find that door before November. We are going to need an AG with no experience in timidity.
ArkansasDemocrat1
(1,570 posts)msfiddlestix
(7,303 posts)maybe I'll have time in the morning to start with google, but maybe someone with more time on their hands will do it sooner and share what they know. I'm playing hooky from a chore I should be doing right n ow. hee hee.
capechacon
(91 posts)....who will be humming, hawing until he manages to assure that Trump is elected in November.
Goodbye democracy.
GreenWave
(7,337 posts)and their attack dogs, these cases would already be wrapped up and Trumpty Dumpty facing final results.
orthoclad
(2,910 posts)and the chief insurrectionists who tried to violently overthrow the government are still free, and many holding office.
Compare to what happened in Germany when a right wing conspiracy organized. They were in jail toot sweet.
DOJ is still filled with moles and coup plotters. FBI is swatting human rights protesters while many J6ers roam free.
We're in deep shit.
Hartpi978
(14 posts)Maybe Mitch McConnell did us a service blocking Garland's appointment. His judgment is questionable. Who knows what he could have done as a member of the Supreme Court.Let Monaco take over the Justice Department.
jalan48
(13,997 posts)Celerity
(44,630 posts)Which was disastrous, would rather him (flawed as he is) on the court than the nonce Neil Gorsuch.
jalan48
(13,997 posts)jalan48
(13,997 posts)It is odd that McConnell did vote to confirm Garland as AG.
republianmushroom
(14,796 posts)Silent3
(15,647 posts)Now, much more important than feeling vindicated, I hope democracy in the United States survives this mess.
onecaliberal
(33,455 posts)gulliver
(13,254 posts)There's a lot of mistaken criticism of him. That I've seen a whole lot of. From both sides.
The criticism from folks who think of themselves as being on the left is basically that Garland should have self-designed an Attorney General uniform, stuck on some epaulets and medals, and arrested Trump pronto.
The criticism from Trump and folks who think of themselves as being on the right is that what Garland has been doing is essentially what the left wishes he were doing. (See above.)
Great straightness seems bent. I think that's from the Tao Te Ching. Garland is essentially correct in a world where folks have adopted silly, erroneous, superficial, feel-good evaluation criteria concerning correctness.
Shermanator
(45 posts)What we're saying is Garland is making decisions based on his fears of the republicans. He's been cowed by them. Also he's the boss and he's supposed to be overseeing his subordinates but he keeps abdicating his duties. You can't have an Attorney General like that. Let the Republicans scream and shout all they want. His only duty is to the Constitution. That report should have never went out without him reviewing it
gulliver
(13,254 posts)And, of course, I'm not the only one.
Shermanator
(45 posts)No one is saying that. Garland being criticized for letting the republicans dictate his actions.
gulliver
(13,254 posts)That is sometimes called an exaggeration for effect. Those who see it that way are correct.
gab13by13
(22,136 posts)who complained to both the special counsel and to the Attorney general for publishing a political hit job.
Did you watch Biden's press conference? He would have blackened Hur's eye if he were there.
Merrick Garland promised to not be partisan he broke that promise to President Biden when he released Hur's report.
gulliver
(13,254 posts)And I watched Biden's masterful press conference (which was then warped by the media). Of course.
Did Garland break a promise? No.
Trump is going to play the "equivalence" game, and the media don't play with a full enough deck to police it. Truth ain't their job.
So, if Garland had (to steelman what is perhaps your take), appointed someone "neutral" (if such exists) and/or edited/redacted/squelched the report after its production, Trumpies would have been able to use it as an example of Garland protecting Biden. And it would have been a good example. Fortunately, it didn't happen.
Garland strengthened the case against Trump. Pence investigation? No charges. Biden investigation? No charges (but a dirty little innuendo trick pulled). Trump? Investigated, indicted, and will be convicted.
Doc Sportello
(7,604 posts)Putting words in the mouths of other posters doesn't get you any points. Being honest about what you wrote might.
there's always a few
Nululu
(849 posts)CanonRay
(14,285 posts)There's no time to change the course we're on.
Celerity
(44,630 posts)ffr
(22,717 posts)Evolve Dammit
(17,214 posts)Trueblue Texan
(2,491 posts)...Biden doesn't interfere with investigations. And Garland is no Bill Barr.
SqueakyWheel.363
(29 posts)and upholder of the status quo. I was kinda glad he didn't get vetted for the Supreme court, it's just too bad that RBG didn't step down when Obama could have replaced her. Garlands behavior has been consistent with his political career sadly.
Elessar Zappa
(14,338 posts)I reckon Garland will be replaced in January of 25, when Bidens re-elected.
dlk
(11,720 posts)After the Comey debacle, here we go again. Hur has shown himself to be a petty and spiteful prosecutor who couldnt indict Biden legally, so he personally took it upon himself to indict Biden politically, perhaps, to cover up the fact that he knew about the classified documents in 2017, and did nothing.
Garland had to have read this report, and apparently doesnt have the stomach to fulfill his duties appropriately at this critical time. This is bothsiderism at its worst.
B.See
(1,744 posts)LONG ago.
Handler
(336 posts)His inability to act quickly in the face of an attack on our democracy will haunt this country.
colorado_ufo
(5,783 posts)Did he even READ Hur's report? Maybe there should be some comment on HIS age!
I_UndergroundPanther
(12,611 posts)After he wimped out on the trump case for fear of offending republicans. Really the worst they could do is call you bad names and make threats. My commitment to the country,fellow citizens and democracy itself matters more than offending assholes or possible threats from unhinged trump ass monkeys
He lacked the conscience and the courage he should have been tossed out the door the minute it was clear he was failing at his job.
redqueen
(115,113 posts)No one can argue he wasn't given more than enough chances.
brush
(54,661 posts)trump most likely woud've been found guilty on at least one of the 91 felony charges and we wouldn't be facing the possibility of an insurrectionist regaining the WH to install a dictatorship. HIs Plan 25 outlines dentention camps to hold people to be deported.
Muslim Americans, undocumented people, brown people, black people...where will that stop?
BlueWaveNeverEnd
(8,545 posts)orangecrush
(19,935 posts)Now.
Before we have any more fuck ups.
dchill
(38,769 posts)Like CJ Roberts!
The Unmitigated Gall
(3,942 posts)The bullslhit puke attack line on Biden's age now has the imprimatur of DOJ legitimacy.
quakerboy
(13,954 posts)What's the chances they do anything about the AG?
While I still think he would have been better than Gorsuch.. the margin is looking pretty slim.
nbsmom
(596 posts)That alone is reason enough.
https://fedsoc.org/contributors/merrick-garland
hydrolastic
(497 posts)Remember the Mueller report where there was a memo tying the hands of law from prosecuting a sitting president? I think the house and senate must have a similar memo because there is no action being taken.
ecstatic
(32,933 posts)He needs to go. He clearly doesn't understand the emergency we face and now we could lose democracy thanks to him. GTFO.