"Acting on a mix of principle and caution ..." TOTAL BULLSHIT
There was no principle involved. This was intentional. Every step Garland DIDN'T take was intentional. He slow-walked this thing every single day he was on the job.
Remember, there has NEVER been a Director of the FBI appointed by a Dem. Dem Presidents have ALWAYS appointed Republicans as FBI head "so as to not appear partisan."
Moreover, there just aren't that many Democrats in high places within DoJ to get the experience needed for the top jobs such as AG. There is no evidence anywhere in Garland's background that he was ever anything but a moderate Republican, at least by his actions. He was the ultimate status quo apparatchik.
These are the kinds of things that progressives are demanding must change. We can no longer live with Dem leaders who automatically cave on things just to avoid conflicts or hurting Republican feelings. We need badasses in charge on our side.