Merrick Garland Confirmed as Attorney General
Demetrius Freeman/Pool/Getty Images
We ran the numbers: There are 2123 news articles covering this topic. 58% (1237) are left leaning, 34% (708) are center, and 8% (178) are right leaning.
In a 70 to 30 vote, Merrick Garland, a longtime federal appeals court judge, was confirmed as President Biden’s attorney general on Wednesday. While left-leaning articles highlight that Biden selected him because he was viewed as someone who could restore the Justice Department’s credibility and independence, right-leaning articles highlight that some Republicans pointed to concerns they have about Garland.
A left-leaning article by The Washington Post highlights that although Garland has earned a reputation as a moderate consensus builder, Biden selected him because he was viewed as someone who could restore the Justice Department’s credibility and independence. Garland has vowed to make decisions on criminal matters without regard to politics.
NPR published a centrist article reporting that the 70-30 vote comes five years after then-President Barack Obama nominated Garland to serve on the Supreme Court. Garland, who would be the 86th attorney general, has pledged to return the Justice Department to normal order after four years of tumult under Trump.
A right-leaning article by Fox News highlights that although Republicans expressed their support at the time, some pointed to concerns they have about Garland. Senator Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, noted he was worried about how Garland might handle Second Amendment issues, while Senator John Cornyn, R-Texas, pointed to Garland’s failure to commit to allowing John Durham’s investigation of the origins of the Russia probe to continue.