Joe Biden To Name Merrick Garland Attorney General

WASHINGTON, DC - MAY 19: U.S. Supreme Court nominee and chief judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit Merrick Garland meets with Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-OR) in the Hart Senate Office Building on Capitol Hill May 19, 2016 in Washington, DC. Senate Republicans have so far refused to schedule a confirmation hearing for Garland, who was nominated by President Barack Obama to fill a vacancy on the court left when Associate Justice Antonin Scalia died earlier this year. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

Joe Biden has reportedly selected his Attorney General nominee and it sure feels significant for several reasons. Politico exclusively broke the news that Biden has picked former Supreme Court nominee Merrick Garland. Politico reports:

Biden selected Garland over former Sen. Doug Jones (D-AL) and former deputy attorney general Sally Yates, choosing to elevate the chief judge of the United States Court of Appeals in D.C. to run the Justice Department.

SCOOP: Joe Biden has selected Judge Merrick Garland to serve as attorney general, per two people with knowledge of the decision. https://t.co/fLS0k4vsGQ
— Tyler Pager (@tylerpager) January 6, 2021

The AP confirmed the news writing:

The pick will force Senate Republicans to contend with the nomination of someone they spurned in 2016 — refusing even to hold hearings when a Supreme Court vacancy arose — but Biden may be banking on Garland’s credentials and reputation for moderation to ensure confirmation.