Thread by @JoyceWhiteVance

Merrick Garland: Willing to step away from lifetime appointment as a federal judge because of the importance of DOJ and the rule of law.

Garland calls family separation policy "shameful" & commits to cooperating with Congressional oversight hearings on this issue as well as annual oversight hearings. "Of course" he says, "I will cooperate" after Durbin notes there was no such participation over the last 3 years.

Judge Garland says he spoke with judiciary ethics advisors ahead of hearing and that while Canon 3 bars comment on any pending cases, he is free to talk about policy.

Asked about whether he discussed Hunter Biden with POTUS, Garland says Biden's commitment that decisions about investigations & prosecutions would be up to DOJ was "the reason I was willing to take on the job."

Asked about Trump's view he could "do whatever he wanted with the Justice Dept.," Garland says the President is constrained by the Constitution — novel & reassuring after the last 3 AG's.

Lindsey Graham congratulates Judge Garland and says he thinks he's a great choice for AG

Garland agrees that covering up wrongdoing is never a reason for DOJ to avoid answering questions from Congress. This is really important, given that it's was Barr did. But it's shocking that it was a necessary question/answer for an AG confirmation when you think about it.

Sen. Cornyn asks Garland to confirm that politics won't affect his decisions about prosecutions, which Garland, of course, affirms. And all I can wonder is where Cornyn was for the last 4 years?

Garland tells Sen. Klobuchar he will reassure DOJ employees his job is to protect their work from political interference. Again, this should go without saying. Again, this is novel after watching Barr meddle in the Stone, Flynn, etc. cases.

Garland says he's very committed to requiring AG sign off before subpoenas can be issued to journalists. This begs the whole question of who a journalist is, as the internet continues to evolve ahead of the law.

On 2nd Amendment, Garland says his views are informed by precedent, including the holding in Heller about fundamental rights. He says the President can pursue his policy goals, subject to the limitations of the Constitution.

Is Cruz's time up yet?

On the day after what would have been John Lewis's 81st Birthday, Judge Garland commits that if confirmed, he will work with Congress to restore voting rights protections & believes measure that make it possible for more people to vote are good.

Garland expresses concerns about the high number of exonerations following death penalty sentences and its "racially disparate impact" (ie it's applied more to black defendants than white ones). He says he expects direction from the President on the policy issue.

Garland wells up with tears, talking about how this country took him family in as they fled the Holocaust and his desire & obligation to be the best AG possible to repay that. There is a reason the rule of law matters.

.@SenBlumenthal suggests to Judge Garland that amending 18 USC 242, the law used to prosecute police for excessive force, should be amended to require knowledge, instead of intent. Garland said he'd consult experts in the Civil Rights Division. Important to update the law here!

Ted Cruz suggests that Democrats will end cases because of pressure from donors. Garland responds that he doesn't care what donors want and he doesn't own any stock that would create conflicts for him. Cruz seems unfamiliar with this notion of respect for ethics by DOJ officials.

Who else had, will you commit to investigating Cuomo, on their bingo card?