Washington, DC— Following today’s Senate confirmation of Merrick Garland as the new Attorney General of the United States, People For the American Way President Ben Jealous released the following statement:
“People For the American Way congratulates Merrick Garland on his confirmation as the U.S. Attorney General. Garland inherits a Justice Department that functioned more as a partisan political tool in the previous administration than the focus of the federal government’s guardianship of our nation’s justice system. The task before Garland is momentous, especially with the surge of voter suppression efforts continuing across the country and endemic, structural racism in law enforcement agencies that put historically marginalized communities in harm’s way. We are confident that Garland will work aggressively to enforce our civil rights laws and ensure justice for all. And with the pending Senate confirmations of Vanita Gupta as Associate Attorney General and Kristen Clarke as head of the DOJ Civil Rights Division, we are also confident that he and his team will have the support he needs to strengthen our democracy."
About People For the American Way
People For the American Way is a progressive advocacy organization founded to fight right-wing extremism and build a democratic society that implements the ideals of freedom, equality, opportunity and justice for all. We encourage civic participation, defend fundamental rights, and fight to dismantle systemic barriers to equitable opportunity. Learn more: https://www.pfaw.org.