Hirono Statement on the Nominations of Judge Merrick Garland to Serve as Attorney General and Other Key Positions for the Justice Department

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-Hawaii) issued the following statement after President-elect Joe Biden announced the nominations of Judge Merrick Garland to serve as Attorney General, Lisa Monaco to serve as Deputy Attorney General, Vanita Gupta to serve as Associate Attorney General, and Kristen Clarke to serve as Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division in the Department of Justice (DOJ):

“With the nominations of four DOJ veterans with strong records of public service, President-elect Biden and Vice President-elect Harris are demonstrating their commitment to restoring independence, integrity, and the protection of civil rights at the Department of Justice. These nominations make clear that the Biden-Harris administration is dedicated to restoring the rule of law and building a system that truly provides equal justice for all, not just for some.

“Judge Garland is an outstanding choice for Attorney General. Having had the opportunity to speak with him on multiple occasions and see his longstanding record of serving as an independent jurist, I believe he would bring much-needed integrity and decency to the leadership of the Justice Department. 

“As the nominee to be Deputy Attorney General, Lisa will bring her commitment to serving the American people back to the Justice Department given her experience as a crisis-tested DOJ veteran of fifteen years. 

“And having worked with Vanita and Kristen over these past few years as advocates for civil rights, I welcome their respective nominations to be Associate Attorney General and Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division. Their extensive experience in civil rights issues will be invaluable at the Justice Department and critical to restoring Americans’ faith in our justice system.

“I look forward to confirming these dedicated public servants because I am confident they will be able to do the hard work of rebuilding the Justice Department and restoring the morale of the hardworking career professionals at DOJ.”

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