Supreme Court nominee blocked by McConnell in 2016; served as U.S. Attorney General 2021-2025
Background
Merrick Brian Garland has served as a judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit since 1997 and served as its chief judge from 2013 to 2020. President Obama nominated him to the Supreme Court in March 2016 following the death of Justice Scalia, but Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell refused to hold hearings, citing the election year, and the seat was ultimately filled by Donald Trump’s nominee Neil Gorsuch. Garland served as U.S. Attorney General from March 2021 to January 2025 under President Biden, during which he oversaw the federal investigations of Trump and appointed Jack Smith as Special Counsel for the January 6 and classified documents cases.
