Justice Department’s slow investigation laid the groundwork for Donald Trump’s delay tactics

Andrew Weissmann, former top prosecutor at the Justice Department, Anthony Coley, former Senior Advisor to Attorney General Merrick Garland, and Mary McCord, former Acting Assistant Attorney General for National Security join Alicia Menendez in Nicolle Wallace on Deadline White House to discuss how it took so long for Attorney General Merrick Garland and the Justice Department to bring charges against Donald Trump and how it created a race against the clock which has played in Donald Trump’s delay tactics. 

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[thelorax]

Those of us with half a brain were screaming this for a couple of years... wondering what AG Garland was doing. Ugh. It's clear that voters are the only ones that will be able to settle this mess.

[ScytheNoire]

It's almost as Merrick Garland is working for the Federalist Society, that he is a member of, than he is for America.

[michaelschwartz]

Well everyone with a brain has basically been screaming this from the mountaintops since 2021. But why listen to us? 🙄

[Graybeard_]

I fully supported Garland's appointment of AG DOJ. I thought he was the right person for the job and also smiled at the potential poetic justice that could arise after McConnell blocked his appointment to SCOTUS. I was wrong. If trump goes on to be reelected and then to dismantle the justice system and exonerate himself, Garland will be largely responsible for this. Garland may be an honorable person with impeccable integrity, but he was the wrong person to lead the justice department at a critical point in this nation's history.

[richardowens]

It's a shame that Garland spent the majority of the first two years of his tenure as AG hiding under his desk, paralyzed with the fear of being perceived as being "political."

[veronicastewart]

He should have been replaced 2 years ago. Now, it's too late for timely trials.

[richardowens]

Any qualified AG would have hit the ground running, hair on fire, after Trump, recognizing that he was a tremendous threat to our nation and needed to be apprehended and prosecuted as soon as possible.

[pjcguy]

so what about MTG, Gaetz, Jordan, Comer, Boebert, Johnson and Johnson, and all the congressional and senatorial members, including Ginni Thomas, who are complicit in January 6th and have yet to be charged with anything? He's STILL dragging his feet.

[summerwind]

Garland’s foot dragging was evident months and months ago. We are where we are now in this timing crunch solely because he did NOT ACT in a timely manner. He started the entire delay process

[sg]

It is 100% Garland’s fault. He wasted way too much time.

[gdawg]

I have long maintained that Merrrick Garland presented Trump his greatest gift while doing nothing for 2 full years.

[telebubba]

Fact of the matter remains that Garland has no sense of urgency on this matter at all. And that he has put this whole prosecution in danger. This is unacceptable, whatever blabla you give. This was noticed at the very beginning and it hasn't changed. Garland is not a prosecutor, but a judge. And he was constantly sitting on the judges chair instead of that of the prosecution.

[maxruedy]

Garland has been ineffective and has allowed far too much delay either by being inept and obtuse or by design, either way he should be replaced.

[RWROW]

Garland owes the country a massive apology and a resignation.

[jacquieclaypoole]

His perfection caused a snail’s pace and America may not see the trials owed to the country.

[castillomark]

Merrick Garland was pathetic in his ridiculous timidity which led to a catastrophic loss of opportunity to properly hold Donald Trump accountable. No excuse is adequate.

[justinperkins]

That's what you get with a Justice Department with no balls.

[jamesharvey]

What good was Garland? It is still left up to us the voters again. Lucky for us he never got onto the Supreme Court.

[HeidiSchwendeWSI]

What this is just dawning now? We've been screaming since J6

[AN-cyxm]

Garland was WAY too timid. There's "careful" and then there's paralysis.