Judge Merrick Garland, nominated by President Biden’s attorney general, has repeatedly refrained from giving direct answers to Republican senators’ questions during Monday’s hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee.
Garland evaded questions about the Durham investigation into the origins of the Trump-Russia investigation, transgender athletes in high school sports and whether the illegal crossing of the border should be a criminal offense.
Sen. Josh Hawley, R-MO, asked Garland if he believed the illegal crossing of the border should remain a crime.
“I haven’t thought about it yet, I just thought about it,” Garland said. “The president has made it clear that we are a nation with borders, with national security. I do not know of a proposal to criminalize, but it still makes it illegal to answer, I just did not think about it.”
Garland also did not want to commit to putting Special Council John Durham in place to continue his investigation into the origins of the Trump-Russia investigation. Garland said he had “no reason” to think it was the wrong decision to leave Durham in place to continue his investigation, but declined to take action.
GARLAND ANSWER TO CUOMO INVESTIGATION ‘NOT GOOD ENOUGH’: REP. STEFANIK
Sen. Lindsey Graham, RS.C., urged Garland to say whether Durham’s investigation is legal or not, prompting the nominee to say, “I do not really know anything about the investigation.”
“I do think someone needs to look at what happened to the FISAs, and I believe the Inspector General did,” Garland added.
Garland was also asked to allow biological male athletes who identify themselves as transgender to participate in female athletics competitions.
Sen. John Kennedy, R-LA, asked Garland if he agreed with the statement that “Allowing biological men to participate in a female sport deprives women of the opportunity to participate fully and fairly in sport and is fundamentally unfair to female athletes. “
Garland did not want to answer Kennedy’s question directly. “This is a very difficult societal question you are asking me here, I know what it is about,” Garland began with his answer.
“I know, but you’re going to be attorney general,” Kennedy shot back.
“Well, but I may not be the one to make such policy decisions, not that I’m in favor of it. Look, I think every human being should be treated with dignity and respect. And that’s a dominant sense of my own character , but a prevailing understanding of what the law requires, ‘Garland replies.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
‘The specific question of how Title IX applies to schools is a question I must examine in the light of the Bostock case, of which I know you are very familiar, if I have the opportunity to do so. “I have not yet had the opportunity to consider these kinds of issues, but I agree that this is a difficult question,” Garland replied.
On his first day in office, President Biden signed an executive order requesting schools to allow transgender athletes to participate in girls’ sports teams.