Former Dept. of Justice spokesperson Matthew Miller on Wednesday offered up a realistic assessment of Merrick Garland’s speech just hours earlier. The Attorney General’s speech has elicited a wide range of responses on the left, with many institutionalists supporting the embattled AG, and more casual observers continue to express frustration.
Calling it a “good” and “important speech in many ways,” Miller on MSNBC criticized Garland, saying “I don’t think this was a ‘game on’ speech by Merrick Garland so much as it was his ‘get off my back’ speech.” He was referring to fellow MSNBC analyst Joyce Vance’s assessment that Garland had delivered a “game on” address.
Miller continued, saying Garland “clearly has heard the criticism from judges about the Department not doing to hold more, you know, of what we call the ringleaders or the insiders to account, and for judges for maybe not in some cases, recommend – for the department not pursuing more serious charges against some of the rioters who were recommending more serious sentences. And he’s heard the criticism from people on Capitol Hill and probably those of us who talk on on TV from time to time and this was his way of saying, ‘look, I’ve got this.'”