By Sarah N. Lynch | 19 February 2021
REUTERS — In 1995, Merrick Garland was tasked with supervising a sprawling U.S. Justice Department criminal investigation into the bombing of a federal office building in Oklahoma City that killed 168 people.
Former colleagues recall that he maintained his composure as he surveyed the crime scene, coordinated the investigation among numerous law enforcement agencies and put together a trial team to bring bomber Timothy McVeigh and his co-conspirator Terry Nichols to justice.
“It really was one of those things that took a lot of organization, coordination, smarts. Merrick Garland had it all,” said Donna Bucella, a former Justice Department colleague who worked alongside him in the aftermath of the bombing.
Now, 26 years later, the threat of domestic terrorism is once again at the forefront of Justice Department’s agenda as Garland, 68, prepares for a new role as President Joe Biden’s pick for attorney general. The topic is likely to be a major theme on Monday when Garland appears for his confirmation hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee. […]
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