I can barely hear him.
Garland: The reason violent crime is important to the federal government is because it makes it impossible for people to go about their ordinary lives and carry out their civic responsibilities, and their family responsibilities without fear.
Cornyn: Mandatory minimum sentences are statutory, correct? Passed by congress and signed into law by the president.
Garland: Yes, that's right.
Cornyn: Here [in a memo of yours] you suggest that prosecutors should not enforce, or charge defendants, with a crime which carries a mandatory minimum under certain circumstances, correct?
Garland: I did..uh..uh..not exactly…if I can just have a moment to explain.
Cornyn: No. Well, If you'd just answer the question…basically your charging memorandum says that prosecutors can exercise their discretion to charge less than the most serious offense because you don't like the mandatory minimum sentences that congress has passed.
Garland blames the US Marshals for the fact that nobody was ever arrested for protesting outside the homes of Supreme Court justices.
Garland: We have been focused like a laser on hate crimes since I first came into the department…I've established a 'hate crimes coordinator' in the department…the FBI has elevated hate crimes and civil rights violations into their highest bands of threats
Cruz: Your failure to act to protect the safety of the justices and their families was an obvious product of political bias. You agree with Roe vs Wade, you disagree with the Dobbs decision. And the Department of Justice under this president was perfectly happy to refuse to enforce the law and allow threats of violence.