President-elect Joe Biden on Thursday announced his nomination of Merrick Garland as attorney general. Biden’s team described Garland, 68, as a Department of Justice (DOJ) veteran and an independent jurist. Biden also announced Lisa Monaco as nominee for deputy attorney general, Vanita Gupta as nominee for associate attorney general, and Kristen Clarke as nominee for assistant attorney general for the Civil Rights Division. “Our first-rate nominees to lead the Justice Department are eminently qualified, embody character and judgment that is beyond reproach, and have devoted their careers to serving the American people with honor and integrity. They will restore the independence of the Department so it serves the interests of the people not a presidency, rebuild public trust in the rule of law, and work tirelessly to ensure a more fair and equitable justice system,” Biden said in a statement. “They are among the most accomplished legal minds in our …