Merrick Garland Recuses Himself From Handling Kavanaugh Ethics Complaints

Supreme Court nominee Merrick Garland meets with Sen. Tim Kaine (D-VA) in his office in the Russell Senate Office Building on Capitol Hill April 21, 2016 in Washington, DC. President Barack Obama nominated Garland to replace Associate Justice Antonin Scalia who passed away earlier this year.
WASHINGTON, DC - APRIL 21: Supreme Court nominee Merrick Garland arrives in the office of Sen. Tim Kaine (D-VA) before a meeting in the Russell Senate Office Building on Capitol Hill April 21, 2016 in Washington, DC.... WASHINGTON, DC - APRIL 21: Supreme Court nominee Merrick Garland arrives in the office of Sen. Tim Kaine (D-VA) before a meeting in the Russell Senate Office Building on Capitol Hill April 21, 2016 in Washington, DC. President Barack Obama nominated Garland to replace Associate Justice Antonin Scalia who passed away earlier this year. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images) MORE LESS
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The US Court of Appeals for the DC Circuit announced Saturday that Chief Judge Merrick Garland recused himself from handling ethics complaints filed against Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh, according to Buzzfeed.

Buzzfeed reports that the statement does not give an explanation for why Garland decided to recuse himself nor does it contain an update for the status of the Kavanaugh ethics complaints. Garland’s nomination for the Supreme Court in 2016 failed after Republicans refused to act on any Obama nominee.

Since Kavanaugh’s Senate testimony and his response to allegations of sexual misconduct, the current court of the Supreme Court nominee received multiple ethics complaints filed against him.

Although the chief judge of the circuit typically handles ethics cases, they have the option to recuse themselves if they find that the “circumstances warrant disqualification” under the federal judiciary’s rules.

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