Attorney General Merrick Garland announces on Aug. 11, 2023, that he has appointed a special counsel to handle the investigations into Hunter Biden.
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Special counsels can help presidential administrations avoid the perception of bias, but they are not as independent as the independent counsels of the past.
Special counsels can help administrations avoid the perception of bias, but politics is never fully out of the picture.
Merrick Garland, center, announcing on Nov. 18, 2022, that he will appoint a special counsel for the Department of Justice investigation into former President Donald Trump.
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A department rule advises federal law enforcement officials to refrain from making public comments about ongoing investigations that may impact an election in the 60 days leading up to that election.
Attorney general nominee Merrick Garland speaks during an event with President-elect Joe Biden.
AP Photo/Susan Walsh
History shows that attorneys general who are picked by – and serve at the pleasure of – the president are not as independent as they may be expected to be.