FACT CHECK: Did Merrick Garland Admit A ‘Judge’s Mistake’ To John Kennedy?

Christine Sellers | Fact Check Reporter

A video shared on Facebook purports Attorney General Merrick Garland admitted a “judge’s mistake” to Louisiana Republican Sen. John Kennedy.

Verdict: False

The video’s caption is inaccurate. The nine-minute video shows Kennedy questioning Garland during a February 2021 Senate Judiciary Committee Hearing unrelated to any judicial misconduct.

Fact Check:

Kennedy said Jan. 4 he would refrain from running for governor of Louisiana, preferring to stay in the Senate according to Politico. Pressure has also built on Garland from Republican lawmakers to appoint a special counsel after a second batch of classified documents were found, The New York Post reported.

The Facebook video, viewed 26,000 times, purports Garland allegedly admitted a “judge’s mistake” to Kennedy. “SH0CK MOMENT- Garland ENDS his career after SHAMEFULLY admits ‘Judge’s mistake’ to Kennedy,” the video’s caption reads.

The claim is false. There are no credible news reports suggesting Garland allegedly admitted a “judge’s mistake” to Kennedy. Likewise, the claim is neither mentioned on Kennedy’s website nor on his verified social media accounts. In addition, the U.S. Department of Justice has not publicly addressed the purported claim.

The nine-minute video shows Kennedy questioning Garland during a February 2021 Senate Judiciary Committee Hearing. (RELATED: Did Merrick Garland Tell John Kennedy To ‘Wait For Revenge’?)

In the original video, Kennedy opens the pair’s conversation with a discussion on justice. Throughout the course of the video, he and Garland also explore the impact of policies that allowed COVID-19 to spread in nursing homes, the consequences of pandemic-related school closures on students’ learning, and whether or not biological males should be permitted to participate in women’s sports.

At no point does Garland admit a “judge’s mistake” during the conversation. Kennedy also does not reference the purported claim during his conversation with Garland.

Check Your Fact has contacted Kennedy’s office for comment and will update this piece accordingly if one is received.

This is not the first time a video with an unrelated caption has circulated online. Check Your Fact previously debunked a social media post purporting Florida Republican Sen. Marco Rubio allegedly accused former National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) Director Dr. Anthony Fauci of a “fake data crime.”

Christine Sellers

Fact Check Reporter

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