Sen. Mike Lee suggested Thursday that President Donald Trump pick Judge Merrick Garland to replace James Comey as the head of the FBI.
Garland was most famously President Barack Obama’s pick to replace Justice Antonin Scalia on the Supreme Court. Senate Republicans refused to consider Garland for the high court.
Garland was a federal prosecutor before moving to the bench and oversaw several prosecutions related to the Oklahoma City Bombing.
As farfetched as it might be, the Utah Republican’s suggestion would come with an added benefit for Trump and the GOP: It would open up Garland’s seat on the influential D.C.-based federal appeals court, perhaps for the nomination of a more conservative judge.
A Lee aide confirmed that the senator was serious about the suggestion, adding that the senator has been talking about the idea for a few days.
Democratic Sen. Amy Klobuchar, a fellow member of the Judiciary Committee, voiced approval of Lee’s idea to put Garland at the helm of FBI.
“Good idea @SenMikeLee. Former prosecutor Merrick Garland for FBI Director is great idea. Need special prosecutor too,” the Minnesota Democrat responded in a Tweet.
