Merrick Garland's slow-rolling of the Trump investigation is being blamed by Democrats for their election loss, according to a report.

Merrick Garland is being criticized by Democrats for his handling of the 2024 election investigation into President-elect Donald Trump.

In 2022, Garland appointed Special Counsel Jack Smith to investigate alleged efforts by Trump and his allies to undermine the 2020 election results. While Garland stated at the time that his decision was prompted by Trump's announcement of his presidential candidacy, some Democrats believed that the Jan. 6 committee findings should have warranted an investigation.

"New York Rep. Jerrold Nadler stated that Garland only began the prosecution after being compelled to do so by the Jan. 6 committee report and criminal referral. According to Nadler, the evidence used by the committee was already accessible from the start."

""If Merrick Garland had pursued those prosecutions, I believe he would have convicted the president and we'd have a different leader today," he stated."

Zoe Lofgren, a California representative on the Jan. 6 committee, shared the view that Garland delayed starting the investigation.

"Lofgren admitted to HuffPost that he didn't understand they were not considering the entire context, as he believed they were focusing on the ground troops."

Schiff criticized the DOJ's handling of the Capitol Hill riot, stating that they acted quickly on those who broke into the building but were slow to investigate those at a higher level.

"That was a fatal mistake," Schiff said.

Minnesota Sen. Tina Smith concurred, stating, "The department's emphasis on adhering to protocol and clarity may have hindered political interference."

She added, "I am concerned that he may become president and pardon a large number of people, thereby whitewashing the events that occurred."

According to reports, President Biden expressed regret over selecting Garland as attorney general and felt that he acted too slowly in pursuing legal action against Trump.

Trump was more heavily criticized by Democrats for changing the narrative on Jan. 6, with some placing more blame on him than on the Justice Department.

"Vermont Sen. Peter Welch stated that the current situation is not about the DOJ, but rather about Trump's ability to rewrite history. He believes that Trump has validated those who attacked the Capitol, and it wouldn't have made a difference if it had happened a month earlier, a month later, or six months earlier."

Smith is expected to resign before Trump's second inauguration on Jan. 20. He must submit a report to the Department of Justice summarizing his findings and any recommendations for prosecution or declination. However, the Department of Justice policy is against charging a sitting president.