In the wake of essentially learning of Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin’s hospitalization through media reports, the White House made sure it was cc’d on the Justice Department announcement that Attorney General Merrick Garland is scheduled for back surgery this weekend, so he will temporarily hand leadership of the department to his deputy, ABC News reported.
Garland will be under anesthesia for approximately 90 minutes for a minimally-invasive unspecified procedure; Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco will take the DOJ reins for a time before, during and after the procedure. While he’ll be working from home during his recovery, he is not expected to be back at the Justice Department office until the week of February 5th.