Attorney General Merrick Garland gave a tearful goodbye while warning of the risks of "grave injustice" for those who abuse the Justice Department's power.

Much of Garland's parting remarks were a defense of the agency he's led the last four years while making veiled nods to the anxieties of those with a stake in the future of the Justice Department (DOJ).

"The same powers that enable the federal prosecutor to pursue justice also create the potential for grave injustice," Garland said, adding that the Justice Department must always remember the "difference between what we can do — and what we should do."

And he stressed the need for the department to retain independence from the White House and Congress.

"We make that commitment not because independence is necessarily constitutionally required, but because it is the only way to ensure that our law enforcement decisions are free from partisan influence," he said.

Many of Garland's comments seemed to be an assurance to career staff who will remain after the transition — a group he called the "heart........

© The Hill