Skip to content

The President appoints the U.S. Attorneys. They're…

“The President appoints the U.S. Attorneys. They're political in a certain respect. But the Department of Justice - the power that they hold is so great, it's life and limb, you know - put you in jail, make you run up hundreds of thousands of dollars of legal costs. Even though we understand that…” quote by Josh Marshall
Download Open image
“The President appoints the U.S. Attorneys. They're political in a certain respect. But the Department of Justice - the power that they hold is so great, it's life and limb, you know - put you in jail, make you run up hundreds of thousands of dollars of legal costs. Even though we understand that political appointees take these jobs. We don't assume that the party in power is going to use that kind of power to advance its political interests.”

Josh Marshall

About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

It warns that while U.S. Attorneys are political appointees, their power can affect lives dramatically, and we shouldn't assume they’ll always act politically.

In simple terms: Legal power can be misused despite political appointments.

Key Takeaway

Stay vigilant about judicial independence.

Themes

politics justice power accountability

Mood

concerned serious

Type

political analytical

When to use this quote

  • court cases
  • policy debates
  • public oversight
  • legal reforms

Key Concepts

institutional checks political influence

Questions to Reflect On

  • What safeguards protect against politicized legal actions?
  • How can citizens hold officials accountable?
A Different Perspective

Political realities may limit the ability to prevent abuse.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet

More by Josh Marshall

Explore all 16 Josh Marshall quotes

More Assuming quotes

Browse all 2,452 Assuming quotes