--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We should never again have an attorney…" description: "\"We should never again have an attorney general capable of saying virtually nothing as the law of major intelligence programs and the integrity of his d..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/45c/benjamin-wittes-9097_attorney-general_we-should-never-again-have-an-attorney-g_2227476.jpg" --- # We should never again have an attorney general capable of… ![“We should never again have an attorney general capable of saying virtually nothing as the law of major intelligence programs and the integrity of his department's work in overseeing these programs are assailed over a protracted period of time.” quote by Benjamin Wittes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/45c/benjamin-wittes-9097_attorney-general_we-should-never-again-have-an-attorney-g_2227476.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/45c/benjamin-wittes-9097_attorney-general_we-should-never-again-have-an-attorney-g_2227476.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/45c/benjamin-wittes-9097_attorney-general_we-should-never-again-have-an-attorney-g_2227476.jpg) > “We should never again have an attorney general capable of saying virtually nothing as the law of major intelligence programs and the integrity of his department's work in overseeing these programs are assailed over a protracted period of time.” [Benjamin Wittes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-wittes/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote warns against appointing an Attorney General who cannot effectively oversee intelligence agencies, leading to prolonged challenges to the department’s credibility. **In simple terms:** A weak AG harms oversight and credibility. Key Takeaway Ensure strong, accountable leadership. Themes accountability government intelligence oversight leadership credibility Mood critical concerned Type political analytical When to use this quote - policy appointments - senate hearings - agency audits - public trust Key Concepts rule of law institutional integrity checks and balances Questions to Reflect On - How can oversight be strengthened despite political constraints? - What safeguards ensure agency integrity? A Different Perspective A powerful AG may still face political pressure that limits effectiveness. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Attorney general](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attorney-general/) [Integrity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/integrity/) [Integrity Department](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/integrity-department-3041156/) [Intelligence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intelligence/) [Intelligence Programs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intelligence-programs-491702/) [Law](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/law/) [Major Intelligence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/major-intelligence-4997067/) [Programs Assailed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/programs-assailed-4997066/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work/) ## Related quotes > [I do want to make clear that I am personally committed to the integrity of the Department of Justice. Since becoming acting attorney general,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-whitaker/i-do-want-to-make-clear-that-i-am-personally-committed-to-the/) [Matthew Whitaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-whitaker/) > [My attorney general will restore the integrity of the Department of Justice which has been severely questioned.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/my-attorney-general-will-restore-the-integrity-of-the-department-of/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [Every time the Secretary of Defense tries to get a hand on his many intelligence programs, we hear warnings about the dire consequences to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-riebling/every-time-the-secretary-of-defense-tries-to-get-a-hand-on-his-many/) [Mark Riebling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-riebling/) > [“Instruction is the Intelligence that programs all creation".”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joey-lawsin/instruction-is-the-intelligence-that-programs-all-creation/) [Joey Lawsin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joey-lawsin/) > [June 10, 2002, the day John Ashcroft announced the arrest of Jose Padilla, marked a low point in Ashcroft's career as Attorney General.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-wittes/june-10-2002-the-day-john-ashcroft-announced-the-arrest-of-jose/) [Benjamin Wittes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-wittes/) > [The nature of the job of attorney general has changed - irrevocably. And we should never again have an attorney general, of either party,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-wittes/the-nature-of-the-job-of-attorney-general-has-changed-irrevocably-and/) [Benjamin Wittes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-wittes/) > [When I was attorney general, we had the strongest public integrity unit in the country.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luther-strange/when-i-was-attorney-general-we-had-the-strongest-public-integrity/) [Luther Strange](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luther-strange/) > [Our country is fortunate to have Bill Barr, a man of integrity who has served two U.S. Presidents, as our Attorney General.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-braun/our-country-is-fortunate-to-have-bill-barr-a-man-of-integrity-who-has/) [Mike Braun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-braun/) > [In other words, under Attorney General John Ashcroft, the FBI, the INS and the Department of Justice are so out of control that they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-coulter/in-other-words-under-attorney-general-john-ashcroft-the-fbi-the-ins/) [Ann Coulter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-coulter/) > [It was a privilege to serve as the assistant attorney general for civil rights, a role that allowed me to enforce the Civil Rights…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-perez/it-was-a-privilege-to-serve-as-the-assistant-attorney-general-for/) [Thomas Perez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-perez/) > [I am asking my Attorney General to create a special unit of federal prosecutors and leading state attorneys general to expand our investigations into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-am-asking-my-attorney-general-to-create-a-special-unit-of-federal/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [“The farm labor movement saw him as a racist. He seemed to delight in the most outrageous snubs. Farm labor organizer Cesar Chavez was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jana-bommersbach/the-farm-labor-movement-saw-him-as-a-racist-he-seemed-to-delight-in/) [Jana Bommersbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jana-bommersbach/) > [Protecting the rights of service members was an important part of my work as Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-perez/protecting-the-rights-of-service-members-was-an-important-part-of-my/) [Thomas Perez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-perez/) > [On March 12, 2004, acting attorney general James B. Comey and the Justice Department's top leadership reached the brink of resignation over electronic surveillance…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barton-gellman/on-march-12-2004-acting-attorney-general-james-b-comey-and-the/) [Barton Gellman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barton-gellman/) > [My wife and daughters work. My campaign manager in 2005 was a working mother. I appointed 5 women to my senior staff as Attorney General.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-mcdonnell/my-wife-and-daughters-work-my-campaign-manager-in-2005-was-a-working/) [Bob McDonnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-mcdonnell/) ## More by Benjamin Wittes > [Reasonable people can disagree about the authorities the NSA should have, when it's appropriate for the CIA to use drone strikes, and how assertive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-wittes/reasonable-people-can-disagree-about-the-authorities-the-nsa-should/) [Benjamin Wittes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-wittes/) > [I'm a rationalist and a skeptic, someone who safely separates faith from reason.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-wittes/i-m-a-rationalist-and-a-skeptic-someone-who-safely-separates-faith/) [Benjamin Wittes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-wittes/) > [I'm an unabashed apologist for strong national-security authority. That's why I might be more alarmed by Trump.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-wittes/i-m-an-unabashed-apologist-for-strong-national-security-authority/) [Benjamin Wittes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-wittes/) > [If you believe, as I do, that the scope and range of presidential authority is great, that puts a lot of weight on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-wittes/if-you-believe-as-i-do-that-the-scope-and-range-of-presidential/) [Benjamin Wittes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-wittes/) > [In any long string of letters, one can find countless anomalies that will seem like convincing proofs of hidden meaning to the mind that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-wittes/in-any-long-string-of-letters-one-can-find-countless-anomalies-that/) [Benjamin Wittes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-wittes/) > [To get a FISA warrant to spy on a suspected spy, the feds go before a super-secret court located in a sealed room in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-wittes/to-get-a-fisa-warrant-to-spy-on-a-suspected-spy-the-feds-go-before-a/) [Benjamin Wittes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-wittes/) > [One effect of Roe was to mobilize a permanent constituency for criminalizing abortion - a constituency that has driven much of the southern realignment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-wittes/one-effect-of-roe-was-to-mobilize-a-permanent-constituency-for/) [Benjamin Wittes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-wittes/) > [There is no doubt in my mind that Article II limits to a considerable degree the application of the obstruction statutes to the president…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-wittes/there-is-no-doubt-in-my-mind-that-article-ii-limits-to-a-considerable/) [Benjamin Wittes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-wittes/) > [It might seem perverse for honestly religious people to group their faiths with those of the sadists and megalomaniacs who run most cults, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-wittes/it-might-seem-perverse-for-honestly-religious-people-to-group-their/) [Benjamin Wittes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-wittes/) > [Eric Holder is a decent man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-wittes/eric-holder-is-a-decent-man/) [Benjamin Wittes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-wittes/) > [Al-Qaida is a cult of martyrdom.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-wittes/al-qaida-is-a-cult-of-martyrdom/) [Benjamin Wittes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-wittes/) > [I generally favor permissive abortion laws.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-wittes/i-generally-favor-permissive-abortion-laws/) [Benjamin Wittes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-wittes/) > [While I oppose the death penalty as a policy matter, in a legal culture in which we reserve the right to execute people for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-wittes/while-i-oppose-the-death-penalty-as-a-policy-matter-in-a-legal/) [Benjamin Wittes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-wittes/) > [We should stop thinking of Snowden, to the extent that we ever were, as a hero. We should stop thinking of him as a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-wittes/we-should-stop-thinking-of-snowden-to-the-extent-that-we-ever-were-as/) [Benjamin Wittes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-wittes/) > [Trump fired Jim Comey because the most dangerous thing in the world, if you are Donald Trump, is a person who tells the truth,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-wittes/trump-fired-jim-comey-because-the-most-dangerous-thing-in-the-world/) [Benjamin Wittes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-wittes/) [Explore all 75 Benjamin Wittes quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-wittes/) ## More Attorney general quotes > [My wife and daughters work. My campaign manager in 2005 was a working mother. I appointed 5 women to my senior staff as Attorney General.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-mcdonnell/my-wife-and-daughters-work-my-campaign-manager-in-2005-was-a-working/) [Bob McDonnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-mcdonnell/) > [On March 12, 2004, acting attorney general James B. Comey and the Justice Department's top leadership reached the brink of resignation over electronic surveillance…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barton-gellman/on-march-12-2004-acting-attorney-general-james-b-comey-and-the/) [Barton Gellman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barton-gellman/) > [Protecting the rights of service members was an important part of my work as Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-perez/protecting-the-rights-of-service-members-was-an-important-part-of-my/) [Thomas Perez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-perez/) > [“The farm labor movement saw him as a racist. He seemed to delight in the most outrageous snubs. Farm labor organizer Cesar Chavez was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jana-bommersbach/the-farm-labor-movement-saw-him-as-a-racist-he-seemed-to-delight-in/) [Jana Bommersbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jana-bommersbach/) > [I am asking my Attorney General to create a special unit of federal prosecutors and leading state attorneys general to expand our investigations into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-am-asking-my-attorney-general-to-create-a-special-unit-of-federal/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [It was a privilege to serve as the assistant attorney general for civil rights, a role that allowed me to enforce the Civil Rights…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-perez/it-was-a-privilege-to-serve-as-the-assistant-attorney-general-for/) [Thomas Perez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-perez/) > [In other words, under Attorney General John Ashcroft, the FBI, the INS and the Department of Justice are so out of control that they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-coulter/in-other-words-under-attorney-general-john-ashcroft-the-fbi-the-ins/) [Ann Coulter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-coulter/) > [Our country is fortunate to have Bill Barr, a man of integrity who has served two U.S. Presidents, as our Attorney General.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-braun/our-country-is-fortunate-to-have-bill-barr-a-man-of-integrity-who-has/) [Mike Braun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-braun/) > [If I am going to pick and choose the laws I defend, I wouldn't be doing my duty as attorney general.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelly-ayotte/if-i-am-going-to-pick-and-choose-the-laws-i-defend-i-wouldn-t-be/) [Kelly Ayotte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelly-ayotte/) > [We've done amazing things for the state. Some of them have had a national impact, but I'm going to be ready for some new…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-madigan/we-ve-done-amazing-things-for-the-state-some-of-them-have-had-a/) [Lisa Madigan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-madigan/) > [“records in any form I request under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act within thirty days and for a reasonable handling and processing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elisabeth-rosenthal/records-in-any-form-i-request-under-the-health-insurance-portability/) [Elisabeth Rosenthal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elisabeth-rosenthal/) > [Since my election as Oklahoma attorney general in 2010, I have been a proud member of a group of federalism-minded state attorneys general who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-pruitt/since-my-election-as-oklahoma-attorney-general-in-2010-i-have-been-a/) [Scott Pruitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-pruitt/) > [Now, how do you explain Obama's claim, that he can kill American citizens without due process? Well, he has his attorney general get up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-mcgovern/now-how-do-you-explain-obama-s-claim-that-he-can-kill-american/) [Ray McGovern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-mcgovern/) > [What disturbed me most, frankly, about the Rod Rosenstein memo, is the fact it was addressed to the attorney general. The attorney general was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-schiff/what-disturbed-me-most-frankly-about-the-rod-rosenstein-memo-is-the/) [Adam Schiff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-schiff/) > [Our laws are very clear on a woman's reproductive health care. I will not only enforce those laws as attorney general, I will take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-donovan/our-laws-are-very-clear-on-a-woman-s-reproductive-health-care-i-will/) [Dan Donovan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-donovan/) [Browse all 289 Attorney general quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attorney-general/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "We should never again have an attorney general capable of saying virtually nothing as the law of major intelligence programs and the integrity of his department's work in overseeing these programs are assailed over a protracted period of time.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Benjamin Wittes" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-wittes/we-should-never-again-have-an-attorney-general-capable-of-saying/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Attorney general" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-wittes/we-should-never-again-have-an-attorney-general-capable-of-saying/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/45c/benjamin-wittes-9097_attorney-general_we-should-never-again-have-an-attorney-g_2227476.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/45c/benjamin-wittes-9097_attorney-general_we-should-never-again-have-an-attorney-g_2227476.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/45c/benjamin-wittes-9097_attorney-general_we-should-never-again-have-an-attorney-g_2227476.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“We should never again have an attorney general capable of saying virtually nothing as the law of major…” — Benjamin Wittes", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Benjamin Wittes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-wittes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "We should never again have an...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-wittes/we-should-never-again-have-an-attorney-general-capable-of-saying/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-wittes/we-should-never-again-have-an-attorney-general-capable-of-saying/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```