---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: This is going to be a very transparent…"
description: "\"This is going to be a very transparent Justice Department. But I'm not gonna sacrifice the safety of the American people or our ability to protect the ..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eb5/eric-holder-7429_ability_this-is-going-to-be-a-very-transparent-j_144325.jpg"
---

#  This is going to be a very transparent Justice Department…

![“This is going to be a very transparent Justice Department. But I'm not gonna sacrifice the safety of the American people or our ability to protect the American homeland.” quote by Eric Holder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eb5/eric-holder-7429_ability_this-is-going-to-be-a-very-transparent-j_144325.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eb5/eric-holder-7429_ability_this-is-going-to-be-a-very-transparent-j_144325.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eb5/eric-holder-7429_ability_this-is-going-to-be-a-very-transparent-j_144325.jpg)

> “This is going to be a very transparent Justice Department. But I'm not gonna sacrifice the safety of the American people or our ability to protect the American homeland.”

[Eric Holder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-holder/)

## About This Quote

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

He promises transparency in the Justice Department while refusing to compromise national safety or protective capabilities.

**In simple terms:** Transparency must not sacrifice safety.

Key Takeaway

Balance openness with security needs.

Themes

government transparency security

Mood

serious balanced

Type

political statement

When to use this quote

- law enforcement
- national defense
- public statements

Key Concepts

policy communication public trust

Questions to Reflect On

- How to ensure transparency without risking security?
- What measures protect both openness and safety?

A Different Perspective

Too much secrecy can erode trust.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Ability](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ability/) [American people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/american-people/) [Homeland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/homeland/) [Justice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/justice/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Sacrifice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sacrifice/) [Safety](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/safety/)

## Related quotes

> [My central focus is what are we doing to protect the American people and the American homeland? Afghanistan and Pakistan are critical elements in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/my-central-focus-is-what-are-we-doing-to-protect-the-american-people/)

[Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/)

> [I don't feel I was "born American," but my homeland was denied to me after the end of World War II and I craved…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zbigniew-brzezinski/i-don-t-feel-i-was-born-american-but-my-homeland-was-denied-to-me-2/)

[Zbigniew Brzezinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zbigniew-brzezinski/)

> [“but is it not heartening to know that so many are willing to fight for the good? Think of that young librarian, Sophie, who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trenton-lee-stewart/but-is-it-not-heartening-to-know-that-so-many-are-willing-to-fight/)

[Trenton Lee Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trenton-lee-stewart/)

> [We cannot sacrifice our safety to the murderous greed of drug cartels. We cannot stand idly by as drop houses, kidnappings and violence compromise…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jan-brewer/we-cannot-sacrifice-our-safety-to-the-murderous-greed-of-drug-cartels/)

[Jan Brewer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jan-brewer/)

> [The security of our nation depends on the men and women who are willing to sacrifice their safety, and possibly their lives, to protect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-nelson/the-security-of-our-nation-depends-on-the-men-and-women-who-are/)

[Ben Nelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-nelson/)

> [People who put themselves on the line and sacrifice their own safety for the greater good and for others, and anyone in any profession…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-hemsworth/people-who-put-themselves-on-the-line-and-sacrifice-their-own-safety/)

[Chris Hemsworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-hemsworth/)

> [To me, what success looks like is not to believe that Afghanistan can become a unified, Western-style democracy with a developed-country economy just yet.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-buttigieg/to-me-what-success-looks-like-is-not-to-believe-that-afghanistan-can/)

[Pete Buttigieg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-buttigieg/)

> [I don't feel I was 'born American,' but my homeland was denied to me after the end of World War II, and I craved…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zbigniew-brzezinski/i-don-t-feel-i-was-born-american-but-my-homeland-was-denied-to-me/)

[Zbigniew Brzezinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zbigniew-brzezinski/)

> [I grew up in the Justice Department. I served 12 years as a line lawyer in the public integrity section. This department under me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-holder/i-grew-up-in-the-justice-department-i-served-12-years-as-a-line/)

[Eric Holder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-holder/)

> [In a lot of ways, civil rights division is the conscience of the Justice Department. You can almost measure what kind of Justice Department…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-holder/in-a-lot-of-ways-civil-rights-division-is-the-conscience-of-the/)

[Eric Holder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-holder/)

> [As a nation, we must honor the service and sacrifice made by Service members - past and present - to defend our nation and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cindy-hyde-smith/as-a-nation-we-must-honor-the-service-and-sacrifice-made-by-service/)

[Cindy Hyde-Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cindy-hyde-smith/)

> [Americans want someone who is accountable to them above self, above party, and above any special interest. They want a President that has a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-sestak/americans-want-someone-who-is-accountable-to-them-above-self-above/)

[Joe Sestak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-sestak/)

> [I am committed to ensure that our intelligence community, law enforcement, medical professionals, and military have the information and funding needed to protect the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-boswell/i-am-committed-to-ensure-that-our-intelligence-community-law/)

[Leonard Boswell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-boswell/)

> [And while the U.S. can never be 100 percent safe from a future strike, our government is working around the clock on measures to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-wicker/and-while-the-u-s-can-never-be-100-percent-safe-from-a-future-strike/)

[Roger Wicker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-wicker/)

> [But the thing we do know is whatever it costs to save and protect American lives in this conflict, we're going to spend.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saxby-chambliss/but-the-thing-we-do-know-is-whatever-it-costs-to-save-and-protect/)

[Saxby Chambliss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saxby-chambliss/)

## More by Eric Holder

> [Though this nation has proudly thought of itself as an ethnic melting pot, in things racial we have always been and I believe continue…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-holder/though-this-nation-has-proudly-thought-of-itself-as-an-ethnic-melting/)

[Eric Holder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-holder/)

> [The full resources of the Department of Justice have been committed to the investigation into Michael Brown's death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-holder/the-full-resources-of-the-department-of-justice-have-been-committed/)

[Eric Holder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-holder/)

> [Ferguson and St. Louis County are not the first places that we have become engaged to ensure fair and equitable policing, and they will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-holder/ferguson-and-st-louis-county-are-not-the-first-places-that-we-have/)

[Eric Holder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-holder/)

> [Some have argued that the President is required to get permission from a federal court before taking action against a United States citizen who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-holder/some-have-argued-that-the-president-is-required-to-get-permission/)

[Eric Holder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-holder/)

> [I look forward to working with the NRA to come up with ways in which we can use common sense approaches to reduce the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-holder/i-look-forward-to-working-with-the-nra-to-come-up-with-ways-in-which/)

[Eric Holder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-holder/)

> [I have loved the Department of Justice ever since, as a young boy, I watched Robert Kennedy prove during the Civil Rights Movement how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-holder/i-have-loved-the-department-of-justice-ever-since-as-a-young-boy-i/)

[Eric Holder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-holder/)

> [You constantly hear about voter fraud... but you don't see huge amounts of vote fraud out there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-holder/you-constantly-hear-about-voter-fraud-but-you-don-t-see-huge-amounts/)

[Eric Holder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-holder/)

> [I'm a 21st-century guy, secure in who I am.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-holder/i-m-a-21st-century-guy-secure-in-who-i-am/)

[Eric Holder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-holder/)

> [I'll leave here with my head held high and with confidence that history will judge my time here.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-holder/i-ll-leave-here-with-my-head-held-high-and-with-confidence-that/)

[Eric Holder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-holder/)

> [On a personal level, I've seen a lot in my time as attorney general, but few things have affected me as greatly as my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-holder/on-a-personal-level-i-ve-seen-a-lot-in-my-time-as-attorney-general/)

[Eric Holder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-holder/)

> [It is the thing that keeps me up at night - the notion that you have individuals in the United States who are looking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-holder/it-is-the-thing-that-keeps-me-up-at-night-the-notion-that-you-have/)

[Eric Holder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-holder/)

> [Guantanamo is a chief recruiting tool for al-Qaida. It has put a wedge between the United States and at least some of its allies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-holder/guantanamo-is-a-chief-recruiting-tool-for-al-qaida-it-has-put-a-wedge/)

[Eric Holder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-holder/)

> [I don't have any intention of resigning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-holder/i-don-t-have-any-intention-of-resigning/)

[Eric Holder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-holder/)

> [Michael Brown's tragic death has revealed a deep distrust between some in the Ferguson community and its police force. It also developed a need…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-holder/michael-brown-s-tragic-death-has-revealed-a-deep-distrust-between/)

[Eric Holder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-holder/)

> [It's time to question laws that senselessly expand the concept of self-defense and sow dangerous conflict in our neighborhoods. These laws try to fix…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-holder/it-s-time-to-question-laws-that-senselessly-expand-the-concept-of/)

[Eric Holder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-holder/)

[Explore all 91 Eric Holder quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-holder/)

## More Ability quotes

> [I don't think there's a direct correlation between my sexuality and my skiing ability. But I think because I was so concerned about it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gus-kenworthy/i-don-t-think-there-s-a-direct-correlation-between-my-sexuality-and/)

[Gus Kenworthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gus-kenworthy/)

> [“the importance of ability. The things that make a great job great, I discovered, are rare and valuable. If you want them in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-newport/the-importance-of-ability-the-things-that-make-a-great-job-great-i/)

[Cal Newport](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-newport/)

> [Ambition drives you on, ability certainly helps, but the fickle finger of fate and luck are great things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fergus-henderson/ambition-drives-you-on-ability-certainly-helps-but-the-fickle-finger/)

[Fergus Henderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fergus-henderson/)

> [The ability of the gospel to unite us on common strengths and common truths is one of the great miracles . . . of the gospel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-r-holland/the-ability-of-the-gospel-to-unite-us-on-common-strengths-and-common/)

[Jeffrey R. Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-r-holland/)

> [Maybe law enforcement would like the ability to turn on the camera on your Mac.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-cook/maybe-law-enforcement-would-like-the-ability-to-turn-on-the-camera-on/)

[Tim Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-cook/)

> [I've seen guys come along with more ability - they've been faster or bigger or stronger - but they never worked hard to develop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-largent/i-ve-seen-guys-come-along-with-more-ability-they-ve-been-faster-or/)

[Steve Largent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-largent/)

> [The youth of India has the strength to move the entire World with a click of a mouse, we have generated that ability!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/narendra-modi/the-youth-of-india-has-the-strength-to-move-the-entire-world-with-a/)

[Narendra Modi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/narendra-modi/)

> [Time hath not yet so dried this blood of mine, Nor age so eat up my invention, Nor fortune made such havoc of my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/time-hath-not-yet-so-dried-this-blood-of-mine-nor-age-so-eat-up-my/)

[William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/)

> [An absolutely necessary part of a writer's equipment, almost as necessary as talent, is the ability to stand up under punishment, both the punishment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irwin-shaw/an-absolutely-necessary-part-of-a-writer-s-equipment-almost-as/)

[Irwin Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irwin-shaw/)

> [I'd be more frightened by not using whatever abilities I'd been given. I'd be more frightened by procrastination and laziness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denzel-washington/i-d-be-more-frightened-by-not-using-whatever-abilities-i-d-been-given/)

[Denzel Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denzel-washington/)

> [Bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. Take what I cannot give: my heart, body, thoughts, time, abilities, money, health, strength,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-prentiss/bring-into-captivity-every-thought-to-the-obedience-of-christ-take/)

[Elizabeth Prentiss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-prentiss/)

> [You can only do the work to the very best of your ability.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christine-baranski/you-can-only-do-the-work-to-the-very-best-of-your-ability/)

[Christine Baranski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christine-baranski/)

> [Judge a person not by his ability to make money but by his ability to retain it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/judge-a-person-not-by-his-ability-to-make-money-but-by-his-ability-to/)

[Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/)

> [Balance is the ability to be happy in the midst of the most chaotic or even boring or transient circumstance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/balance-is-the-ability-to-be-happy-in-the-midst-of-the-most-chaotic/)

[Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/)

> [Bobby had faith in my ability as a singer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-london/bobby-had-faith-in-my-ability-as-a-singer/)

[Julie London](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-london/)

[Browse all 9,990 Ability quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ability/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "This is going to be a very transparent Justice Department. But I'm not gonna sacrifice the safety of the American people or our ability to protect the American homeland.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Eric Holder"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-holder/this-is-going-to-be-a-very-transparent-justice-department-but-i-m-not/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Ability"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-holder/this-is-going-to-be-a-very-transparent-justice-department-but-i-m-not/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eb5/eric-holder-7429_ability_this-is-going-to-be-a-very-transparent-j_144325.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eb5/eric-holder-7429_ability_this-is-going-to-be-a-very-transparent-j_144325.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eb5/eric-holder-7429_ability_this-is-going-to-be-a-very-transparent-j_144325.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“This is going to be a very transparent Justice Department. But I'm not gonna sacrifice the safety of the…” — Eric Holder",
                "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": "Eric Holder",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-holder/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "This is going to be a...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-holder/this-is-going-to-be-a-very-transparent-justice-department-but-i-m-not/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-holder/this-is-going-to-be-a-very-transparent-justice-department-but-i-m-not/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
