--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The Department of Justice is committed to…" description: "\"The Department of Justice is committed to asking one central question of everything we do: What is the right thing to do? Now that can produce debate, ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cb1/janet-reno-12034_able_the-department-of-justice-is-committed-t_1763667.jpg" --- # The Department of Justice is committed to asking one… ![“The Department of Justice is committed to asking one central question of everything we do: What is the right thing to do? Now that can produce debate, and I want it to be spirited debate. I want the lawyers of America to be able to call me and tell me: Janet, have you lost your mind?” quote by Janet Reno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cb1/janet-reno-12034_able_the-department-of-justice-is-committed-t_1763667.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cb1/janet-reno-12034_able_the-department-of-justice-is-committed-t_1763667.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cb1/janet-reno-12034_able_the-department-of-justice-is-committed-t_1763667.jpg) > “The Department of Justice is committed to asking one central question of everything we do: What is the right thing to do? Now that can produce debate, and I want it to be spirited debate. I want the lawyers of America to be able to call me and tell me: Janet, have you lost your mind?” [Janet Reno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-reno/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The DOJ seeks to base decisions on moral rightness, encouraging vigorous debate and scrutiny. **In simple terms:** DOJ asks what is right, inviting debate and criticism. Key Takeaway Ask the right question, welcome debate. Themes ethics law debate Mood thoughtful inquisitive Type policy ethical When to use this quote - policy making - legal reviews - public statements Key Concepts moral reasoning public accountability Questions to Reflect On - What ethical frameworks guide your decisions? - How can debate be constructive? A Different Perspective Debate may stall decisive action. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Able](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/able/) [America](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/america/) [Asking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/asking/) [Call me](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/call-me/) [Committed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/committed/) [Debate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/debate/) [Debate Want](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/debate-want-349033/) [Department](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/department/) [Justice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/justice/) [Lawyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lawyer/) [Lost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lost/) [Lost your mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lost-your-mind-111703/) [Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind/) [Produce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/produce/) [Question](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/question/) [Question Right](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/question-right-937050/) [Right thing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/right-thing/) [Spirited](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spirited/) [Success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/success/) [Things to do](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/things-to-do/) [Want](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want/) [Want Lawyers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want-lawyers-1715703/) ## Related quotes > [The really clever people now want to be lawyers or journalists.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-n-wilson/the-really-clever-people-now-want-to-be-lawyers-or-journalists/) [A. N. Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-n-wilson/) > [I like to be on TV when interviewers are good. I like it especially when it's live. When they can cut things, I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-lagerfeld/i-like-to-be-on-tv-when-interviewers-are-good-i-like-it-especially/) [Karl Lagerfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-lagerfeld/) > [True love is so hard to find, and they say that once you found it you lost your mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/capital-steez/true-love-is-so-hard-to-find-and-they-say-that-once-you-found-it-you/) [Capital STEEZ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/capital-steez/) > [The buying of a self-help book is the most desperate of all human acts. It means you've lost your mind completely: You've entrusted your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cynthia-heimel/the-buying-of-a-self-help-book-is-the-most-desperate-of-all-human/) [Cynthia Heimel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cynthia-heimel/) > [Short term memory makes no difference if you've lost your mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellis/short-term-memory-makes-no-difference-if-you-ve-lost-your-mind/) [Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellis/) > [What you think you become.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gautama-buddha/what-you-think-you-become/) [Gautama Buddha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gautama-buddha/) > [I remember being young and people passing me things under the bathroom to sign, like under the stall. Like adults. We were shooting at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-sweetin/i-remember-being-young-and-people-passing-me-things-under-the/) [Jodi Sweetin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-sweetin/) > [As soon as a Democrat or a liberal organization opens their mouth and says "We want to see this," it's going to go over…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-todd/as-soon-as-a-democrat-or-a-liberal-organization-opens-their-mouth-and/) [Chuck Todd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-todd/) > [At any debate, you want viewers to have learned something they didn't know before - whether it's about the candidates' temperament, policies, or preparedness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hallie-jackson/at-any-debate-you-want-viewers-to-have-learned-something-they-didn-t/) [Hallie Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hallie-jackson/) > [The fact that we don't' talk about it, that we don't have a politics in which this question of war and peace can even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-loury/the-fact-that-we-don-t-talk-about-it-that-we-don-t-have-a-politics-in/) [Glenn Loury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-loury/) > [Mitt Romney and I know the difference between protecting a program, and raiding it. Ladies and gentlemen, our nation needs this debate. We want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-ryan/mitt-romney-and-i-know-the-difference-between-protecting-a-program/) [Paul Ryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-ryan/) > [Political debate is of no interest to me. What I want are practical solutions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carole-bouquet/political-debate-is-of-no-interest-to-me-what-i-want-are-practical/) [Carole Bouquet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carole-bouquet/) > [I can criticize your religion all I want, and you can criticize mine. I don't like this whole climate of, 'You can't ever say…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathy-griffin/i-can-criticize-your-religion-all-i-want-and-you-can-criticize-mine-i/) [Kathy Griffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathy-griffin/) > [Women do not like the question, why? Because he is only right to ask question](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mak-786/women-do-not-like-the-question-why-because-he-is-only-right-to-ask/) [Mak\_786](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mak-786/) > [When you get your,'Who am I?', question right, all of your,'What should I do?' questions tend to take care of themselves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-rohr/when-you-get-your-who-am-i-question-right-all-of-your-what-should-i/) [Richard Rohr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-rohr/) ## More by Janet Reno > [Haters are cowards. When confronted they often back down. We must resist haters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-reno/haters-are-cowards-when-confronted-they-often-back-down-we-must/) [Janet Reno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-reno/) > [We want to continue the efforts against domestic violence and spread the drug courts, and develop real effective means of providing treatment for drug…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-reno/we-want-to-continue-the-efforts-against-domestic-violence-and-spread/) [Janet Reno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-reno/) > [The U.S. government alleges that for the past 45 years, the companies that manufacture and sell tobacco have waged an intentional and coordinated campaign…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-reno/the-u-s-government-alleges-that-for-the-past-45-years-the-companies/) [Janet Reno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-reno/) > [Nobody should be owning a gun which does not have a sporting purpose.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-reno/nobody-should-be-owning-a-gun-which-does-not-have-a-sporting-purpose/) [Janet Reno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-reno/) > [Everybody should want to make sure that we have the cyber tools necessary to investigate cyber crimes, and to be prepared to defend against…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-reno/everybody-should-want-to-make-sure-that-we-have-the-cyber-tools/) [Janet Reno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-reno/) > [It was not the president's responsibility to run a law enforcement operation. It was ours.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-reno/it-was-not-the-president-s-responsibility-to-run-a-law-enforcement/) [Janet Reno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-reno/) > [I'm not fancy. I'm what I appear to be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-reno/i-m-not-fancy-i-m-what-i-appear-to-be/) [Janet Reno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-reno/) > [ We are trying to identify employers that might be \[hiring illegal aliens\] and to take effective action against them. We're trying to make sure… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-reno/we-are-trying-to-identify-employers-that-might-be-hiring-illegal/) [Janet Reno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-reno/) > [The president really shouldn't be involved in terms of dictating what course the investigation should take.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-reno/the-president-really-shouldn-t-be-involved-in-terms-of-dictating-what/) [Janet Reno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-reno/) > [Waiting periods are only a step. Registration is only a step. The prohibition of private firearms is the goal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-reno/waiting-periods-are-only-a-step-registration-is-only-a-step-the/) [Janet Reno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-reno/) > [I made the decision long ago that to be afraid would be to diminish my life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-reno/i-made-the-decision-long-ago-that-to-be-afraid-would-be-to-diminish/) [Janet Reno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-reno/) > [I worked with some wonderful people, tried my best and I feel comfortable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-reno/i-worked-with-some-wonderful-people-tried-my-best-and-i-feel/) [Janet Reno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-reno/) > [I have inquired for most of my adult life about studies that might show that the death penalty is a deterrent. And I have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-reno/i-have-inquired-for-most-of-my-adult-life-about-studies-that-might/) [Janet Reno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-reno/) > [At this moment I do not have a personal relationship with a computer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-reno/at-this-moment-i-do-not-have-a-personal-relationship-with-a-computer/) [Janet Reno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-reno/) > [Anybody that thought that I tried to protect the president has forgotten that I asked for the expansion of the Monica Lewinsky matter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-reno/anybody-that-thought-that-i-tried-to-protect-the-president-has/) [Janet Reno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-reno/) [Explore all 56 Janet Reno quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-reno/) ## More Able quotes > [I am certain that children always know more than they are able to tell, and that makes the big difference between them and adults,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-lusseyran/i-am-certain-that-children-always-know-more-than-they-are-able-to/) [Jacques Lusseyran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-lusseyran/) > [I have observed this in my experience of slavery, - that whenever my condition was improved, instead of its increasing my contentment, it only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/i-have-observed-this-in-my-experience-of-slavery-that-whenever-my/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [There is something about the South that accepts the supernatural. If you don't accept it and you're having a conversation with someone who does,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-englert/there-is-something-about-the-south-that-accepts-the-supernatural-if/) [Alice Englert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-englert/) > [In the '80s, the way radio was programmed, if you didn't have a hit record you weren't going to be able to make any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/huey-lewis/in-the-80s-the-way-radio-was-programmed-if-you-didn-t-have-a-hit/) [Huey Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/huey-lewis/) > [I think I've had the longest career of strength, focus, and still being able to sell records. I think I'm that guy. I'm still…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nas/i-think-i-ve-had-the-longest-career-of-strength-focus-and-still-being/) [Nas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nas/) > [I have that need in me, I want everyone to love me, but I'm embarrassed by that need, so I wanted to cover it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-jeselnik/i-have-that-need-in-me-i-want-everyone-to-love-me-but-i-m-embarrassed/) [Anthony Jeselnik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-jeselnik/) > [Thinking about the things that happened, I don't know any other ball player would could have done what he (Jackie Robinson) did. To be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pee-wee-reese/thinking-about-the-things-that-happened-i-don-t-know-any-other-ball/) [Pee Wee Reese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pee-wee-reese/) > [I wanted to remember in order to be able to return.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anais-nin/i-wanted-to-remember-in-order-to-be-able-to-return/) [Anais Nin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anais-nin/) > [Government schools, with your tax money, now discourage the teaching of multiplication tables by rote memorization but teach reading by the 'look-and-say' method which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-perry/government-schools-with-your-tax-money-now-discourage-the-teaching-of/) [Greg Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-perry/) > [I don't know if I would qualify as mainstream. I think I have managed to function pretty successfully on the fringes of the music…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-metheny/i-don-t-know-if-i-would-qualify-as-mainstream-i-think-i-have-managed/) [Pat Metheny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-metheny/) > [What we're supposed to do as actors is be able to portray real human beings and emotions. And if you grow up in this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-browning/what-we-re-supposed-to-do-as-actors-is-be-able-to-portray-real-human/) [Emily Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-browning/) > [The reason that Apple is able to create products like iPad is because we always try to be at the intersection of technology and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/the-reason-that-apple-is-able-to-create-products-like-ipad-is-because/) [Steve Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jobs/) > [It was an important period for us, because even though we weren't a "punk band", and what became a model for a punk band,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-mallinder/it-was-an-important-period-for-us-because-even-though-we-weren-t-a/) [Stephen Mallinder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-mallinder/) > [- You look fine. - Right. I look fine. Except I don't, said Zora, tugging sadly at her man's nightshirt. This was why Kiki…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zadie-smith/you-look-fine-right-i-look-fine-except-i-don-t-said-zora-tugging/) [Zadie Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zadie-smith/) > [There is a way to be a woman, ask for what we deserve and be able to negotiate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracee-ellis-ross/there-is-a-way-to-be-a-woman-ask-for-what-we-deserve-and-be-able-to/) [Tracee Ellis Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracee-ellis-ross/) [Browse all 17,257 Able quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/able/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The Department of Justice is committed to asking one central question of everything we do: What is the right thing to do? Now that can produce debate, and I want it to be spirited debate. 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