--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When Ronald Reagan nominated Jeff…" description: "\"When Ronald Reagan nominated Jeff Sessions for federal district court judgeship, the Senate Judiciary Committee rejected his nomination.\" — Lawrence O'..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4d6/lawrence-o-donnell-1701_committees_when-ronald-reagan-nominated-jeff-sessio_245277.jpg" --- # When Ronald Reagan nominated Jeff Sessions for federal… ![“When Ronald Reagan nominated Jeff Sessions for federal district court judgeship, the Senate Judiciary Committee rejected his nomination.” quote by Lawrence O'Donnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4d6/lawrence-o-donnell-1701_committees_when-ronald-reagan-nominated-jeff-sessio_245277.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4d6/lawrence-o-donnell-1701_committees_when-ronald-reagan-nominated-jeff-sessio_245277.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4d6/lawrence-o-donnell-1701_committees_when-ronald-reagan-nominated-jeff-sessio_245277.jpg) > “When Ronald Reagan nominated Jeff Sessions for federal district court judgeship, the Senate Judiciary Committee rejected his nomination.” [Lawrence O'Donnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-o-donnell/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A political appointment was blocked by legislative oversight, showing checks and balances in action. **In simple terms:** A nomination was rejected by the Senate. Key Takeaway Respect oversight and vetting processes. Themes politics government checks and balances Mood critical analytical Type commentary political analysis When to use this quote - law firm nominations - political vetting - government appointments Key Concepts judicial appointments senate oversight executive power Questions to Reflect On - How does Senate oversight protect democratic institutions? - What are the risks of partisan nominations? A Different Perspective Reagan's influence could not override Senate authority. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Court](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/court/) [Judiciary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/judiciary/) [Nominations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nominations/) [Senate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/senate/) ## Related quotes > [Something the committee had not done in 50 years. Jeff Sessions is now the Chairman of the Committee that rejected him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-o-donnell/something-the-committee-had-not-done-in-50-years-jeff-sessions-is-now/) [Lawrence O'Donnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-o-donnell/) > [Strom Thurmond, the former segregationist candidate for president was the Republican Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee in 1986 and he tried to get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-o-donnell/strom-thurmond-the-former-segregationist-candidate-for-president-was/) [Lawrence O'Donnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-o-donnell/) > [ Senator Jeff Sessions is reportedly on the \[Donald\] Trump shortlist to be either the next Secretary of Defense or the next Attorney General of… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-o-donnell/senator-jeff-sessions-is-reportedly-on-the-donald-trump-shortlist-to/) [Lawrence O'Donnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-o-donnell/) > [He addressed a black lawyer as "boy". That's why Jeff Sessions couldn't get through Senate confirmation process under the old rules followed by Democrats…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-o-donnell/he-addressed-a-black-lawyer-as-boy-that-s-why-jeff-sessions-couldn-t/) [Lawrence O'Donnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-o-donnell/) > [If Jeff Sessions had been an editor of something like "Breitbart", Ronald Reagan wouldn't have even nominated him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-o-donnell/if-jeff-sessions-had-been-an-editor-of-something-like-breitbart/) [Lawrence O'Donnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-o-donnell/) > [Jeff Sessions wished he wasn't the attorney general. The president Donald Trump has the most incompetent cabinet in history, and he's unhappy with only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-o-donnell/jeff-sessions-wished-he-wasn-t-the-attorney-general-the-president/) [Lawrence O'Donnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-o-donnell/) > [According to the old rules, Senator Jeff Sessions could not be confirmed by the United States Senate because in fact he wasn't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-o-donnell/according-to-the-old-rules-senator-jeff-sessions-could-not-be/) [Lawrence O'Donnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-o-donnell/) > [The "New York Times" interview shows that the president Donald Trump believes he can get through the special prosecutor's investigation of obstruction of justice…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-o-donnell/the-new-york-times-interview-shows-that-the-president-donald-trump/) [Lawrence O'Donnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-o-donnell/) > [Someone who traffics in much more than what Jeff Sessions said back then will be with the president every day in the White House…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-o-donnell/someone-who-traffics-in-much-more-than-what-jeff-sessions-said-back/) [Lawrence O'Donnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-o-donnell/) > [It is amazing that Jeff Sessions is still in the job. Any self-respecting Attorney General of the United States would have publicly resigned as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-o-donnell/it-is-amazing-that-jeff-sessions-is-still-in-the-job-any-self/) [Lawrence O'Donnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-o-donnell/) > [He sits beside the ranking Democrat Patrick Leahy who voted against Jeff Session's nomination in that committee in 1986.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-o-donnell/he-sits-beside-the-ranking-democrat-patrick-leahy-who-voted-against/) [Lawrence O'Donnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-o-donnell/) > [Because Republicans defected and voted with all the Democrats to reject Jeff Sessions' nomination when they discovered that when he was working as a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-o-donnell/because-republicans-defected-and-voted-with-all-the-democrats-to/) [Lawrence O'Donnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-o-donnell/) > [ It does not appear, nor is there any reason to believe that \[ Jeff Sessions\] will put policing reform front and center in the… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-sharpton/it-does-not-appear-nor-is-there-any-reason-to-believe-that-jeff/) [Al Sharpton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-sharpton/) > [The case against Jeff Sessions was threadbare three decades ago. It's based on hearsay and innuendo and a joke he made about the Klan.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rich-lowry/the-case-against-jeff-sessions-was-threadbare-three-decades-ago-it-s/) [Rich Lowry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rich-lowry/) > [Nothing could move me away from my admiration of Jeff Sessions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-inhofe/nothing-could-move-me-away-from-my-admiration-of-jeff-sessions/) [Jim Inhofe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-inhofe/) ## More by Lawrence O'Donnell > [All writers are forced to live within deadlines, and deadlines determine how good they can be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-o-donnell/all-writers-are-forced-to-live-within-deadlines-and-deadlines/) [Lawrence O'Donnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-o-donnell/) > [The question for the Republicans running the confirmation hearings in the United States Senate is whose rules are they going to use?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-o-donnell/the-question-for-the-republicans-running-the-confirmation-hearings-in/) [Lawrence O'Donnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-o-donnell/) > [Prosecutors have absolutely no control over what witnesses say when they leave the grand jury room.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-o-donnell/prosecutors-have-absolutely-no-control-over-what-witnesses-say-when/) [Lawrence O'Donnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-o-donnell/) > [Because Republicans defected and voted with all the Democrats to reject Jeff Sessions' nomination when they discovered that when he was working as a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-o-donnell/because-republicans-defected-and-voted-with-all-the-democrats-to/) [Lawrence O'Donnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-o-donnell/) > [ In this case, the government will essentially be run by the people who are running it now. The top level \[Barack\] Obama appointees will… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-o-donnell/in-this-case-the-government-will-essentially-be-run-by-the-people-who/) [Lawrence O'Donnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-o-donnell/) > [I've never understood the value of putting someone on television to lie, knowing that they're going to lie ahead of time, knowing that that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-o-donnell/i-ve-never-understood-the-value-of-putting-someone-on-television-to/) [Lawrence O'Donnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-o-donnell/) > [The Trump view of immigration defies our history. Immigration is a transaction that has historically benefited the country.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-o-donnell/the-trump-view-of-immigration-defies-our-history-immigration-is-a/) [Lawrence O'Donnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-o-donnell/) > [ I don't think anybody knows it was Russia that broke into the DNC. She \[Hillary Clinton\] is saying Russia, Russia, Russia. Maybe it was.… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-o-donnell/i-don-t-think-anybody-knows-it-was-russia-that-broke-into-the-dnc-she/) [Lawrence O'Donnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-o-donnell/) > [If a reader comes across a story that makes them cry, you can be sure that the writer felt every single thing that makes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-o-donnell/if-a-reader-comes-across-a-story-that-makes-them-cry-you-can-be-sure/) [Lawrence O'Donnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-o-donnell/) > [National security advisors are not there to be advocates, generally. They're not there to be partisans, they're not there to be ideologues.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-o-donnell/national-security-advisors-are-not-there-to-be-advocates-generally/) [Lawrence O'Donnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-o-donnell/) > [Never once has Republican world said hey, maybe we should look into how police officers are carrying out their solemn public responsibility to serve…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-o-donnell/never-once-has-republican-world-said-hey-maybe-we-should-look-into/) [Lawrence O'Donnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-o-donnell/) > [Show business comes with wonderfully long vacations, like the life of a college professor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-o-donnell/show-business-comes-with-wonderfully-long-vacations-like-the-life-of/) [Lawrence O'Donnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-o-donnell/) > [It is amazing that Jeff Sessions is still in the job. Any self-respecting Attorney General of the United States would have publicly resigned as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-o-donnell/it-is-amazing-that-jeff-sessions-is-still-in-the-job-any-self/) [Lawrence O'Donnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-o-donnell/) > [Melania Trump's husband tweeted this: "Arianna Huffington is unattractive both inside and out. I fully understand why her former husband left her for a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-o-donnell/melania-trump-s-husband-tweeted-this-arianna-huffington-is/) [Lawrence O'Donnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-o-donnell/) > [I think a lot of people on both sides have extremely naive views of what government is capable of.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-o-donnell/i-think-a-lot-of-people-on-both-sides-have-extremely-naive-views-of/) [Lawrence O'Donnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-o-donnell/) [Explore all 214 Lawrence O'Donnell quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-o-donnell/) ## More Committees quotes > [My feeling has always been that 'Good Eats' would have never happened had it been left to a committee.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alton-brown/my-feeling-has-always-been-that-good-eats-would-have-never-happened/) [Alton Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alton-brown/) > [“The reason you have committees is that you have divided responsibilities,” Jobs said. “We don’t. At Apple you can figure out exactly who is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-lashinsky/the-reason-you-have-committees-is-that-you-have-divided/) [Adam Lashinsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-lashinsky/) > [There is not a revolution that succe Women are suffering because they are being excluded. The high military council excluded women from the committee…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nawal-el-saadawi/there-is-not-a-revolution-that-succe-women-are-suffering-because-they/) [Nawal El Saadawi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nawal-el-saadawi/) > [As the first Member of Congress from western Washington to serve on the House Agriculture Committee in over 50 years, I am proud to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-larsen/as-the-first-member-of-congress-from-western-washington-to-serve-on/) [Rick Larsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-larsen/) > [I was the chairman of the Budget Committee and the lead architect the last time it happened in Washington, and when we did it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kasich/i-was-the-chairman-of-the-budget-committee-and-the-lead-architect-the/) [John Kasich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kasich/) > [It is necessary to get a lot of men together, for the show of the thing, otherwise the world will not believe. That is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-trollope/it-is-necessary-to-get-a-lot-of-men-together-for-the-show-of-the/) [Anthony Trollope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-trollope/) > [Government likes committees... a lot. Committees kill all the really good ideas and generally all the really bad ideas. They produce middle-ground mush.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/betsy-devos/government-likes-committees-a-lot-committees-kill-all-the-really-good/) [Betsy DeVos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/betsy-devos/) > [If computers get too powerful, we can organize them into committees. That'll do them in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-computers-get-too-powerful-we-can-organize-them-into-committees/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [When you have the Chief of Staff of the Republican National Committee and the political director of the Romney campaign, and their two companies…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-caddell/when-you-have-the-chief-of-staff-of-the-republican-national-committee/) [Patrick Caddell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-caddell/) > [I find it profoundly symbolic that I am appearing before a committee of fifteen men who will report to a legislative body of one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/letty-cottin-pogrebin/i-find-it-profoundly-symbolic-that-i-am-appearing-before-a-committee/) [Letty Cottin Pogrebin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/letty-cottin-pogrebin/) > [I come to this debate, Mr. Speaker, as one at the end of 10 years in office on the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-pelosi/i-come-to-this-debate-mr-speaker-as-one-at-the-end-of-10-years-in/) [Nancy Pelosi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-pelosi/) > [I was the chairman of the House Budget Committee and one of the chief architects the last time we balanced a budget, and it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kasich/i-was-the-chairman-of-the-house-budget-committee-and-one-of-the-chief/) [John Kasich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kasich/) > [As Mayor, I will fully support my Arts Commission and its professional selection committees so that they can commission a full range of public…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gavin-newsom/as-mayor-i-will-fully-support-my-arts-commission-and-its-professional/) [Gavin Newsom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gavin-newsom/) > [What's insulting to the American people, the Senate, to this whole process is that the Republicans, with all other nominees, have said Democrats 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