--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I don't want somebody as attorney general…" description: "\"I don't want somebody as attorney general who thinks he has to rubberstamp whatever the president says.\" — Patrick Leahy" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/058/patrick-leahy-9772_attorney_i-don-t-want-somebody-as-attorney-genera_2109328.png" --- # I don't want somebody as attorney general who thinks he… ![“I don't want somebody as attorney general who thinks he has to rubberstamp whatever the president says.” quote by Patrick Leahy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/058/patrick-leahy-9772_attorney_i-don-t-want-somebody-as-attorney-genera_2109328.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/058/patrick-leahy-9772_attorney_i-don-t-want-somebody-as-attorney-genera_2109328.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/058/patrick-leahy-9772_attorney_i-don-t-want-somebody-as-attorney-genera_2109328.png) > “I don't want somebody as attorney general who thinks he has to rubberstamp whatever the president says.” [Patrick Leahy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-leahy/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker opposes an attorney general who would automatically approve presidential actions without scrutiny. **In simple terms:** Attorney general should not be a rubberstamp. Key Takeaway Demand independent oversight. Themes law checks and balances executive power Mood concerned serious Type political legal When to use this quote - government decisions - legal review - executive orders Key Concepts accountability institutional independence Questions to Reflect On - How to ensure oversight? - What safeguards exist? A Different Perspective Blind approval undermines democracy. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Attorney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attorney/) [Attorney general](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attorney-general/) [President](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/president/) [President Says](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/president-says-267144/) [Rubberstamp President](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rubberstamp-president-4250953/) [Somebody Attorney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/somebody-attorney-4250954/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Thinks Rubberstamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinks-rubberstamp-4250955/) [Want](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want/) ## Related quotes > [Senator Sessions has opposed protections for LGBT individuals. He's spoken out against Freedom Corps' marriage equality decision. He opposed the repeal of Don't Ask,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-leahy/senator-sessions-has-opposed-protections-for-lgbt-individuals-he-s/) [Patrick Leahy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-leahy/) > [Remember the attorney general is not a member of the president's staff. He's the attorney general of the United States. He's there to represent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-leahy/remember-the-attorney-general-is-not-a-member-of-the-president-s/) [Patrick Leahy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-leahy/) > [I'm a former federal prosecutor, a former associate attorney general. If I had done that, I'd have been prosecuted. It's a clear violation of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudy-giuliani/i-m-a-former-federal-prosecutor-a-former-associate-attorney-general/) [Rudy Giuliani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudy-giuliani/) > [The attorney general will not cast aspersions on my asparagus.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louie-gohmert/the-attorney-general-will-not-cast-aspersions-on-my-asparagus/) [Louie Gohmert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louie-gohmert/) > [It is no secret that I believe my son, Attorney General Beau Biden would make a great United States Senator - just as I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-biden/it-is-no-secret-that-i-believe-my-son-attorney-general-beau-biden/) [Joe Biden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-biden/) > [The resignation of Attorney General Eric Holder is met with both pride and disappointment by the Civil Rights community. We are proud that he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-sharpton/the-resignation-of-attorney-general-eric-holder-is-met-with-both/) [Al Sharpton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-sharpton/) > [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/) > [Now, how do you explain Obama's claim, that he can kill American citizens without due process? 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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 Patrick Leahy > [Trump would either be the Scarecrow or the Joker.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-leahy/trump-would-either-be-the-scarecrow-or-the-joker/) [Patrick Leahy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-leahy/) > [Contrary to what some believe, taking all reasonable and feasible precautions to protect civilians - and mitigating the resulting anger when we harm them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-leahy/contrary-to-what-some-believe-taking-all-reasonable-and-feasible/) [Patrick Leahy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-leahy/) > [The rights of copyright holders need to be protected, but some draconian remedies that have been suggested would create more problems than they would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-leahy/the-rights-of-copyright-holders-need-to-be-protected-but-some/) [Patrick Leahy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-leahy/) > [Batman doesn't have any superpowers. He has to use his brain and his courage. That's what always appealed to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-leahy/batman-doesn-t-have-any-superpowers-he-has-to-use-his-brain-and-his/) [Patrick Leahy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-leahy/) > [We've won wars before and we've certainly retained our rights as Americans.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-leahy/we-ve-won-wars-before-and-we-ve-certainly-retained-our-rights-as/) [Patrick Leahy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-leahy/) > [Benjamin Franklin once said, 'A people who would trade liberty for security deserve neither.' I think we can have both. We can keep our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-leahy/benjamin-franklin-once-said-a-people-who-would-trade-liberty-for/) [Patrick Leahy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-leahy/) > [If we harm civilians when it could reasonably have been avoided, and if we fail to fairly and promptly help the innocent victims, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-leahy/if-we-harm-civilians-when-it-could-reasonably-have-been-avoided-and/) [Patrick Leahy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-leahy/) > [Since the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, the number of violent extremist groups has grown across multiple continents. From Syria to Somalia to Pakistan, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-leahy/since-the-sept-11-terrorist-attacks-the-number-of-violent-extremist/) [Patrick Leahy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-leahy/) > [For the church to say that abortion is not acceptable for a Catholic is fine. To say directly or indirectly that on something that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-leahy/for-the-church-to-say-that-abortion-is-not-acceptable-for-a-catholic/) [Patrick Leahy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-leahy/) > [In my view it is time to pass a good bill, a fair bill, a comprehensive bill ... Too many have been waiting too…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-leahy/in-my-view-it-is-time-to-pass-a-good-bill-a-fair-bill-a-comprehensive/) [Patrick Leahy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-leahy/) > [The appointment of the next Supreme Court justice must be made in the people's interest and in the nation's interest, not in the interest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-leahy/the-appointment-of-the-next-supreme-court-justice-must-be-made-in-the/) [Patrick Leahy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-leahy/) > [There have been 111 Justices in the Supreme Court of the United States. Only three have been women. If she is confirmed, Solicitor General…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-leahy/there-have-been-111-justices-in-the-supreme-court-of-the-united/) [Patrick Leahy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-leahy/) > [That the Islamic State is guilty of horrific atrocities is common knowledge. But most Americans seem unaware of the human toll of our own…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-leahy/that-the-islamic-state-is-guilty-of-horrific-atrocities-is-common/) [Patrick Leahy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-leahy/) > [Justice Sandra Day O'Connor serves as a model Supreme Court justice, widely recognized as a jurist with practical values, a sense of the consequences…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-leahy/justice-sandra-day-o-connor-serves-as-a-model-supreme-court-justice/) [Patrick Leahy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-leahy/) > [Stealing is stealing. I don't care if it's on the Internet or you're breaking into a warehouse somewhere - it's theft.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-leahy/stealing-is-stealing-i-don-t-care-if-it-s-on-the-internet-or-you-re/) [Patrick Leahy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-leahy/) [Explore all 70 Patrick Leahy quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-leahy/) ## More Attorney 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/) > [What was unique about me being in City Hall during the Giuliani Administration, I was the only one who wasn't an attorney. 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He is accused by the political leaders of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-verges/here-i-am-looking-for-a-document-issued-by-a-public-attorney-i-don-t/) [Jacques Verges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-verges/) > [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/) > [ \[Michael\] Felix and other immigration attorneys say it's possible \[Melania\] Trump was doing what a lot of models do - working illegally on a… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hansi-lo-wang/michael-felix-and-other-immigration-attorneys-say-it-s-possible/) [Hansi Lo Wang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hansi-lo-wang/) > [Modern society includes three types of men who can never think very highly of the world--the priest, the physician, and the attorney-at-law. They all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/honor-de-balzac/modern-society-includes-three-types-of-men-who-can-never-think-very/) [Honore de Balzac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/honor-de-balzac/) > ['To Kill a Mockingbird' is really two stories. One is a coming-of-age tale told from the point of view of Scout Finch, a girl…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-j-shields/to-kill-a-mockingbird-is-really-two-stories-one-is-a-coming-of-age/) [Charles J. Shields](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-j-shields/) > [When I went to jail, I was a trained lawyer. 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