--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Well, the problem is that when you mix…" description: "\"Well, the problem is that when you mix discussion of official United States government business with discussion of your personal business, you can trea..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2af/richard-painter-14038_business_well-the-problem-is-that-when-you-mix-di_1913730.jpg" --- # Well, the problem is that when you mix discussion of… ![“Well, the problem is that when you mix discussion of official United States government business with discussion of your personal business, you can tread dangerously close to the bribery statutes.” quote by Richard Painter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2af/richard-painter-14038_business_well-the-problem-is-that-when-you-mix-di_1913730.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2af/richard-painter-14038_business_well-the-problem-is-that-when-you-mix-di_1913730.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2af/richard-painter-14038_business_well-the-problem-is-that-when-you-mix-di_1913730.jpg) > “Well, the problem is that when you mix discussion of official United States government business with discussion of your personal business, you can tread dangerously close to the bribery statutes.” [Richard Painter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-painter/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Mixing official duties with personal business risks violating bribery laws, creating legal and ethical hazards. **In simple terms:** Blending public and private matters can breach bribery rules. Key Takeaway Keep public duties and personal interests separate. Themes ethics law conflict of interest Mood cautious analytical Type ethical legal When to use this quote - political decision‑making - private entrepreneurship - public service - legal compliance Key Concepts bribery statutes government accountability Questions to Reflect On - What safeguards can prevent conflicts of interest? - How can transparency be ensured? A Different Perspective Strict separation may be impractical in small organizations. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bribery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bribery/) [Bribery Statutes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bribery-statutes-2898383/) [Business](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/business/) [Close Bribery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/close-bribery-2898382/) [Corruption](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/corruption/) [Discussion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/discussion/) [Government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government/) [Government Business](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government-business-407184/) [Personal business](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/personal-business/) [Your](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/your/) ## Related quotes > [Here is where you get into the danger zone, when the government official starts talking about U.S. government business and then also talking about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-painter/here-is-where-you-get-into-the-danger-zone-when-the-government/) [Richard Painter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-painter/) > [Experience counts in government even more than in business.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mo-ibrahim/experience-counts-in-government-even-more-than-in-business/) [Mo Ibrahim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mo-ibrahim/) > [... between government, business, and the public, there is a triangular community of interest. Clearly, it is in business' interest to shape its behavior…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juanita-m-kreps/between-government-business-and-the-public-there-is-a-triangular/) [Juanita M. Kreps](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juanita-m-kreps/) > [State courts usually rule that correspondence between government officials, about government business, are public records, whether they use their government e-mail accounts or private…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-dedman/state-courts-usually-rule-that-correspondence-between-government/) [Bill Dedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-dedman/) > [The best minds in government? If any were, business would hire them away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/the-best-minds-in-government-if-any-were-business-would-hire-them-away/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [The federal government has no business spending your hard-earned money on a project to monitor political speech on Twitter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ajit-pai/the-federal-government-has-no-business-spending-your-hard-earned/) [Ajit Pai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ajit-pai/) > [The government should not be in the business of funneling money for social services through any faith-based organization](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-jacoby/the-government-should-not-be-in-the-business-of-funneling-money-for/) [Susan Jacoby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-jacoby/) > [“The business of the government is the business of the people.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-fitzgerald-kennedy/the-business-of-the-government-is-the-business-of-the-people/) [John Fitzgerald Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-fitzgerald-kennedy/) > [Part of my role, I suppose, is to run government business in the House of Representatives, and try to ensure that people know exactly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-abbott/part-of-my-role-i-suppose-is-to-run-government-business-in-the-house/) [Tony Abbott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-abbott/) > [I've made it very clear that the government should get out of the business of trying to affect the markets, of trying to pick…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-scheer/i-ve-made-it-very-clear-that-the-government-should-get-out-of-the/) [Andrew Scheer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-scheer/) > [The U.S. economy and workers benefit from a strong, healthy relationship between government and business.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-ford-jr/the-u-s-economy-and-workers-benefit-from-a-strong-healthy/) [Harold Ford, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-ford-jr/) > [Less government in business and more business in government.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-g-harding/less-government-in-business-and-more-business-in-government/) [Warren G. Harding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-g-harding/) > [It is not the function of the leader of government business to discipline members of the executive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cyril-ramaphosa/it-is-not-the-function-of-the-leader-of-government-business-to/) [Cyril Ramaphosa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cyril-ramaphosa/) > [It's not government's business what people do in their private bedrooms.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-reich/it-s-not-government-s-business-what-people-do-in-their-private/) [Robert Reich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-reich/) > [It is just as important that business keep out of government as that government keep out of business.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-hoover/it-is-just-as-important-that-business-keep-out-of-government-as-that/) [Herbert Hoover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-hoover/) ## More by Richard Painter > [Russia may very well be front and center again in 2020 as they were in 2016 regarding interference in America's presidential election. But the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-painter/russia-may-very-well-be-front-and-center-again-in-2020-as-they-were/) [Richard Painter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-painter/) > [People knew Trump had strange relationships with the Russians even before he was elected. Consequently, there is every reason to investigate whether Donald Trump…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-painter/people-knew-trump-had-strange-relationships-with-the-russians-even/) [Richard Painter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-painter/) > [I am not going to apologize for my service to the country.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-painter/i-am-not-going-to-apologize-for-my-service-to-the-country/) [Richard Painter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-painter/) > [Donald Trump wants to ignore the rule of law. He ignores the Constitution. He ignores the subpoenas. The Republicans in the House and Senate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-painter/donald-trump-wants-to-ignore-the-rule-of-law-he-ignores-the/) [Richard Painter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-painter/) > [I go on all the channels, mostly CNN and MSNBC. I have gone on Fox every couple of months.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-painter/i-go-on-all-the-channels-mostly-cnn-and-msnbc-i-have-gone-on-fox/) [Richard Painter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-painter/) > [Here is where you get into the danger zone, when the government official starts talking about U.S. government business and then also talking about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-painter/here-is-where-you-get-into-the-danger-zone-when-the-government/) [Richard Painter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-painter/) > [I think President Trump could pardon anyone he wanted and have it be an effective pardon. 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We've got to have two…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-painter/we-have-two-political-parties-in-this-country-we-cannot-have-one-of/) [Richard Painter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-painter/) > [And imagine where we'd be today if President Franklin Roosevelt had owned apartment buildings in Frankfurt and Berlin. You know, some of us might…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-painter/and-imagine-where-we-d-be-today-if-president-franklin-roosevelt-had/) [Richard Painter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-painter/) > [I think most Minnesotans are in a grey zone politically.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-painter/i-think-most-minnesotans-are-in-a-grey-zone-politically/) [Richard Painter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-painter/) > [The course I teach, Professional Responsibility, was brought into law-school curriculums and required by most states for admission to the bar beginning in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-painter/the-course-i-teach-professional-responsibility-was-brought-into-law/) [Richard Painter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-painter/) > [The real problem with the Republican Party is that for decades it has shifted constantly to the right politically. Consequently, the Republican Party is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-painter/the-real-problem-with-the-republican-party-is-that-for-decades-it-has/) [Richard Painter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-painter/) > [Do not overlook that Donald Trump is an inherently unstable person. He's never been able to have stable businesses or stable marriages. It is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-painter/do-not-overlook-that-donald-trump-is-an-inherently-unstable-person-he/) [Richard Painter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-painter/) > [Republicans insist that if you're going to run for political office, you have to be loyal to President Trump. This is wrong. This is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-painter/republicans-insist-that-if-you-re-going-to-run-for-political-office/) [Richard Painter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-painter/) [Explore all 48 Richard Painter quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-painter/) ## More Bribery quotes > [In the last few years, the very idea of telling the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth is dredged up only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-musto/in-the-last-few-years-the-very-idea-of-telling-the-truth-the-whole/) [Michael Musto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-musto/) > [“What did “good government” really mean? Langlie and his brotherhood promised an end to political corruption. 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Kumaraswamy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-d-kumaraswamy/) > [Rather than let their product compete fully and fairly in the marketplace, FalconStor resorted to bribery and graft to win important contracts in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/loretta-lynch/rather-than-let-their-product-compete-fully-and-fairly-in-the/) [Loretta Lynch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/loretta-lynch/) > [“Bribery quickly became an integral part of the Russian way of doing business, and the expense of buying a government official was considered the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-satter/bribery-quickly-became-an-integral-part-of-the-russian-way-of-doing/) [David Satter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-satter/) > [Tis gold Which buys admittance--oft it doth--yea, and makes Diana's rangers false themselves, yield up This deer to th' stand o' th' stealer: and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/tis-gold-which-buys-admittance-oft-it-doth-yea-and-makes-diana-s/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [We meant to temporarily disable her," Ian said. "Just a drop. But Natalie slipped during air turbulence. Before we could warn your nose-ringed nanny,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-lerangis/we-meant-to-temporarily-disable-her-ian-said-just-a-drop-but-natalie/) [Peter Lerangis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-lerangis/) > [Laws are a fine thing on paper, but painful when no bribery can ease their bind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paolo-bacigalupi/laws-are-a-fine-thing-on-paper-but-painful-when-no-bribery-can-ease/) [Paolo Bacigalupi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paolo-bacigalupi/) > [“You have fallen badly, señor gringo. Bribery is a very serious crime in this country. You will have to pay.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-have-fallen-badly-se-or-gringo-bribery-is-a-very-serious-crime-in/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [A government with all this mass of favours to give or to withhold, however free in name, wields a power of bribery scarcely surpassed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-government-with-all-this-mass-of-favours-to-give-or-to-withhold/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [To the goats, all people are equal, except for those who have treats.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karin-tidbeck/to-the-goats-all-people-are-equal-except-for-those-who-have-treats/) [Karin Tidbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karin-tidbeck/) > [Petitions, not sweetened with gold, are but unsavory and oft refused; or, if received, are pocketed, not read.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-massinger/petitions-not-sweetened-with-gold-are-but-unsavory-and-oft-refused-or/) [Philip Massinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-massinger/) > [If a politician takes a bribe to do what he thinks would have been best for the public anyway, he still goes to jail.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-t-conway-iii/if-a-politician-takes-a-bribe-to-do-what-he-thinks-would-have-been/) [George T. Conway III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-t-conway-iii/) > [“Ah, bribery." He grinned at his niece. "is there anything it can't do?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gina-damico/ah-bribery-he-grinned-at-his-niece-is-there-anything-it-can-t-do/) [Gina Damico](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gina-damico/) [Browse all 94 Bribery quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bribery/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Well, the problem is that when you mix discussion of official United States government business with discussion of your personal business, you can tread dangerously close to the bribery statutes.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Richard Painter" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-painter/well-the-problem-is-that-when-you-mix-discussion-of-official-united/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Bribery" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-painter/well-the-problem-is-that-when-you-mix-discussion-of-official-united/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2af/richard-painter-14038_business_well-the-problem-is-that-when-you-mix-di_1913730.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2af/richard-painter-14038_business_well-the-problem-is-that-when-you-mix-di_1913730.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2af/richard-painter-14038_business_well-the-problem-is-that-when-you-mix-di_1913730.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Well, the problem is that when you mix discussion of official United States government business with…” — Richard Painter", "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": "Richard Painter", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-painter/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Well, the problem is that when...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-painter/well-the-problem-is-that-when-you-mix-discussion-of-official-united/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-painter/well-the-problem-is-that-when-you-mix-discussion-of-official-united/#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 } } ] } ```