Rod Rosenstein’s Final Speech: ‘Truth Is Essential To Justice’
Rod Rosenstein Image by Win McNamee/Getty Images
Former deputy attorney general Rod Rosenstein’s final speech was a love letter to the Justice Department and the privileges and responsibilities that accompany it.
Rosenstein recently stepped down as the department’s second-in-command, and he used his last words to speak highly of its role in society. He spoke about the inspiration he drew from the building he worked in: from the art, the people, “and the principles it represents.” One of the principles, he said, is that “political considerations may influence policy decisions, but when it comes to individual cases, our Department stands apart from politics.”
“Truth is essential to justice,” he said. He pointed out that the plaque in his office read: “Don’t tell me what I want to hear. Just tell me what I need to know.”
He said he fought every day to maintain the goals of the position.
“To those who taught me, those who worked beside me, and those who stood behind me, I am grateful for your friendship and thankful for your accomplishments,” he concluded. “Justice is in good hands. It is in your hands.”
Alyssa Fisher is a writer at the Forward. Email her at fisher@forward.com, or follow her on Twitter at @alyssalfisher
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