Dick Durbin Quotes

The public character of every public servant is legitimate subject of discussion, and his fitness or unfitness for office may be fairly canvassed by any person.

When a man assumes a public trust, he should consider himself as public property.

If we promise as public officials, we must deliver.

As a matter of general sound public policy, I am very certain that there is a requirement that where a public official is under inquiry or investigation, especially an elected official, and it appears that his scale of living or the total of his bank deposits far exceeds the public salary which he is known to receive, he, the elected public official, owes a positive public duty to the community to give a reasonable or credible explanation of the sources of the deposits, or the source which enables him to maintain a scale of living beyond the amount of his salary.

I won't criticise anyone else's statements, and the public will make up their own minds. And if the public think that any side or any individual has strayed too far away from what's expected of public representatives, then they'll make that judgement.

The trust that goes with public service is a heavy burden on those who would lead us.

Misrepresentation of public Measures is easily overthrown, by representing public Measures truly; when they are honest, they ought to be publicly known, that they may be publicly commended, but if they are knavish or pernicious, they ought to be publicly exposed, in order to be publicly detested.

I have been in public office and have been criticized. I do not object to it. A public official should be willing to be criticized. An agent of the people of this country should be called to account.

Elected officials should be held to a higher standard, and we cannot enable misbehavior with a system that secretly settles with public funds.

When you decide you're going to be a public servant, you should not be able to take on interests that conflict with the city.

When you are in the public eye, in the name of public service, you have to understand that the more people know about you, and the more people say they want to support you, the more you have to work even harder to uphold that trust.

Before we decide to trust you with this power, we ask you to stand before the public and explain your views. Justice may be blind, but it should not be deaf.

We have the incredible privilege of serving in the highest offices in the state. We must prove ourselves worthy of our fellow citizens' faith. We must be trusted to always place the public's good above our own and to always choose fairness over favoritism.

Both politicians and journalists face situations which strain their honesty and humanity. My opinion is that politicians on the average stand up somewhat better than journalists.

We just ask the agency to make reasonable and honest decisions, and the public deserves no less.

I am committed to working towards a more transparent, accountable, and ethical federal government worthy of the public's trust.

I have never tried to fiddle my role as leader of the city of Sheffield, as an MP or as a minister.

I will make a general statement that we have not had anything like the policy of holding people in high office responsible for their acts that I think we should.

Having been given that public trust, we have a responsibility to share with the public.

Administrators are there because of the fans and the cricketers to run this game, so credibility of a game, or a board, or even a government for that matter, is important irrespective of what you do. If you are in public life, it is important.

To restore and keep the public's confidence in the integrity of their government, state government and its officials must be open, honest and transparent.

In Minnesota, we hold our leaders to a higher standard. We demand that the men and women we send to Washington stand above reproach and steer clear of the web of corruption, kickbacks and special favors.

The citizens of New Hampshire expect and deserve a government as clean as our mountain streams and as open as our blue skies. Today let us pledge together to make this government - the people's government - clean, open and honest.

If there is a doubt, I believe that I must put myself forward and undergo the people's judgment.

We need more of the Office Desk and less of the Show Window in politics. Let men in office substitute the midnight oil for the limelight.