James Cleverly Quotes

I think prime ministers, I actually think Cabinet ministers should be subject to intense scrutiny, I think that's in the public interest, even if some of the allegations made aren't right and so on, and they have to correct the record, it doesn't matter.

Only the Liberal Democrats have probed the government's failings consistently, thoroughly and effectively.

Oversight now is defined as going after political appointees.

Question Period is not part of the legislative process, and has nothing to do with it. It is a means of monitoring the Executive that the Government cannot evade.

We must keep the pressure on Congress to curb Obama's continued abuse of power. We must always expose that abuse to fellow citizens.

Ask yourself, have you ever heard any of your PAP MPs ask the hard questions? As a Singaporean, you have a right to information that the Government is refusing to answer.

As members of the executive, we are accountable to Parliament.

So I think it's important to understand that your duly elected representatives have been consistently informed about exactly what we're doing.

What is Parliament for if it is not to be a means to make ministers accountable for the services for which they are responsible.

My four years as governor, I never met with a lobbyist once, never. Not one lobbyist got in my office.

On taking office, Obama promised the 'most transparent' administration in history; yet his record as president has been anything but transparent.

The Bush administration doesn't particularly like public participation. It makes them look bad.

No expense has been incurred but what has been approved of and provided for by Parliament.

Oppositions are not there to get legislation through. Oppositions are there to hold the government to account.

I think we can get respect for Parliament back providing governments and oppositions are frank.

No sitting administration likes to see itself studied; no administration welcomes investigations.

If we were left solely to the wordy wit of legislators in Congress for our guidance, uncorrected by the seasonal experience and the effectual complaints of the people, America would not long retain her rank among the nations.

When the Vice President of the United States shoots somebody, the public has the right to know.

It is not the Congress's job to rubber stamp bad decisions [of the President.]

Bureaucrats understand who their real masters are. Their real masters are not their nominal department heads. The real powers are the chairmen on Capitol Hill.

We cover Congress only when it gets to the final vote on something, too late for the public to respond.

We sometimes miss the inner working of government….most people wander around, make mistakes, and put on their pants just the way we do…. It’s not all this big conspiracy.

We are hiring too many people who are called politicians, and we are not holding them accountable…. You do not hire someone and not tell them what to do. Make a trip to Washington and see that they are doing what you want them to do.

He [previous President Uribe] has criticized this government for unveiling a lot of corruption: he thinks it is an attack on his government. But I have said no, it is not an attack on his government, it is an attack on the corrupt people, and I will continue to do that.

We will use new technology to hard-wire the kind of [transparency] reform and accountability into the culture of government so that it can’t be undone in the next administration.