Security vs. Rights in Government

by | Quotes

“It is entirely proper to remove an employee from a government job if he is demonstrably a security risk, without requiring the government to prove that the employee has already committed a crime. Life, liberty, and property are rights, not to be taken away without meeting a heavy burden of proof of wrongdoing; but government employment is a privilege, and doubts concerning fitness for it should properly be resolved in favor of the government.”

Source: Special Counsel (1968)

Keywords: law,governance,national-security

Author

  • William A. Rusher (1923–2011), publisher of National Review (1957–1988), was a leading conservative spokesman, columnist, and author. He helped draft Barry Goldwater for the 1964 GOP nomination, shaping the party’s future. A Princeton and Harvard Law graduate, he served in WWII, worked in law, and advised the U.S. Senate. In 1989, he became a Distinguished Fellow at the Claremont Institute and remained active in conservative circles until his passing in 2011.

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