Patrick Leahy: “the Solicitor General fills a unique position in our Government. The Solicitor General is not merely another legal…”

“the Solicitor General fills a unique position in our Government. The Solicitor General is not merely another legal advocate whose mission is to advance the narrow interests of a client, or merely another advocate of his President's policies. The Solicitor General is much more than that. The Solicitor General must use his or her legal skills and judgment for higher purposes on behalf of the law and the rights of all the people of the United States. At his hearing, Mr. Olson acknowledged that: The Solicitor General holds a unique position in our Government in that he has important responsibilities to all three branches of our Government. . . . And he is considered an officer of the Supreme Court in that he regularly and with scrupulous honesty must present to the Court arguments that are carefully considered and mindful of the Court's role, duty, and limited resources. As the most consistent advocate before the Supreme Court, the Solicitor General and the lawyers in that office have a special obligation to inform the Court honestly and openly. The Solicitor General must be an advocate, but he must take special care that the positions he advances before the Court are fairly presented.”