Former Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein shared advice from special counsel Robert Mueller to law students graduating from the University of Baltimore on Monday.
“You will face pressure to compromise on things that matter most, perhaps even to trade virtue for the appearance of virtue,” Rosenstein said. “But you should exercise caution when uncomfortable circumstances tempt you to disregard principles.”
Rosenstein then quoted a segment of a speech that Mueller delivered to graduates of the College of William & Mary in 2013 when he was FBI director.
“There may come a time when you will be tested,” Rosenstein said, quoting Mueller. “You may find yourself standing alone, against those you thought were trusted colleagues. You may stand to lose all that you have worked for. And it may not be an easy call.”
Here’s Rod Rosenstein quoting Robert Mueller during a commencement speech. Would’ve been nice had he pushed for Mueller to be quoted more in the misleading letter Bill Barr sent to Congress. pic.twitter.com/AzKOYuMPXW
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) May 13, 2019
Rosenstein also told graduates to stick to their principles, even if it comes at a high price.
“Principles exist precisely for those challenging moments,” he said. “When you grow old and reflect on times you stood firmly for what was right although it was painful and costly to you, the most difficult occasions may rank among the finest moments of life.”
Rosenstein, who departed the Justice Department last week, oversaw Mueller’s Russia investigation after former Attorney General Jeff Sessions recused himself.
He previously served as Maryland’s U.S. attorney for 12 years in Baltimore.
[Also read: Rod Rosenstein calls James Comey a ‘partisan pundit’]
