But there is now a tough new message from Federal enforcement officials.
"The tough message got lost down the line," he said.
"Then he would change modes and give an extremely tough message," the lawyer said.
"He went with a pretty tough message, because pressure is building in the administration to do something," said the official.
"To keep our majority, we need to keep a tough and smart message on security."
It's a tough message to get across, because the proposition is so broad.
Now they've found someone who was about to retire, and they're sending a very tough message.
"A tough message takes on special credibility when it comes from an old and very respected friend," one official said.
But I still believe that we must send out a tough message otherwise nothing will change.
Eli was in the middle of a typically tough message.