Justice Brandeis' opinion was quoted by Timothy McVeigh at his trial for the bombing of the Federal Building in Oklahoma City. After remaining silent throughout his trial, he was asked before sentencing if he would like to make a statement. He responded "I wish instead to use the words of Justice Brandeis dissenting in "Olmstead" to speak for me. He wrote 'Our government is the potent, the omnipresent teacher. For good or ill, it teaches the whole people by its example.'"