Known for his memorable quotes and witty remarks, Antonin Scalia was a prominent conservative justice on the U.S. Supreme Court from 1986 to 2016. In one of his more interesting comments, he likens the job of a journalist to that of a basement Xerox machine operator. Scalia's perspective on the balance of power between journalists and judges is summed up in this quotation.

According to Scalia, journalism has a huge power to change social norms and public opinion. A journalist with access to information and a platform can spread ideas widely, much like a person operating a copy machine in their basement can duplicate documents innumerable times. Journalists have considerable influence over the social narrative because of their capacity to magnify messages.

According to Scalia, this authority carries responsibility, much like being careful about what you copy and distribute when using a Xerox machine. Although they work in different fields of influence, he thought that judges and journalists both had important roles to play in influencing public opinion. While journalists negotiate the world of public opinion, judges operate inside the boundaries of legal systems.

Scalia frequently criticized what he perceived to be biased journalism, comparing it to someone spreading propaganda or false information by abusing their Xerox machine. His quotation serves as a reminder that people who use such instruments must act morally and carefully, advancing society rather than causing harm.

Scalia emphasized the value of journalists being conscientious in their work and understanding the influence they can have on public opinion and social change by employing this analogy. This analogy emphasizes his view that everyone has a duty to influence public opinion, whether through media coverage or court decisions.