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Cheney Power Grab: Says White House Rules Don't Apply to Him
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ShareJune 21, 2007 12:57 PM
Vice President Dick Cheney has asserted his office is not a part of the executive branch of the U.S. government, and therefore not bound by a presidential order governing the protection of classified information by government agencies, according to a new letter from Rep. Henry Waxman, D-Calif., to Cheney.
Bill Leonard, head of the government's Information Security Oversight Office (ISOO), told Waxman's staff that Cheney's office has refused to provide his staff with details regarding classified documents or submit to a routine inspection as required by presidential order, according to Waxman.
In pointed letters released today by Waxman, ISOO's Leonard twice questioned Cheney's office on its assertion it was exempt from the rules. He received no reply, but the vice president later tried to get rid of Leonard's office entirely, according to Waxman.
Leonard did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
In a statement e-mailed to the Blotter on ABCNews.com, Cheney spokeswoman Megan McGinn said, "We are confident that we are conducting the office properly under the law.”
As director of the tiny, 25-person Information Security Oversight Office, Leonard is responsible for keeping track of the nation's secrets and making sure they are properly protected.
For the first two years of the George W. Bush administration, Cheney's office complied with a presidential order that requires officials to report statistics on the number of documents it classifies and declassifies.
Since 2003, however, Cheney's office has refused to submit the data to ISOO. And when ISOO inspectors tried in 2004 to schedule a routine inspection of the vice president's offices, they were rebuffed, Waxman's letter claims.
Other White House offices, including the National Security Council, did not object to similar inspections, according to Waxman.
"Serious questions can be raised about both the legality and advisability of exempting your office from the rules that apply to all other executive branch officials," Waxman said in his letter to the vice president, and asked him to explain why he felt the rules didn't apply to him and his staff and how he was protecting classified information in his office.
Former Cheney aide I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby was recently convicted on several counts of perjury and obstruction of justice stemming from the leak of the identity of former covert CIA officer Valerie Plame, Waxman noted, and in 2006, former Cheney aide Leandro Aragoncillo pleaded guilty to sharing classified U.S. documents with foreign nationals. Aragoncillo also worked under former Democratic Vice President Al Gore, who complied with ISOO's requests.
Do you have a tip for Brian Ross and the Investigative Team?
June 21, 2007 | Permalink | User Comments (363)
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Your story belongs on the evening news.
Posted by: Joseph Trento | Jun 21, 2007 1:23:24 PM
IMPEACH DICK CHENEY!!!
Posted by: Renee | Jun 21, 2007 1:38:11 PM
Cheney is right - he is not part of the executive branch : he is the monarch of the country!!
Posted by: U2 | Jun 21, 2007 2:11:32 PM
What?....Dick Cheney thinks he's above the law? I've never heard such an accusation about Darth...I mean, DICK Cheney!!
Posted by: Marc | Jun 21, 2007 2:24:16 PM
Cheney, you have violated the Constitution by perjuring your oath of office. That puts you in rebellion to the Constitution and makes you a domestic enemy our armed forces are sworn to protect us from. So where are they?
Posted by: Patriot 2007 | Jun 21, 2007 2:26:35 PM
Oh my God ... he doesn't think he's part of the executive branch? What flippin' branch of the government does he think he belongs to??
Posted by: Dirv | Jun 21, 2007 2:34:18 PM
According to the Constitution the duties of the Vice President are defined within Article I (which defines the Legislative branch) Section 3. Doesn't this make the office part of the Legislative branch, as the office has no Executive function or duties?
Posted by: Robert | Jun 21, 2007 2:57:42 PM
Not following a presidential order? Not a part of the executive branch? I beg to differ DICK, but you are required by the constitution under the seperation of powers and your oath of office. Of course we'll never hear anything from the president on this matter. "Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain!"
Posted by: J.P. | Jun 21, 2007 2:59:19 PM
Vice Presidents, up until Mondale, held the view that they were more a part of the legislative branch, since their only real job is to preside over the Senate.
So technically, Cheney is correct...he's not really a part of the executive branch, but on the other hand, he's not really a part of the legislative branch, either. The one office in the country where the framers really didn't think it over too much.
Posted by: Brian | Jun 21, 2007 3:00:43 PM
This is unbelievable! Seriously, did anyone think this could even happen under our Constitution? Aren't there THREE branches listed, none of them named "Dick Cheney's Branch"?
Question for Brian Ross:
So... If Cheney is not under the Executive Branch, can he still claim "executive priviledge" when he doesn't want to testify before Congress?
(and, also, thanks for this information. Keep up the great investigative work.)
Posted by: Jan | Jun 21, 2007 3:03:05 PM
According to the Constitution the duties of the Vice President are defined within Article I (which defines the Legislative branch) Section 3. Doesn't this make the office part of the Legislative branch, as the office has no Executive function or duties?
Posted by: Robert | Jun 21, 2007 3:09:03 PM
"We are confident that we are conducting the office properly under the law"
You can trust us, have we ever lied about anything before.
Posted by: 1970cs | Jun 21, 2007 3:18:27 PM
All Hail the Mighty Cheney, Lord of the Flies!!!!
US House Resolution 333 details the Articles of Impeachment for Cheney. Encourage your representative to support this bill. Let's now move forward with that first step and don't stop until DickNBush get on that helicopter for their farewell trip out of Washington.
Posted by: ImpeachmentNOW | Jun 21, 2007 3:27:19 PM
Dirv - he belongs to the criminal branch .
Posted by: Becca | Jun 21, 2007 3:33:12 PM
CHENEY IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS!!!!!!!!!!
He is the "evil puppet master" behind much of all that has gone wrong with the HELLACIOUS Bush administration. He honed his diabolical skills as part of the perverted and evil Nixon administration and, along with Rove, has conspired to usurp power from all branches of government and from the people of this country.
We are all in grave danger. He needs to be "slapped down"
Posted by: jla | Jun 21, 2007 3:41:40 PM
when chaney said gay rules do not include his daughter...people listen. so then he's right, he is above the law and that includes george bush
Posted by: robert | Jun 21, 2007 3:47:26 PM
If Cheney is not part of the Executive Branch, then he cannot claim Executive Privilege on his Energy Task Force.
Time to subpoena that fat fascist.
Posted by: Tom3 | Jun 21, 2007 3:48:22 PM
heavens, however do you think he's above the law. he is the law and george should have been the vice president anyhow.
Posted by: robert | Jun 21, 2007 3:50:18 PM
Dick Cheney is listed on the White House Web site as part of the Presidents Cabinet, Is the Presidents Cabinet not part of the Executive branch?
Why does he have a National Security Advisor?
Why does he have access to classified info to which Senate does not have access?
Why is he allowed to visit CIA and harangue them about yellowcake?
Dick is trying to have it both ways.
Impeach
Posted by: Renee | Jun 21, 2007 3:55:19 PM
This story should not just be on the evening news; it should be the lead story.
Posted by: RS | Jun 21, 2007 4:03:48 PM
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