Andrew Zajac
A trio of key House Democrats reminded Attorney General Alberto Gonzales that he owes the National Archives, and them, a response to its months-old request for ruling on the legality of Vice President Dick Cheney's decision to opt out of an executive order governing the preservation of classified information.
The inscrutable Cheney managed to confuse even his colleagues in the White House with the assertion that his office really isn't part of the executive branch and thus not covered by a directive on the handling of national security documents.
The White House recovered enough to claim that Democrats are playing politics with the issue.
Yesterday, Illinois Democrat Rahm Emmanuel floated the idea of stripping funding of Cheney's office.
Today, Reps. Henry Waxman, William Lacy Clay and John Conyers issued a press release summing up their request to Gonzales about the archives pending request:
OVERSIGHT, JUDICIARY COMMITTEES ASK GONZALES TO RESPOND TO ARCHIVES' REQUEST FOR ADVICE ON VICE PRESIDENT'S OBLIGATION TO COMPLY WITH EXECUTIVE ORDER
WASHINGTON, DC - Oversight and Government Reform Committee Chairman Henry A. Waxman (D-CA), Judiciary Committee Chairman John Conyers, Jr. (D-MI), and Oversight and Government Reform Information Policy Subcommittee Chairman Wm. Lacy Clay (D-MO) today called upon Attorney General Alberto Gonzales to explain his role in the Vice President's extraordinary attempt to remove his office from executive branch oversight and the subsequent refusal to comply with procedures to protect classified information in the Office of the Vice President (OVP).
The Chairmen specifically called on Gonzales to report on the status of his long-overdue response to the National Archives' request to rule on the legality of VP Cheney's actions. An Executive Order signed by President Bush in 2003 directs the National Archives to oversee a uniform, government-wide system for protecting national security information.
For six months, the National Archives has sought unsuccessfully to receive clarification from the attorney general regarding the OVP's contention that it is exempt from the order because it is not an entity within the executive branch of our government "The Vice President's claims are absurd, and they're part of a pattern of efforts to evade needed oversight of his office and actions," said Rep. Waxman.
"Once again, we appear to have an attorney general who is too close to the White House for his own - or the people's - good," said Rep. Conyers. "The Vice President's refusal to allow meaningful oversight of the handling of government secrets is very troubling. That this decision was apparently based on the highly dubious legal theory that the Office of the Vice President is not part of the executive branch is alarming. The handling of classified information, especially in a time of war, is a matter of the utmost importance, and those who are entrusted with our nation's secrets bear extraordinary responsibility to use and handle those materials in the best interests of the American people."
"It is a breathtaking act of arrogance for the Vice President to thumb his nose at and retaliate against an agency charged with enforcing an Executive Order from his own Administration," said Rep. Clay. "In my opinion, the Vice President is making a mockery of the law and our system of checks and balances by suggesting his office is outside of the executive branch. I hope Attorney General Gonzales will summon the will to treat this very serious matter with the objectivity it deserves."
The full text of the letter may be found at www.oversight.house.gov and at http://judiciary.house.gov/
##110-JUD-062707##
• 
• 
• 
• 
Comments
"...pattern of efforts to evade needed oversight ...arrogance...to thumb his nose at and retaliate against an agency charged with enforcing...mockery of the system..." Hmm where have I heard this combination before. Oh yes Saddam. Nice to know they picked up a few tricks from the enemy. Did Cheney really manage to confuse even his colleagues in the White House with the assertion that his office really isn't part of the executive branch ? I'm starting doubt the qualifications of those who run our government. Him I could understand. Others?? Isn't this like political sci/ history 101? He's either good at selling ice to Alaskans or their all lap dogs. I want my government back from Twilight Zone.
Posted by: AR | June 27, 2007 6:05 PM
I wish the Dems were as concerned about Sandy Burglar's theft of classified documents from the National Archives as they are whether Cheney's documents will get there.
I also wish the LIBune Swamp would cover just some of the misdeeds of the Demoncraps. Oooops, I'm sorry, Frank and the gang are part of the DNC. Check that.
Posted by: John D | June 27, 2007 7:19 PM
wish the Dems were as concerned about Sandy Burglar's theft of classified documents from the National Archives as they are whether Cheney's documents will get there.
Posted by: John D | June 27, 2007 7:19 PM
Nice try to divert, John. Cheney is probably covering up his sweetheart deal with Bin Laden. They're going into the oil business together.
Posted by: Catherine | June 27, 2007 9:15 PM
Our Democracy is designed to allow for a transparency in government. What are they hiding and why are the neo-nutcases defending it?
Posted by: Mrs. Jesus | June 28, 2007 12:55 AM
John D,
Do you know that you and bill/jeff/? are the only two people in the world that still support Cheney?
Fifth Avenue Gazette Opinion Poll
Polls show Cheney slightly less popular than Bundy
Washington, DC – A new Fifth Avenue Gazette opinion poll shows that more Americans approve of deceased serial killer Ted Bundy than do Vice President Dick Cheney. With an approval rating of .049%, Cheney is the first sitting Vice President in history to be less well thought of than a brutal psychopath who lured innocent women to their deaths.
The poll, which has a margin of error of plus or minus one percent, indicates that Cheney is quite possibly the least liked man in human history. The responses of a random sample of 15,000 adults place him far beneath any other living American and well behind some of history’s most hated dead people. The following chart lists the 25 least popular human beings in history in ascending order of disapproval.
Extrapolated across the earth’s population of approximately 7 billion people, Cheney’s stunningly low approval rating means that he is thoroughly detested by 6,657,000,000 men, women and children, placing him 227 million haters ahead of Bundy.
In a statement to the White House press corps, an unnamed spokesperson for Cheney quoted the Vice President as saying, “You can all go f#@& yourselves.”
Posted by: dt | June 28, 2007 2:38 AM
This really sheads light on how having an Attorney General embedded in the White House is a huge problem for our legal system. Eventhough the Repubs accused the Dems of making a political issue of Alberto in the White House, this scenario with Cheney and his ability to move about unchecked further illustrates the problem. It seems to me that if you take the US to war for fabricated reasons you had better conduct yourself in a more "above board" fashion or expect a huge backlash.
Posted by: Dave | June 28, 2007 8:55 AM
This really sheads light on how having an Attorney General embedded in the White House is a huge problem for our legal system. Eventhough the Repubs accused the Dems of making a political issue of Alberto in the White House, this scenario with Cheney and his ability to move about unchecked further illustrates the problem. It seems to me that if you take the US to war for fabricated reasons you had better conduct yourself in a more "above board" fashion or expect a huge backlash.
Posted by: Dave | June 28, 2007 8:55 AM
The AG is doing a good job. The Executive Order was originally issued by Bill Clinton. Bush just let it stand that doesn't mean they would follow it. Cheney is an elected official and is exempt.
The most contemptible people in Washington would include ram rod Rahm Emmanuel{Clinton War Room}, Henry Waxman,John Conyers who has been charged with employee harrassment charges--and wants to impeach President Bush. The only troublemakers left off this list would include Dickie Durbin and Chuckie Schumer. Jerry White, Spriingfield,IL
Posted by: Jerry White | June 28, 2007 9:32 AM
Johnny D-
Sandy Burgar pled guilty to a crime and has been sentenced for it.
Sandy Burgar's crimes (committed while not in office) in no way justify the actions of this Vice President in office.
You know, it's interesting, every time a criminal or ethical issue comes up, you turn to the Democrats for setting what the standard of behaviour should be. It seems that you acknowledge that the Republicans have no ethical or moral standards of their own.
Posted by: Tony | June 28, 2007 9:49 AM
Obviously Cheney has something to hide. Why else would he refuse to turn over documents? This is public information, these documents belong to the American People. Cheney was not elected Vice Dictator. Or was he? We shall see. Have the American people already lost their democracy? We shall see.
Posted by: San Miguel | June 28, 2007 10:09 AM
Cheney is a traitor and should be treated accordingly. The Bush whitehouse is a total disgrace. Small wonder certain cretins in The Swamp consistently defend Cheney. Surely there is a jail cell big enough to fit Mr Cheneys ego.
Posted by: Logic Prisoner | June 28, 2007 11:10 AM
Jerry White
"The AG is doing a good job"
Of what? is my question. Why is it obvious to so many people that he is a Bush "lap dog" we're talking about here and oddly enough, you can't see it.
If all of Bush's appointees are so above board then why don't they just come clean? Let the Congress and Senate see what they want and move on! Why is this such a hard concept for the Repub's to grasp? Show me you have some integrity and don't make me assume it because that's an assumption not many Americans are willing to make.
Posted by: dave | June 28, 2007 1:30 PM
dave:
You're wasting your time on Jerry - I've challenged him before on what he means by the AG doing a good job, and he has not answered me. Easy to make statements like that when you don't have the facts to back them up.
Posted by: BobinATL | June 28, 2007 4:10 PM