Cheney Not Part of Executive Branch
I can see Cheney now: For the first time in seven years, he lifts his head, his face brightens and takes on — who knew his face could do this? — a look of complete shock and awe. A look of total innocence.
“What?” he asks. “Us? Classified information? The law? Huh?”
House Democrats on Thursday denounced Vice President Dick Cheney’s idea of abolishing a government office charged with safeguarding national security information — and criticized him for refusing to cooperate with the agency.
Cheney’s office — over the objections of the National Archives — has exempted itself from a presidential executive order that seeks to protect national security information generated by the government, according to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.
Cheney’s office provided the information in 2001 and 2002, then stopped. Henry Waxman, chairman of the committee, said Cheney’s office claims it need not comply with the executive order because it is not an “entity within the executive branch.”
BooYAH! Damn right it isn’t. It’s an entity within the undisclosed location. But thanks for clearing that up. Now where’s my copy of the Constitution?
“The Oversight Committee has learned that over the objections of the National Archives, you exempted the Office of the Vice President from the presidential executive order that establishes a uniform, government-wide system for safeguarding classified national security information,” Rep. Henry Waxman (D-CA), the Committee’s chairman, wrote in a letter to Cheney. “Your decision to exempt your office from the President’s order is problematic because it could place national security secrets at risk. It is also hard to understand given the history of security breaches involving officials in your office.”
ZING! Get ‘im, Waxy.
22. June, 2007 at 07:19
What a smug individual our vice president is. He’s thumbed his nose at liberty and personal responsibility just one time too many for my liking. Our leaders as supposed to set examples for the rest of us–God forbid we follow Cheney’s example.
The man hasn’t complied with the law in five years, and in fact, openly defies it, yet he hasn’t been required to answer for this boldy illegal behavior–behavior that not only defies law, but could place our national security at risk. Isn’t that why he and President Bush pushed the Patriot Act down our throats–in the name of protection? And yet here is the second in command of the entire nation, openly defying law.
Hmmm, we spent millions and millions of taxpayer dollars holding an impeachment hearing about a president having sex with an intern, but acts such as this bold defiance of federal law warrants nothing? We HAVE to hold elected officials accountable for their actions.