Cheney Secrecy Case Goes to High Court | LA Times

[Ediacara]

Cheney Secrecy Case Goes to High Court


Vice President Dick Cheney
(AP)


Supreme Court justices
(AP/Pool/Ken Heinen)

From Associated Press

WASHINGTON — The Constitution gives presidents and vice presidents power to gather advice and make decisions without being forced to reveal every detail of how those decisions are made, the Bush administration's top Supreme Court lawyer argued today.

"This is a case about the separation of powers," Solicitor General Theodore Olson told the justices at the start of lively arguments about privacy in White House policy-making.

The nearly three-year fight over access to records of Vice President Dick Cheney's work on a national energy strategy came to the high court after a federal judge ordered what Olson called a broad, unconstitutional release of White House documents.

The White House is framing the case as a major test of executive power, arguing that the forced disclosure of confidential records intrudes on a president's power to get truthful advice. Environmental and other interest groups claim the records will show whether the energy industry got special access or favors.

More at the Los Angeles Times

[rkc3]

1. Grade School History

I could have sworn we have three branches of government as a method of checks and balances to protect the American citizenry from excesses in any one of the branches.

I know this administration is bent upon throwing out most of the Bill of Rights, but a major portion of the Constitution is at stake as well with this case.

[Moderator]

2. Previous post, please update this story here

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=512229