Vice President Says He Has Authority to Declassify Items

[kentuck]

Why would he say such a thing and where would he get the idea he had that authority? Sounds like he's pulling the same "inherent authority" argument that Bush is using to spy on American citizens?
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http://www.nytimes.com/2006/02/16/politics/16leak.html

<snip>

Vice President Dick Cheney, whose former chief of staff is reported to have testified to a grand jury that his superiors authorized him to disclose classified information, said on Wednesday that he had the power to declassify material.

"There is an executive order that specifies who has classification authority and obviously focuses first and foremost on the president but also includes the vice president," Mr. Cheney said in an interview on Fox News.

He said he had participated in decisions to declassify information, but he declined to say whether he had ever declassified information on his own.

....more

[acmejack]

1. He does, by virtue of an Executive Order * signed 03/03

I'll look for it.

EXECUTIVE ORDER 13292

- - - - - - -

FURTHER AMENDMENT TO EXECUTIVE ORDER 12958, AS AMENDED,
CLASSIFIED NATIONAL SECURITY INFORMATION

(1) the incumbent President or, in the performance of executive duties, the incumbent Vice President;

http://www.fas.org/sgp/bush/eoamend.html

[atreides1]

8. What executive duties was Cheney performing at the time?

He still has to cross the t's and dot the i's, and that still requires that the agency in question also agrees with declassification of information.

So now we are supposed to believe that the CIA declassified one of their own covert agents?

Cheney is a lying traitorous sack of monkey shit!!!!

[papau]

2. Bet the EO giving him authority is back dated :-)

:-)

If the EO exists?????

[bullimiami]

3. guess what. things dont become declassified just so libby can use it

as propaganda, but still remain classified otherwise.

this man is a criminal.

[Jackpine Radical]

5. Party pooper.

[0007]

14. You mean this man is a criminal with many perks!

[Jackpine Radical]

4. I'm sure this is true. It's just an extension of Executive Privilege.

He also has the authority to get drunk & blast people in the face with a shotgun. Thet's why there was no investigation. The sheriff knew no crime could have been committed.

[Jeffersons Ghost]

6. he's too stupid to come up with new approaches

that's why Dur Fuhrer consistently says "stay the coarse."

[bullimiami]

7. this really has gone past denying to blatant 'If we do it, its legal"

just like nixon. they assert that the laws dont apply to them.
so who is more gutless, congressional dems who dont have the power but are mostly in opposition, or congressional repubs who have the power and authority but are scared to use it?

[Hosnon]

9. Well I think the Executive does have the authority to classify and

declassify information.

George Washington said that this is essential because some some secrets can't be trusted to 535 other people.

And the idea of "inherent" executive authority is not new or extreme but a very fundamental part of our Constitution.

Two question for me: Does the authority to declassify automatically extend to the Vice President (where does the line stop in the Executive? Can paper pushers in the DHS declassify?)? Is there an element of intent as far as declassifying is concerned (does it matter WHY something is declassified?)?

[kentuck]

10. I think the duties of the VP are clearly defined in the Constitution...

...and I don't believe he has that authority...

[Hosnon]

11. The VP's duties are clearly defined in the Constitution? Perhaps the

Executive's duties are but not clearly - the Constitution is meant to / should be vague. Art. II, Sec. I just says all executive authority is vested in a President.

The Constitution says nothing about what the parameters of that executive power are.

[kentuck]

12. But it is more specific what the parameters of Congress are...

and if the authority is vested in the Congress, that means the President doesn't have it....right?

[Hosnon]

15. Not necessarily. Some powers are shared. The war power is one such

power because the President is Commander-in-Chief but the Congress declares war and appropriates war funds.

Plus, the Constitution has a section providing what the Congress can't do which implies that an express revocation of power is the way in which the Constitution denies authority.

[kentuck]

17. But aren't many powers of the "Commander-in-Chief" assumed ??

What other powers other than Commander in Chief of Army, Navy, and the National Guard? when called into service?

[opihimoimoi]

13. A large segment of American Peeps are hooked on the LAW..not realizing

our evil Leaders are using it as a license to do as they please...result...arrogance...

the peeps suck for it thinking...oh well, its a lawful thing to do...its allowable....

They(Pubs) make the Law, twist the Law, to eventually DISREGUARD THE LAW and attendant SYSTEM....to further THEIR agenda...

[Coexist]

16. John Dean, former White House counsel to Nixon,

said last night on Countdown while discussing this, "I am going to have to research this one".

He said he would get back with Olbermann when he found the answer. I would be very interested in his opinion on this matter.

[WinkyDink]

18. "Declassify items" does not = "Reveal spy and her entire on-going

undercover operation."
It CLEARLY refers to documents and the like.