Cheney’s office dismisses Dems’ outrage on documents

[babylonsister]

http://thehill.com/leading-the-news/cheneys-office-dismisses-dems-outrage-on-documents-2007-06-26.html

Cheney’s office dismisses Dems’ outrage on documents
By Chris Good
June 26, 2007

Vice President Cheney’s office Tuesday dismissed Democratic claims that Cheney is putting himself above the law because his office refused to grant access to an oversight agency that is tasked with reviewing how classified information is handled.

“Constitutional issues in government are generally best left for discussion when unavoidable disputes arise in a specific context instead of in theoretical discussions,” Cheney’s chief of staff, David Addington, said in a letter to Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.).

Kerry had joined a growing chorus of Democrats who criticized Cheney’s refusal to submit to Executive Order 12958, signed by President Clinton and amended by President Bush in 2003. The order requires the National Archives’ Information Security Oversight Office (ISOO) to oversee executive agencies’ handling of classified documents.

According to House Oversight and Government Reform Committee Chairman Henry Waxman (D-Calif.), Cheney ignored questions from Waxman and the National Archives in 2006. Still unwilling to submit its document classifications to oversight, Waxman said Cheney’s office responded in 2007 by seeking to abolish the ISOO.

Addington echoed arguments from the White House that Executive Order 12958 treats the Office of the Vice President the same as the president — not as an “agency,” and therefore not answerable to the ISOO.

more...

[JDPriestly]

1. It seems to me that Congress needs to investigate

Cheney's compliance with the government's security provisions.
Maybe Congress needs to tighten up the laws re: safeguarding the nation's secrets in the wake of the Plame affair. Gonzales should enforce the law, but there is no way he would dare. If Gonzales half did his job with regard to Cheney, Gonzales days in this administration would be numbered. The courts cannot do it. That leaves -- guess who -- Waxman. History will see Waxman as a hero -- the stuff legends are made of. Go, Waxman!

[Duer 157099]

2. Huh. Couldn't have predicted that one.

There's no low too low for this scum.

[Rick Myers]

3. WTF??? "theoretical discussions'

'theoretical discussions???' These FREAKS will NEVER give up. They think they are above the Law! That comment is so far beyond reality that you can't counter it. It's pure insanity, arrogance and hubris...

:grr: