Cheney: You Can't Touch This

[deminks]

http://www.tpmmuckraker.com/archives/003245.php

Surprise, surprise. From The Washington Post:

Attorneys for Vice President Cheney and top White House officials told a federal judge today they cannot be held liable for anything they disclosed to reporters about covert CIA officer Valerie Plame or her husband, former Ambassador Joseph C. Wilson IV....

Attorneys for Cheney and the other officials said any conversations they had about Plame with each other and reporters were part of their normal job duties because they were discussing foreign policy and engaging in an appropriate "policy dispute." Cheney's attorney went farther, arguing that Cheney is legally akin to the president because of his unique government role, and has absolute immunity from any lawsuit.

"So you're arguing there is nothing -- absolutely nothing - these officials could have said to reporters that would have been beyond the scope of their employment true or false?," U.S. District Judge John D. Bates asked.

"That's true, your honor. Mr. Wilson was criticizing government policy," said Jeffrey S. Bucholtz, Deputy Assistant Attorney General for the Justice Department's civil division. "These officials were responding to that criticism."

link to WaPo:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/05/17/AR2007051701400.html?nav=rss_politics

The emperor has no clothes, 'cause Darth is wearing them. The Imperial Vice-President.

[damntexdem]

1. The real emperor has no shame.

[C_U_L8R]

2. Responding to criticism by breaking the law ??

nice.

Did the judge spew soda out his nostrils at that claim?

[dchill]

3. Did the judge spew soda...

You mean Judge Iokyar? ;)

[tanyev]

4. It is verboten to criticize der Fuhrer.

Ja wohl.

[sakabatou]

5. Cheney is MC Hammer?

[MaineYooper]

6. and in what universe is it a valid response to criticism to

compromise a CIA agent who just happened to be married to the person who made the criticism? So if their response had included jailing Wilson without lawyers, would that also have been a valid action beyond reproach?

The gall of these guys never ceases to amaze me.