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Tuesday, April 29, 2008

Cheney lawyer claims Congress has no authority over vice-president

The lawyer for US vice-president Dick Cheney claimed today that the Congress lacks any authority to examine his behaviour on the job.

The exception claimed by Cheney’s counsel came in response to requests from congressional Democrats that David Addington, the vice-president’s chief of staff, testify about his involvement in the approval of interrogation tactics used at Guantanamo Bay.

Ruling out voluntary cooperation by Addington, Cheney lawyer Kathryn Wheelbarger said Cheney’s conduct is “not within the [congressional] committee’s power of inquiry”.

“Congress lacks the constitutional power to regulate by law what a vice-president communicates in the performance of the vice president’s official duties, or what a vice president recommends that a president communicate,” Wheelbarger wrote to senior aides on Capitol Hill.

The exception claimed by Cheney’s office recalls his attempt last year to evade rules for classified documents by deeming the vice-president’s office a hybrid branch of government - both executive and legislative.

Comments

Cheney’s right you know.

They have none.

They have the same authority over him as they do over the POTUS.

He can tell them to take a flying leap they have to ask how high.

I love Lord Cheney.


[b]Old Tigers are more dangerous when they believe this could be their last hunt.

From , “The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen”
Old tigers, sensing the end,
they’re at their most fierce. 
And they go down fighting.

Gene on April 29, 2008 at 07:12 am

Honestly, Gene.  I just lost a lot of respect for you.


Excuse me, you were saying?


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realitybasedbob on April 29, 2008 at 07:14 am
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Honestly, Gene.  I just lost a lot of respect for you.

Me, too! Please don’t feed the trolls! Heh.



Better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it.
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Proof on April 29, 2008 at 07:16 am
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Gene: For rbb to make a meaningful comment on that story, he would need to understand the “separation of powers”, which would require at least an eighth grade education.



Better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it.
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Proof on April 29, 2008 at 07:18 am

poof, in the phrase ‘checks and balances’ , what does the word checks refer to?

poof, which governmental body tried and impeached the last president?

Which governmental body tried and failed to remove him from office?

Will you be as intemperate if the next VP is dem?


Excuse me, you were saying?


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realitybasedbob on April 29, 2008 at 07:35 am
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Google “Executive privilege” and “Clinton” and tell me what you find. (The first half million cites are the toughest!)



Better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it.
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Proof on April 29, 2008 at 08:00 am

As I recall, the last VP made a similar claim when it came to his misuse of federal facilities for partisan fund-raising efforts.

“There is no controlling legal authority,” trumpeted AlGore, when he was caught making improper reelection fund-raising calls from an official office phone.  Gore,of course, knows as much about legal authorities as he does about Aramaic conjugations and declensions.

In fairness to the hapless former VP, however, it was his boss who was renting out the Lincoln bedroom to campaign contributors.


“Poverty of goods is easily cured; poverty of the mind is irreparable.”

Bat One on April 29, 2008 at 08:07 am

Cheney lawyer claims Congress has no authority over vice-president

There is a certain disingenuous hysteria about your headline here, RBB.  The VP’s counsel did not claim that Congress has “no authority over (the) Vice President”.  Only that Congress has no legislative authority over the Vice President’s communications in his official duties, and particularly his communications regarding policy with the President.

Not the same thing at all.  But then, you knew that already.


“Poverty of goods is easily cured; poverty of the mind is irreparable.”

Bat One on April 29, 2008 at 08:14 am

"blackwater"boob should really bestir himself to actually read the Consititution some time…


Out Here
Rodney G. Graves

Ceterum censeo Parthia esse delendam
Latin: “Furthermore, Parthia (Persia aka modern day Iran) should be destroyed.”

Rodney Graves on April 29, 2008 at 09:19 am

Let me see, would Nancy-Pants just turn over her documents if the Vice President asked for them?


What’s going to happen to US industry when the global warming extremists like John McCain double the price of electricity?  I would think all these factories will close and set up in countries where they aren’t scared of technology.


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The Whistler on April 29, 2008 at 11:26 am
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Isn’t the Vice President also the “President” of the Senate?  So, technically he’s their bosss isn’t he?

Unrelated Comment:  Whistler, now that 31 of 53 underage teenagers (ages 13-17) have been found to be pregnant could we please have an obligatory post where you rant and rave about how the Texas authorities were overreaching to remove all of the children from harm’s way or from the Mothers (who watched it happen).  I’ve been waiting all morning for that post to appear and it hasn’t yet, but I’m sure you’re working on it.

patriot on April 29, 2008 at 12:00 pm
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Isn’t the Vice President also the “President” of the Senate?  So, technically he’s their bosss isn’t he?

Unrelated Comment:  Whistler, now that 31 of 53 underage teenagers (ages 13-17) have been found to be pregnant could we please have an obligatory post where you rant and rave about how the Texas authorities were overreaching to remove all of the children from harm’s way or from the Mothers (who watched it happen).  I’ve been waiting all morning for that post to appear and it hasn’t yet, but I’m sure you’re working on it.

patriot on April 29, 2008 at 12:01 pm

That’s Pilgrim’s territory.


What’s going to happen to US industry when the global warming extremists like John McCain double the price of electricity?  I would think all these factories will close and set up in countries where they aren’t scared of technology.


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The Whistler on April 29, 2008 at 12:11 pm

I smell human rights abusing individuals getting nervous. Addington is in deep shit.


Yun Chu said, “You must strictly not express in words what is very significant. Both dragon and snake are killed in one blow.”

Sparkie Arbuckle on April 29, 2008 at 04:36 pm

The VP answers to the President. He is the Man’s dog robber, not Congress’.


Una Salus Victus Nullam Sperare Salutem

2Hotel9 on April 29, 2008 at 06:03 pm

Addington is in deep shit.

Hardly!


“Poverty of goods is easily cured; poverty of the mind is irreparable.”

Bat One on April 29, 2008 at 06:43 pm
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