CAUGHT ON TAPE: Cheney Claims Vice President Is ‘An Important Part’ Of Executive Branch

[babylonsister]

http://thinkprogress.org/2007/06/27/cheney-vp-is-an-important-part-of-executive-branch/

CAUGHT ON TAPE: Cheney Claims Vice President Is ‘An Important Part’ Of Executive Branch

New evidence bolsters the case that Vice President Cheney himself considers his office to be part of the executive branch (except when he is attempting to avoid accountability and oversight).

Yesterday, ThinkProgress noted Cheney’s claim in 2001 that a congressional probe into his energy task force “would unconstitutionally interfere with the functioning of the executive branch.” Today, a White House video emerged showing Cheney acknowledging:

It’s really a function of the last 50 years or so that the vice president’s become an important part of the executive branch.

Watch it at link~

UPDATE: It’s worth noting that Politico’s Mike Allen published an article today claiming that Cheney’s office has “thrown in the towel” and will no longer argue that the VP’s office is not part of the executive branch. As emptywheel and Kagro X explain, this is simply not true.

[Elspeth]

1. Gotcha!

Great catch.

[underpants]

2. He hesitates right before he says it

maybe he didn't really believe it or, more likely, he already had convinced himself of this nonsense. The line before that was about his "ceremonial office" at the Senate.

[BlackHawk706867]

3. It's past time that this POS was hauled off to jail! eom ww

[napi21]

4. I don't think there's much question that Cheney will ultimately

claim to be part of the Executive Branch...probably say it was some staffer who said all that silly BS and certainly NEVER HIM!

BUT, as I understand it, Shrub still has the option of stating he did not mean for Cheney to ever comply with the executive order on docs for the archives. That's a very easy way out for Cheney and Shrub has NOTHiNG to lose!

[The Wielding Truth]

5. Exec Privilege would look very bad for Cheney!