Cheney is doing everything he can to resist oversight by Congress. John Conyers recently invited Cheney's Chief of Staff to appear at a hearing before the Judiciary Committee. Cheney's lawyers responded that the legislative power and inquiry powers are both limited. They said "For example, Congress lacks the constitutional power to regulate by a 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 in the President's performance of official duties, and therefore those matters are not within the Committee's power of inquiry."
But they are forgetting another power that Congress has: the power to impeach!
The only way that Conyers is going to get anything out of Cheney or his minions is if Conyers starts impeachment investigations. And if Cheney resists then he can be impeached for interposing "the powers of the Presidency against the the lawful subpoenas of the House of Representatives, thereby assuming to himself functions and judgments necessary to the exercise of the sole power of impeachment vested by the Constitution in the House of Representatives." That charge was from the 3rd Article of Impeachment against Nixon.
You can read Cheney's letter here.
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
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