The following press release sent out today by Representative Henry Waxman is almost unbelievable.

The Oversight Committee has learned that over the objections of the National Archives, Vice President Cheney exempted his office from the presidential order that establishes government-wide procedures for safeguarding classified national security information. The Vice President asserts that his office is not an "entity within the executive branch."

In his letter to the Vice President, Chairman Waxman writes: "I question both the legality and wisdom of your actions....[I]t would appear particularly irresponsible to give an office with your history of security breaches an exemption from the safeguards that apply to all other executive branch officials."

Not an "entity within the executive branch"? What branch of government, then, does Cheney's office belong to? I'm no constitutional lawyer, but I believe there are only three possibilities. He's no judge, and he's not a member of Congress. That leaves only the executive branch. Unless, of course, the veep's office transcends the Constitution. Yes, perhaps it's supra-constitutional. Oh heck, why don't we just call him King? But that would create a problem: what to call the president?

Waxman's letter can be found at www.oversight.house.gov.

Posted by David Corn at June 21, 2007 04:47 PM