The White House has finally gotten their story straight about why Dick Cheney doesn’t have to submit to inspection by the National Archive’s Information Security Oversight Office (ISOO). But is has nothing to do with whether or not the office of the vice-president is part of the executive branch.
[Rep. Henry] Waxman and J. William Leonard, director of the archives’ oversight office, have argued that the order clearly applies to all executive branch agencies, including the offices of the vice president and the president.
[White House spokesman Tony] Fratto said that the White House disagrees.
“We don’t dispute that the ISOO has a different opinion. But let’s be very clear; this executive order was issued by the president, and he knows what his intentions were,” Fratto said. “He is in compliance with his executive order.”
Fratto conceded that the lengthy directive, technically an amendment to an existing executive order, does not specifically exempt the president’s office or the vice president’s office from the requirements. Instead, it refers to “agencies” as being subject to the requirements, which Fratto said did not include the two executive offices. “It does take a little bit of inference,” Fratto said.
I guess the original talking point in now ‘inoperative’.
