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Author Topic:   Judge orders Cheney visitor logs opened
AcousticGod
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Posts: 4415
From: Pleasanton, CA
Registered: Apr 2009

posted October 21, 2006 02:23 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for AcousticGod     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
By MATT APUZZO, Associated Press Writer
Thu Oct 19, 10:56 PM ET

A federal judge has ordered the Bush administration to release information about who visited Vice President Dick Cheney's office and personal residence, an order that could spark a late election-season debate over lobbyists' White House access.

While researching the access lobbyists and others had on the White House, The Washington Post asked in June for two years of White House visitor logs. The Secret Service refused to process the request, which government attorneys called "a fishing expedition into the most sensitive details of the vice presidency."

U.S. District Judge Ricardo M. Urbina said Wednesday that, by the end of next week, the Secret Service must produce the records or at least identity them and justify why they are being withheld.

The Secret Service can still try to withhold the records but, in a written ruling Thursday, Urbina questioned the agency's primary argument — that the logs are protected by Cheney's right to executive privilege.

Republicans have suffered a spate of bad news lately. Ohio Rep. Bob Ney (news, bio, voting record) pleaded guilty in the Jack Abramoff lobbying investigation, Florida Rep. Mark Foley (news, bio, voting record) resigned after reports of his sexually explicit Internet conversations with teenage House pages, and the FBI intensified its corruption investigation into Pennsylvania Rep. Curt Weldon (news, bio, voting record).

If Cheney's visitor logs show meetings with lobbyists, releasing them just weeks before Election Day could provide ammunition to Democrats.

"The political price is very high," said L. Sandy Maisel, director of the Goldfarb Center for Public Affairs at Colby College. "Even more than that, Cheney has a vested interest in keeping them out of public eye at a time when people will pay attention to them. After the election, they will pay much less attention."

The newspaper sought logs for anyone visiting Cheney, his legal counsel, chief spokesman and other top aides and advisers.

The Secret Service had no comment on the ruling Thursday. In court documents, government attorneys said releasing the documents would infringe on Cheney's ability to seek advice.

"This case is about protecting the effective functioning of the vice presidency under the Constitution," attorneys wrote.

A lawsuit over similar records revealed last month that Republican activists Grover Norquist and Ralph Reed — key figures in the Jack Abramoff lobbying scandal — landed more than 100 meetings inside the Bush White House.

The Post cited those records, which were released to the Democratic Party and Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, as evidence that the documents should be released.


Copyright © 2006 The Associated Press.
_________________________________________

quote:
In court documents, government attorneys said releasing the documents would infringe on Cheney's ability to seek advice.

Advice from the energy lobby.

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AcousticGod
Knowflake

Posts: 4415
From: Pleasanton, CA
Registered: Apr 2009

posted October 23, 2006 04:07 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for AcousticGod     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Bump for those who missed it.

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Rainbow~
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posted October 24, 2006 03:44 PM           Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Thanks for the bump, AG

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AcousticGod
Knowflake

Posts: 4415
From: Pleasanton, CA
Registered: Apr 2009

posted October 24, 2006 05:15 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for AcousticGod     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
No problem.

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jwhop
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From: Madeira Beach, FL USA
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posted October 24, 2006 05:56 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for jwhop     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Try "Executive Privilege" on for size.

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AcousticGod
Knowflake

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From: Pleasanton, CA
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posted October 24, 2006 06:13 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for AcousticGod     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Try "court order" on for size:

quote:
U.S. District Judge Ricardo M. Urbina said Wednesday that, by the end of next week, the Secret Service must produce the records or at least identity them and justify why they are being withheld.

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jwhop
Knowflake

Posts: 2787
From: Madeira Beach, FL USA
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posted October 24, 2006 06:49 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for jwhop     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Given the fact the effort to get the files is an attempt to satisfy some nosy leftists engaged in a propaganda campaign, don't be surprised if White House attorneys appeal that decision.

No question the subpoena might be valid...if Bush, Cheney or someone in the White House were charged with a crime...or someone on the visitors list had an open criminal case pending.

Note, this is not a subpoena from a federal prosecutor, not a Justice Department subpoena but rather, it was issued by a Clintonista Judge in support of nosy leftists engaged in a fishing expedition for propaganda purposes before the election.

They have no real right to know who Bush talks to or listens to or Cheney either. Such conversations should be kept confidential...or sources of information and advice might tend to dry up.

"U.S. District Judge Ricardo M. Urbina said Wednesday that, by the end of next week, the Secret Service must produce the records or at least identity them and justify why they are being withheld."

"The Secret Service can still try to withhold the records but, in a written ruling Thursday, Urbina questioned the agency's primary argument -- that the logs are protected by Cheney's right to executive privilege."

This leftist stooge can question the scope of Executive Privilege as it relates to Cheney all he wants to. A Federal Appeals court is likely to see it differently.

If I were Bush, I would direct White House Attorneys to appeal..if for no other reason than to protect the right of "Executive Privilege".

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