Constitutional Law

Group Sues To Ensure Cheney's Records Are Part of Historical Record

A Public interest group concerned that Vice President Dick Cheney may not turnover his office’s records to the National Archives is taking the matter to court. The group, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics (CREW), today filed a federal lawsuit in Washington, D.C. arguing that Cheney’s records must be preserved pursuant to the Presidential Records Act (PRA) of 1978. The group is joined in its lawsuit by historians, and historical and archival organizations.

In a CREW press release on the lawsuit, the group asserted that the vice president believes he does not need to comply with the records law. “According to Vice President Dick Cheney, his office is not part of the executive branch, but rather is attached to the legislative branch. As a result, his official papers will not fall under the PRA and will not be persevered as part of our nation’s historical records.” The Washington Post reports that the vice president has not revealed his plans for his papers. A spokesperson for Cheney’s office told the newspaper, however, that the vice president’s office “currently follows the Presidential Records Act and will continue to follow the requirements of the law, which includes turning over vice presidential records to the National Archives at the end of the term.”

Full post as published by ACS Blog on September 08, 2008 (boomark / email).