White House officials claim Vice President Cheney's constitutional role as president of the Senate makes him part of the legislative branch of the government.
By David Jackson, USA TODAY
If this doesn't push the limits for impeachment, then you can bet impeachment is never going to happen with this congress.
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WASHINGTON — If Vice President Cheney believes his office is not an "entity within the executive branch," then a House Democratic leader says taxpayers shouldn't have to finance his executive expenses. Cheney's office has claimed his constitutional role as president of the Senate also makes him part of the legislative branch and therefore is not covered by a presidential order requiring executive branch workers to report their numbers of classified and declassified government documents.
Rep. Rahm Emanuel of Illinois, chairman of the House Democratic Caucus, said Sunday that a court should decide whether the vice president belongs to the executive or legislative branch. "The vice president needs to make a decision," he said. Lea Anne McBride, a Cheney spokeswoman, said Emanuel is the one who has to decide. "He can either deal with the serious issues facing our country or create more partisan politics," she said.
White House spokesman Tony Fratto said Sunday that President Bush agrees with Cheney's analysis. The executive order's reporting requirements do not apply to the offices of the president or vice president, Fratto said.
The dispute stems from Cheney's refusal to file annual reports with an office of the National Archives detailing the number of documents his office either has classified or declassified.
(((entire article @ link below)))
http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2007-06-24-cheney_N.htm 
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