Updated: 07/08/2008 06:23:27 PM MDTThe singularly controversial Vice President Dick Cheney has run a shadow government, duplicating national security and other services of the president's office. He is directly linked to exposing a CIA operative, instigating a program of torture and a host of other activities of concern.
Cheney has played cat and mouse with Congress to evade oversight. At one time, he claimed that the office of the vice president was not part of the executive branch but because of his role as president of the Senate he was part of the legislative branch. Now in response to the Congress's most recent request for records, he makes the audacious claim that he doesn't belong exclusively to either the executive or the legislative branch of government and therefore isn't subject to public information laws.
Why is there no public outcry when an elected official behaves this way? This country was founded on challenging and checking authority, but now we seem to be lap dogs.
Our Constitution requires oversight of the vice president's office by Congress. We deserve it.
Dennis L. Kay, Salt Lake City
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