Obama signing statement: despite law, I can do what I want on czars
In marked contrast to vows as a candidate not to use presidential signing statements as “an end run around Congress,” President Obama released a statement on the just-signed spending bill saying despite the law’s restrictions on “czars,” he will “construe” the law not to interfere with “presidential prerogatives.”
The move is an aggressive power play by Obama to gain an added advantage from the deal struck a week ago between the president, Republican House Speaker John Boehner and Democratic Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid to narrowly avert government shutdown.
The legislation prohibits government money being spent on four Obama “czars,” newly created positions with far-reaching sway over federal agencies but facing no confirmation vote in the Senate.
However, some of the czars banned in the bill have already stepped down, and it is unclear whether replacements will be appointed.
Obama in his signing statement says the provision in the legislation prohibiting funding for the salaries of the four czars runs afoul of the president’s “well-established authority to supervise and oversee the executive branch, and to obtain advice in furtherance of this supervisory authority.”
The signing statement vaguely refers to an constitutional line that might have been crossed.
“Legislative efforts that significantly impede the President’s ability to exercise his supervisory and coordinating authorities or to obtain the views of the appropriate senior advisers violate the separation of powers by undermining the President’s ability to exercise his constitutional responsibilities and take care that the laws be faithfully executed,” the statement says.
“Therefore, the executive branch will construe section 2262 not to abrogate these Presidential prerogatives,” the statement says.
http://dailycaller.com/2011/04/15/ob...want-on-czars/
Continued Presidential Hypocrisy!
Re: Continued Presidential Hypocrisy!
Originally Posted by Midtowner
