[...] Cory Booker! Whatever would g...
Did White House threaten Cory Booker for criticizing Obama’s attack ad? « Full Metal Patriot on Obama threatens to withhold Social Security checks despite sufficient funds [UPDATED] Social Security Chief Actuary exposes Obama deception
Government Accountability Office reports Executive Office of the President violated federal law
Misappropriation of federal funds by the White House. And their Office of Legal Counsel argues that the law doesn’t apply to them?
After years of trying to imitate Lincoln, Kennedy, FDR, and Reagan, it looks like Obama is taking another page from Nixon. (via Washington Examiner)
It’s not every day that the Government Accountability Office (GAO) reports that the Executive Office of the President violated federal law, but that’s the conclusion the GAO released in a report this month, after reviewing bilateral talks with the Chinese government hosted by the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP).
The White House Office of Legal Counsel (OLC) disputes GAO’s analysis, arguing that the law does not constitutionally apply to the OSTP’s diplomatic activities.
The disagreement stems from meetings this past May in which officials from the OSTP met with representatives of the Chinese government to discuss technology innovation and economic issues.
After reviewing the meetings at the behest of Rep. Frank Wolf, R-Va., the GAO “conclude[d] that OSTP’s use of appropriations to fund its participation in the Innovation Dialogue and the [economic issues] violated” a section of the Department of Defense appropriations bill that became law in April.
“The plain meaning of section 1340 is clear,” wrote GAO general counsel Lynn Gibson, adding that OSTP “contravened the appropriations restriction.” The GAO report provided the text of section 1340:
“None of the funds made available by this division may be used for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration or the Office of Science and Technology Policy to develop, design, plan, promulgate, implement, or execute a bilateral policy, program, order, or contract of any kind to participate, collaborate, or coordinate bilaterally in any way with China or any Chinese-owned company unless such activities are specifically authorized by a law enacted after the date of enactment of this division.”
Assistant Attorney General Virginia Seitz responded with memorandum in which she argued that section 1340 “is unconstitutional as applied to certain activities undertaken pursuant to the President’s constitutional authority to conduct the foreign relations of the United States.”
She also said “most, if not all, of the activities of the activities you have described to us fall within the President’s exclusive power to conduct diplomacy.”
Rick Weiss, an OSTP senior analyst and director of Strategic Communications for OSTP, said that White House OLC opinions take precedence over those of the GAO.
“That’s not our understanding,” said Dan Scandling, a spokesman for Rep. Wolf. “GAO is saying they’re in violation of the law. GAO is an independent body; [the Department of Justice] is not.”
Our President violates federal law, and then claims that the law doesn’t apply to him just because he doesn’t think it should?
“The President, Vice President and all civil Officers of the United States, shall be removed from Office on Impeachment for, and Conviction of, Treason, Bribery, or other high Crimes and Misdemeanors.” ~U.S. Constitution – Article 2 Section 4
Posted by FullMetalPatriot
12th gen. American, Constitutionalist, Harley-riding Texan, gun owner & NRA member, blogger, illustrator, Florida Gator alumnus. #TCOT
12th gen. American, Constitutionalist, Harley-riding Texan, gun owner & NRA member, blogger, illustrator, Florida Gator alumnus. #TCOT
