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Question for Senator Barack Obama


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Senator Obama,

If you get elected as President of our great country what position would you take on Executive privilege and do you believe that being in Contempt of Congress trumps Executive privlege?

 

I wrote this same question on a Blog that I set up on Senator Obama's web site

 

http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/p...lukewilbur/CppP

 

Bling Bling or anyone please forward this message to Senator Obama.

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I got my first response.

 

By vwcat Jul 27th 2007 at 12:24 am EDT

Obama was a constitutional law professor.

Seeing that he taught and understands and respects the constitution I don't think any of us have anything to worry about if he becomes president.

 

So I have decided to rephrase my question.

 

Dear Senator Obama,

 

Understanding that you were a constitional law professor and respect our Constitution. What is your opinion of being in Contempt of Congress when Executive privlege used?

 

http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/blog/lukewilbur

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  • 3 weeks later...

I just received an email from Senator Obama that was linked to the following page:

 

http://my.barackobama.com/page/content/dinner

 

I filled out the form and asked the same question. This is the response I received

 

Hey,

 

Meet the four grassroots supporters who are having Dinner with Barack Obama:

 

http://my.barackobama.com/dinner

 

While a typical political dinner these days consists of officials being wined and dined by Washington lobbyists and bigwigs from special interest PACs, Barack will be sitting down with four regular people from across the country who will share their stories and discuss the issues that matter most to them.

 

Read about Barack's guests and submit a question you'd like them to ask:

 

http://my.barackobama.com/dinner

 

Thanks.

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  • 6 months later...
Guest Fr. Joaquin G. Bernas

Is executive privilege really such a powerful tool and an all-enveloping mantle that it can thwart attempts to uncover unsavory or even incriminating truth kept within the secret bosom of the powerful?

 

But what is executive privilege? In simplest terms, it is the power of the President to withhold certain types of information from the courts, the Congress and ultimately the public. The types of information include those which are of a nature that disclosure would subvert military or diplomatic objectives, or information about the identity of persons who furnish information of violations of law, or information about internal deliberations comprising the process by which government decisions are reached.

 

While the executive branch is a co-equal branch of the legislature, it cannot frustrate the power of Congress to legislate by refusing to comply with its demands for information.

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Guest Jason Harke

This is an interesting topic. I do not think most Americans understand the ramification of it. The Boston Globe surveyed the candidates on their views of presidential power.

 

 

Barack Obama

 

Does executive privilege cover testimony or documents about decision-making within the executive branch not involving confidential advice communicated to the president himself?

 

With respect to the “core” of executive privilege, the Supreme Court has not resolved this question, and reasonable people have debated it. My view is that executive privilege generally depends on the involvement of the President and the White House.

 

http://www.boston.com/news/politics/2008/s...dateQA/ObamaQA/

 

 

Hillary Clinton

 

Does executive privilege cover testimony or documents about decision-making within the executive branch not involving confidential advice communicated to the president himself?

 

I fundamentally believe that our constitutional system depends upon each branch striving to accommodate the interests of the other, and the President should seek to accommodate legitimate congressional requests for information. I also believe in an open transparent government that fulfills its obligation to share as much information as possible with the public. But it is settled law that certain limited "communications made by presidential advisors in the course of preparing advice for the President, come under the presidential communications privilege, even when these communications are not made directly to the President."

 

http://www.boston.com/news/politics/2008/s...teQA/ClintonQA/

 

John McCain

 

Does executive privilege cover testimony or documents about decision-making within the executive branch not involving confidential advice communicated directly to the president himself?

 

Yes, the law recognizes a “deliberative process” type of executive privilege that is broader than direct communications to the President. So while we should not do anything to inhibit the communications between a president and his advisers, as President I will do my utmost to accommodate Congressional requests for information.

 

http://www.boston.com/news/politics/2008/s...ateQA/McCainQA/

 

Mike Huckabee

 

Does executive privilege cover testimony or documents about decision-making within the executive branch not involving confidential advice communicated to the president himself?

 

The candidate declined to answer this question.

 

http://www.boston.com/news/politics/2008/s...ateQA/huckabee/

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  • 5 months later...
Guest BlingBling_*

Barack Obama told House Democrats on Tuesday that as president he would order his attorney general to scour White House executive orders and expunge any that "trample on liberty," several lawmakers said.

 

Presidents, as head of the executive branch of government, issue such orders to direct operations of executive branch agencies, like the Justice Department and the CIA. For example, President Bush used an executive order last year to breathe new life into the CIA's controversial terror interrogation program that allowed harsh questioning of suspects.

 

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080730/ap_on_el_pr/obama

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Guest human_*

Executive orders are treated like laws. Just so ya know.

 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Barack Obama told House Democrats on Tuesday that as president he would order his attorney general to scour White House executive orders and expunge any that "trample on liberty," several lawmakers said.

 

Presidents, as head of the executive branch of government, issue such orders to direct operations of executive branch agencies, like the Justice Department and the CIA. For example, President Bush used an executive order last year to breathe new life into the CIA's controversial terror interrogation program that allowed harsh questioning of suspects.

 

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080730/ap_on_el_pr/obama

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