[chicagomom]

Contrary to what they said earlier (that the legal opinions were just legal dept posturing), Cheney specifically asked for a 'clear-cut section on the President's authority' re forming supra-Constitutional exec powers concerning torture.

Quote:

Although the White House repudiated the memo Tuesday as the work of a small group of lawyers at the Justice Department, administration officials now confirm it was vetted by a larger number of officials, including lawyers at the National Security Council, the White House counsel's office and Vice President Cheney's office. ... A Justice Department official said Tuesday at a briefing that the office went "beyond what was asked for," but other lawyers and administration officials said the memo was approved by the department's criminal division and by the office of Attorney General John D. Ashcroft.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...2004Jun26.html