Cheney has refused to cooperate with the Information Security Oversight Office (ISOO), and sought to abolish the agency altogether when it challenged his actions. ISOO is a government agency responsible for overseeing classified documents. Cheney asserts that he does not have to comply with the presidential order requiring cooperation because his office is “not an entity within the executive branch”.

President Clinton originally established the executive order, which was intended to maintain the integrity of classified documents. The vice president’s last compliance was in 2002. In 2004, his staff blocked the department from inspecting his office in an unprecedented action. The ISOO has asked Alberto Gonzales to resolve this conflict, but the Justice Department has done nothing as of yet.

“I question both the legality and wisdom of your actions,” wrote Waxman, chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, in a letter to Cheney. “Your decision to exempt your office from the president’s order is problematic because it could place national security at risk.”

The vice president’s office has been criticized for being secretive before. Last month, it was revealed that the administration was withholding visitor logs to Cheney’s residence. The administration says the secrecy is needed so Cheney can get candid advice from visitors.

In 2001, the office refused to divulge the names of energy executives who had consulted with Cheney on U.S. energy policy. The decision was challenged and upheld by the courts. The U.S. Supreme Court referred the case back to a lower court.

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