is that this particular type of request has not been made before.

It is being made by the GAO. Therefore the Administration's defense at this time is that the GAO is overstepping its authority. (I have no idea whatsoever whether this defense is valid or not.)

If this defense fails, then I'm pretty sure we will get a rerun of the executive privilege defense.

What I'm talking about has to do with the legal arguments which will be used in court. The public statements of the Administration are already focusing on the substance of executive privilege.

-- Peter Errington (petere7@starpower.net), January 31, 2002

Answers

Peter, this has been going on for almost a year, at least3-4 months before the events of Sept-11. I'm not sure when the GAO got involved, but executive privilege was being used for a reason last summer.

This did not just come up because of the Enron collapse, but most people are not aware of that, even the media doesn't seem to know this.

-- Cherri (jessam5@home.com), January 31, 2002.

Cherri, now that you mention it, I do remember. I had forgotten.

-- Peter Errington (petere7@starpower.net), January 31, 2002.