Executive Privilege - When Is It Appropriate?

PPPS (Washington)—The Pundit Pete Press Service is often reticent to give an opinion on weighty legal matters such as when it may be appropriate for the President to claim Executive Privilege in a dispute with Congress, without first consulting our staff attorney, Pleader Pete.

However, given the extraordinary events of the past two days, and with Pleader Pete on vacation, we decided to circumvent our normal protocol and offer up a legal opinion.

On the issue of Executive Privilege in the Fast and Furious controversy, we clearly side with President Obama, based upon the arguments he so eloquently articulated back in 2007. And rather than paraphrasing those reasons second hand, we decided to share them, straight from the horse's mouth, so-to-speak.