The Law: Walker v. Cheney: Legal Insulation of the Vice President from GAO Investigations

Abstract

In Walker v. Cheney, the District Court for the District of Columbia held that the General Accounting Office lacked standing to sue the vice president to compel the release of information pertaining to the administration's National Energy Policy Development Group. The court's decision brought an abrupt end to a highly publicized conflict between the executive and legislative branches, and legally insulated the Office of the Vice President from GAO's investigation. Despite the ramifications of the decision, the comptroller general did not pursue an appeal, leaving open significant questions regarding the scope of congressional oversight authority.