Can He or Can't He?

I've been wondering, if it comes down to it, can a Vice President be indicted? Today, Dan Froomkin of WaPo answered that question for me. In his article, The Prosecutor Zeros In, he makes it clear that yes, a Vice President can be indicted.

There is no indication that Fitzgerald is focusing on Cheney but let's just say that if he was, is there a precedent showing that he could be indicted? By jove, it seems there is.

Vice President Aaron Burr was indicted when he shot and killed Alexander Hamilton in their 1804 duel.

When Vice President Spiro T. Agnew found himself in hot water he claimed he was only answerable to Congress. However, then solicitor general Robert Bork concluded that, while "the indictment or criminal prosecution of a sitting President would impermissibly undermine the capacity of the executive branch to perform its constitutionally assigned functions," the vice president was fair game.

The brief from the solicitor general argued that, "while the president was immune from indictment, the vice president was not, since his conviction would not disrupt the workings of the executive branch."

So, if Dick "the snarl" Cheney is found to be involved in the leak of a CIA operative, then yes, he can be indicted. heh heh

Buh Bye Mr. Cheney, couldn't happen to a nicer guy.