“Republicans say they may take action to stop congressional investigators from suing Vice President Dick Cheney to get information on business executives who met with him and his aides on energy policy.” the AP reports.

‘I think it may come to that,’ said Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, the top Republican on the Senate Judiciary Committee. Congress’ investigative arm, the General Accounting Office, shouldn’t be ‘trying to impose disclosure on internal White House meetings to determine policy. … If you have to do that, pretty soon there wouldn’t be any meetings.’

In an earlier post I suggested that I wasn’t quite sure where I’d come down (opinion-wise) on Cheney’s recalcitrance, but I’m beginning to side with the Veep on this. And here’s why: the GAO is after the release of notes on the energy task force’s deliberation process — which is a lot like demanding of a writer all the rough drafts or his (or her) work. Some writers might comply (infidels!), but most are understandably guarded about their pre-polished pages and screwy half thoughts. I would never have published a single thing if I believed I’d be forced to disclose my maniacal early-draft rantings.

Congress retains the power to reject any plan Cheney and his committee might ultimately come up with; therefore, Congress retains the necessary check on the VP’s power.

But unlike Athena, who popped fully-formed outta’ the skull of Zeus, newly-proposed policy isn’t magically born in a complete and polished state. If Cheney wishes to guard his thought processes — and to guard the brainstormings of the participants attending those task force sessions — so be it. After all, for any of these policies to go into effect, they must first be offered up for Congressional and public scrutiny.

And that’s enough. Just because Cheney may have listened to some of Enron’s ideas — or even (God forfend) agreed with some them — does not mean, ipso facto, that the VP was “bought” with Enron payola. It only means that he, too, favors energy de-regulation.

A “corporate” guy who favors de-regulation? *Gasp* By all means, slap on a pair of rubber gloves and let the probin’ begin…

[update: The National Review’s Byron York speaks with GAO chief David Walker, who says that while at one point the GAO did indeed request notes and minutes from Cheney, such is no longer the case; Cheney is misrepresenting the GAO’s request, Walker insists. And the beat goes on… — ed.]

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