Another Signing Statement, Another Law Smashed, Another Smudge on the Constitution, Another Yawn From Partisanized Americans

By David Swanson

President Obama has once again chosen neither to veto a bill nor to sign and execute it, but rather to imitate Bush by signing the bill and announcing that he will violate a portion of the new law:

Section 8203 of the Act provides that the Secretary of the Interior shall appoint certain members of the Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor Commission "based on recommendations from each member of the House of Representatives, the district of which encompasses the Corridor." Because it would be an impermissible restriction on the appointment power to condition the Secretary's appointments on the recommendations of members of the House, I will construe these provisions to require the Secretary to consider such congressional recommendations, but not to be bound by them in making appointments to the Commission.

Click for: The full statement.

Click for: The New York Times' report.

Click for: The determination to defend the rule of law announced by Democratic leaders and activist groups. [keep clicking]