WASHINGTON — Vice President Dick Cheney disclosed Wednesday that he has the power to declassify sensitive government information, authority that could set up a criminal defense for his former chief of staff, I. Lewis “Scooter” Libby.

Cheney’s disclosure comes a week after reports that Libby testified under oath he was authorized by superiors in 2003 to disclose highly sensitive prewar information to reporters. The information, about Iraq and alleged weapons of mass destruction, was used by the Bush administration to bolster its case for invading Iraq.

Truthdig says:

Apparently both he and President Bush have this power, but the VP was mum on details. The disclosure, in his interview with Fox News, could lay the groundwork for a criminal defense of his former chief of staff, Scooter Libby.

Read the full text of his interview here.

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#criminal justice#department of defense#information#scooter libby#wmd