OBAMA: Executive Privilege Is Subject to Abuse

Speaking in 2007, then-presidential candidate Obama says his administration would respect competing branches of government [Note: he’s speaking in reference to the U.S. attorney “scandal,” in which the Bush administration found itself in hot water for firing seven U.S. attorneys whom it felt were underperforming]: “I think that the issue of executive power and executive privilege is one that is subject to abuse. And in an Obama presidency, what you will see will be a sufficient respect for law and co-equal branches of government. But I hope we won’t find ourselves in a situation where aides are being subpoenaed for behavior that I think everyone acknowledges is some troublesome information out there.”