行政特权(Executive privilege)是美国总统行政机关的其他成员在某些情况下在行政部门内保持保密通信的权利,立法机关司法机关如果向这些机密人员发出传票,美国行政机构可以出面阻止。当披露信息会损害政府职能时,政府就有权这么做。美国宪法中没有明确提到行政特权和国会的监督权[1]。然而美国最高法院裁定,行政特权和国会监督都符合美国宪法中的权力分立精神[2]

参考文献

编辑
  1. ^ Cox, Archibald. "Executive Privilege"页面存档备份,存于互联网档案馆), University of Pennsylvania Law Review, Volume 122, page 1384 (1974).
  2. ^ Chief Justice Burger, writing for the majority in US v. Nixon noted: "Whatever the nature of the privilege of confidentiality of Presidential communications in the exercise of Art. II powers, the privilege can be said to derive from the supremacy of each branch within its own assigned area of constitutional duties. Certain powers and privileges flow from the nature of enumerated powers; the protection of the confidentiality of Presidential communications has similar constitutional underpinnings. United States v. Nixon页面存档备份,存于互联网档案馆), 418 U.S. 683 (1974) (Supreme Court opinion at FindLaw)