President Obama Defies Congress On Czars, Gitmo

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/12/23/president-obama-czars-gitmo_n_1168276.html

President Obama left town Friday for vacation not only pocketing a victory on the payroll tax, but leaving behind a message of defiance for Congress.

In signing the bill to fund the government for the rest of the fiscal year, the commander in chief also issued a "signing statement" in which he rejected several provisions of the bill, including attempts to take away his czars.

Buried deep in the $1 trillion measure are four provisions in section 627 that say the White House may not use any of the money to fund salaries or expenses for the head of Obama's health reform office, his energy and climate adviser, his car czar, or the head of his urban affairs office.

But Friday, Obama essentially said 'too bad' in issuing a dense, legalistic statement that explains what he won't accept in the bill.

This is not the first time Obama has issued a signing statement -- a practice he criticized as a candidate -- or even the first time he has protected his czars. He did the same last summer, also sending the statement out on a sleepy Friday evening.

The statement also rejects a number of provisions aimed at restricting how the White House deals with the Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, prison for terrorism suspects.

The bill additionally tries to restrict several other White House initiatives, including spending money on certain military actions and in other foreign policy areas. Obama put Congress on notice that he will interpret those sections as he sees fit under the Constitution.