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B-114839 1 (1978-03-02)

handle is hein.gao/gaobadtgo0001 and id is 1 raw text is: 14 \' COMPTROLLER GENERAL OF THE UNITED STATES ( ' ,WASHINGTON, D,C. .20548 B-114839 March 2, 1978 Mr. Robert Lipshutz counsel to the President The White House Dear Mr. Lipshutz: your February 6, 1978, letter to Victor Lowe, Director of our General Government Division, has been brought to my attention. We had oriainally written to request information concerning activities of White House staff members designed to promote public support for Senate confirmation of the Panama Canal Treaty. You state that the Justice Department has advised you that speechmaking is in fact constitution- ally protected and not subject to statutory prohibitions on attempts to influence legislation, and suggest that our recuest was, therefore, not a proper inquiry. Your reply raises several matters which I believe warrant clarification. Most importantly, our access authority exists indepen- dent of the subject matter of a given inquiry, and is not limited by considerations of whether a particular item or activity may be legally auestionable. The responsibility of the executive branch to furnish GAO with the information it requests is established in the Budget and Accounting Act of 1921. The appropriate sections provide as follows: Sec. 312(a) (31 U.S.C. 53). The Comptroller General shall investigate, at the seat of government or elsewhere, all matters relating to the receipt disbursement, and application of public funds * * Sec. 313 (31 U.S.C. 54). All departments and establishments shall furnish to the Comptroller General such information regarding the powers, duties, activities, organization, financial transactions, and methods of business of their respective offices as he may from time to time reauire of them, and the Comptroller General, or any of his assistants or employees, when duly authorized by him, shall, for the purpose of securing such information, have access to and the right to examine any books, documents, papers, or records of any such department or establishment * * *. .~ i.

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