行政特权

行政特权（Executive privilege）是美国总统和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，并且可以阻止立法机关和司法機關为獲得與這些保密通信有关的信息或人员而发出的一些传票。当披露信息会损害政府职能时，这项权利就会生效。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國憲法中的權力分立精神^[2]。

参考文献

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)