OPINIONS OF THE OFFICE OF LEGAL COUNSEL OF THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE CONSISTING OF SELECTED MEMORANDUM OPINIONS ADVISING THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, THE ATTORNEY GENERAL AND OTHER EXECUTIVE OFFICERS OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IN RELATION TO THEIR OFFICIAL DUTIES VOLUME 13 1989 WASHINGTON 1996 Attorney General Richard L. Thornburgh Assistant Attorneys General Office of Legal Counsel William P. Barr Douglas W. Kmiec Deputy Assistant Attorneys General Office of Legal Counsel J. Michael Luttig John O. McGinnis Lynda G. Simpson OFFICE OF LEGAL COUNSEL Attorney-Advisers (1989) Alden F. Abbott Daniel L. Koffsky John E. Barry William R. Levin John Randolph Beck Bruce D. Lindsay Bradford R. Clark Margaret Colgate Love Benedict S. Cohen Nelson Lund Paul P. Colbom Herman Marcuse Daniel P. Collins Andrew G. McBride Douglas R. Cox Mark L. Movsesian Robert J. Delahunty Richard A. Nagareda Mark P. Edelman John C. Nagle Susan B. Fine Michael S. Paulsen Edward Fuhr Michael B. Rappaport John C. Harrison Daniel E. Troy Rosemary A. Hart Carol A. Williams iv Foreword The Attorney General has directed the Office of Legal Counsel to pub­ lish selected opinions on an annual basis for the convenience o f the exec­ utive, legislative, and judicial branches o f the government, and o f the pro­ fessional bar and the general public. The first twelve volumes o f opinions published covered the years 1977 through 1988; the present volume cov­ ers 1989. The opinions included in Volume 13 include some that have pre­ viously been released to the public, additional opinions as to which the addressee has agreed to publication, and opinions to Department of Justice officials that the Office of Legal Counsel has determined may be released. A substantial number of Office o f Legal Counsel opinions issued during 1989 are not included. The authority of the Office o f Legal Counsel to render legal opinions is derived from the authority of the Attorney General. Under the Judiciary Act of 1789, the Attorney General was authorized to render opinions on questions o f law when requested by the President and the heads of exec­ utive departments. This authority is now codified at 28 U.S.C. §§ 511-513. Pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 510, the Attorney General has delegated to the Office of Legal Counsel responsibility for preparing the formal opinions of the Attorney General, rendering informal opinions to the various fed­ eral agencies, assisting the Attorney General in the performance of his function as legal adviser to the President, and rendering opinions to the Attorney General and the heads of the various organizational units of the Department o f Justice. 28 C.F.R. § 0.25. v vi Opinion of the Attorney General in Volume 13 Contents Page Deportation Proceedings for Joseph Patrick Thomas Doherty (June 30, 19 89 )............................................................................. 1 Opinions of the Office of Legal Counsel in Volume 13 Contents Page Constitutionality of Section 7(b)(3) of the Emergency Veterans’ Job Training Act o f 1983 (January 23, 1989) .............................. 31 Authority of the Environmental Protection Agency to Indemnify Its Employees (February 1, 1989)................................................ 46 Presidential Action on Joint Resolution Disapproving Pay Raise (February 7, 1 9 8 9 )....................................................................... 50 Inspector General Authority to Conduct Regulatory Investigations (March 9, 1989) ........................................................................... 54 Issuance of Passports to Aliens to Facilitate “Sting” Operation by State Department Inspector General (March 13, 1989).............. 68 Whether the Office of Special Counsel for Immigration Related Unfair Employment Practices is Empowered to Challenge the Constitutionality of State Statutes (March 16, 1989).................. 72 Congressional Requests for Information from Inspectors General Concerning Open Criminal Investigations (March 24, 1989) ... 77 Cost of Living Allowances for Employees on Pay Retention (March 24, 1989) ......................................................................... 88 Use o f the National Guard to Support Drug Interdiction Efforts in the District o f Columbia (April 4, 1989)...................................... 91 Availability o f Judgment Fund in Cases Not Involving a Money Judgment Claim (April 14, 1989).................................................. 98 Scope of Environmental Protection Agency’s Discretion to Adopt Any One of Three Alternative Interpretations of the Mitchell- Conte Amendment to the Clean Air Act (April 14, 1989) .......... 105 Authority to Decline Compensation for Service on the National Council o f Arts (April 18, 1989) .................................................. 113 Prepayment Authority Under the Rural Electrification Act of 1936 (May 2, 1989) ............................................................................... 116 Authority of the FBI to Conduct Background Investigations for Congress (June 5, 1989)................................................................ 127 Constitutionality of Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s Imposition o f Civil Penalties on the Air Force (June 8, 1989)...................... 131 Application of Vacancy Act Limitations to Presidential Desig­ nation o f an Acting Special Counsel (June 8, 1989) .................. 144 v ii Authority of the Customs Service to Offer Rewards for Informa­ tion Concerning the Whereabouts of Indicted Drug Traffickers (June 15, 1 9 8 9 ).............................................................................. 147 Congressional Requests for Confidential Executive Branch Information (June 19, 1989) ........................................................ 153 Authority o f the Federal Bureau of Investigation to Override Inter­ national Law in Extraterritorial Law Enforcement Activities (June 21, 1989)............................................................................. 163 Use of Department of Defense Drug-Detecting Dogs to Aid in Civilian Law Enforcement (June 23, 1989).................................. 185 Reimbursement for Detail of Judge Advocate General Corps Per­ sonnel to a United States Attorney’s Office (June 27, 1989) .... 188 Application of the Posse Comitatus Act to Assistance to the United States National Central Bureau (July 3, 19 89 )............................ 195 Availability of the Judgement Fund for Settlements with Foreign Countries (July 10, 1989).............................................................. 199 Application of the Federal Bribery Statute to Civilian Aides to the Secretary o f the Army (July 12, 1989) ........................................ 202 Constitutionality of the Qui Tam Provisions of the False Claims A ct (July 18, 1 9 8 9 )....................................................................... 207 Dual Office of Chief Judge of Court of Veterans Appeals and Director of the Office of Government Ethics (July 21, 1989) . 241 The President’s Authority to Convene the Senate (July 26, 1989) .... 245 Common Legislative Encroachments on Executive Branch Authority (July 27, 1989) .............................................................................. 248 Constitutionality of Proposed Statutory Provision Requiring Prior Congressional Notification for Certain CIA Covert Actions (July 31, 1 9 8 9 )........................................................................................ 258 Applicability of the Service Contract Act to Volunteer Workers at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (July 31, 1 9 8 9 ).............................................................................................. 264 Intrasession Recess Appointments (August 3, 1989) .................... 271 Compensation of Government Employees for Referring Potential Job Applicants (August 17, 1 9 8 9 )................................................ 277 Department of Justice Authority Regarding Relocations, Reorganizations, and Consolidations (August 28, 1989)............ 280 Status of the Commission on Railroad Retirement Reform for Purposes of the Applicability of Ethics Laws (September 14, 1 9 8 9 ).............................................................................................. 285 Whether the Federal Trade Commission Has Authority to Pro­ secute Actions for Criminal Contempt (September 25, 1989) . 291 Constraints Im posed by 18 U.S.C. § 1913 on Lobbying Efforts (September 28, 1989).................................................................... 300 Seventh Amendment Restrictions on the Assessment of Punitive Damages (September 29, 19 89 ).................................................... 307 v iii Sequestration Exemption for the Resolution Funding Corporation (October 3, 1 9 8 9 )......................................................................... 309 Use of Navy Drug-Detecting Dogs by Civilian Postal Inspectors (October 10, 1989)....................................................................... 312 Expert Witness Agreements Between the Department of Justice and Employees of the Department of Veterans Affairs (October 24, 1989) ....................................................................................... 317 Extraterritorial Effect of the Posse Comitatus Act (November 3, 1989)............................................................................................. 321 Scope of Procurement Priority Accorded to the Federal Prison Industries Under 18 U.S.C. § 4124 (November 8, 1989).............