Charles Cooper: “I would have advised the president to remain carefully and strictly within the bounds of his constitutional authority.”

The plain meaning of the recess appointments clause is obvious.

It is Congress's responsibility, its constitutional responsibility, to resist this constitutional excess of his authority.

I think that the real factual circumstances behind some of these appointments are much more egregious than you have outlined.

Much of the problem in this area has been Congress' inability really to focus and answer difficult political public policy questions.