He might have a point on deferred compensation, but stock options aren't a finacial interest? http://www.msnbc.com/news/972131.asp?0cl=c3 A Congressional Research Service report released yesterday concluded that federal ethics laws treat Vice President Cheney’s annual deferred compensation checks and unexercised stock options as continuing financial interests in the Halliburton Co. Catherine Martin, Cheney’s public affairs director, said: “The vice president has no financial interest in Halliburton. He has no stake in the company. He will in no way benefit from the rise or fall of Halliburton’s stock price or the success or failure of the company.” Cheney said on NBC’s “Meet the Press” on Sept. 14 that he has “no financial interest in Halliburton of any kind and haven’t had now for over three years.” His assertion came during a discussion of Halliburton’s contracts in Iraq. Cheney said he had “severed all my ties with the company, gotten rid of all my financial interests.” Democrats disputed that because Cheney received deferred compensation of $147,579 in 2001 and $162,392 in 2002, with payments scheduled to continue for three more years. In response, Cheney’s office said he had purchased an insurance policy so he would be paid even if Halliburton failed. And his office also has announced he has agreed to donate the after-tax proceeds from his stock options to three charities. However, the congressional report said that neither the insurance policy nor the charity designation would change the public official’s disclosure obligation.