"Emperor" Dick Cheney creates a fourth branch of government: his office!

In government class I, and many others, learned that the country's Founders created a Republic and divided government into three branches. This was also repeated in law school. Now Vice President Dick Cheney has decide that my instructors were all wrong as he has asserted, through his Chief of Staff, that his office is not a part of the executive branch. Since it is CLEARLY not a part of the judiciary or the legislative, it must be a fourth branch -- wrong?

The issue came up over whether an executive order giving the National Archives oversight over the government's handling of classified information covers his office. Countering that it doesn't has since caused him to be taken to task, including a threat by Congress to cut off funding for his office. Though the mini crisis may be appearing resolution, as Cheney appears to be backing down, one has to wonder whether the Veep now imagines himself as Emperor Nero.

Update: