Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley says the key message he took away from last week’s State of the Union address is that President Obama vows to accomplish his goals, with or without help from Congress. Grassley says he’s concerned about the president’s statements and he’s asked the U.S. attorney general to look into the comments about executive orders and the possible abuse of power.

Grassley says, “I would like to have full disclosure, and in turn with disclosure comes accountability, from the Department of Justice regarding its opinions, analysis and conclusions about the lawfulness of executive orders sought by the president.”

When the president first took office in January of 2009, Grassley says he recalls how Obama promised to have the most transparent administration in history. Grassley says, “When a president proposes to use executive authority, the Office of Legal Counsel inside the Department of Justice is authorized to review those orders and determine whether the orders would be constitutional and otherwise lawful.”

Grassley says he discussed his concerns with Attorney General Eric Holder during an oversight committee hearing last week and asked that Holder investigate. “This request goes beyond just something I personally want to know,” Grassley says. “It’s also based upon the principle of checks and balances embedded in our constitution. Assertive and questionable use of executive authority suggests a certain amount of disrespect for the legislative branch of government.”

In addition to his request last week, Grassley has sent a letter to Attorney General Holder, asking that he respond  to the