Judge Warns White House: Specific Reasons Needed to Block Release of Records on Energy Task Force

Associated Press ^ | August 2, 2002 | By Laurie Kellman

[tgslTakoma]

WASHINGTON (AP) - A federal judge warned Bush administration lawyers Friday he would reject efforts to block the release of records on Vice President Dick Cheney's energy task force unless the White House provides specific reasons.

At a court hearing on two lawsuits, the Justice Department revealed Secretary of State Colin Powell may have been invited to some of the task force meetings. The department provided no details.

U.S. District Judge Emmet G. Sullivan told government lawyers that simply citing special presidential privileges or the Constitution would not be enough to keep task force records from public view.

"It is not appropriate to say, 'executive privilege,'" Sullivan said to lawyers for the administration. "It is not appropriate to say, 'This request is unconstitutional.'"

"I need to know what the basis is," he said.

Sullivan gave the government until Sept. 3 to make that argument when it answers a motion by the plaintiffs to release all White House records relating to the energy task force.

The lecture was the latest sign Sullivan is running out of patience with the administration as two groups seek records about whether the Cheney task force was influenced by industry executives in crafting the nation's energy policy.

The Sierra Club, an environmental organization, and Judicial Watch, a conservative watchdog group, have filed lawsuits to shed light on the task force's membership and its influences.

[tgslTakoma]

The two groups had filed separate lawsuits; the court joined the two cases into one( whatever the legal term for that is I have no idea).

[rintense]

Corporate confidence in the White House is already shakey, but having the courts order these documents released will completely subvert and destroy any faith and trust the corporate world might have left.

[steve50]

I'm hope the information is released. It might explain this administrations unwillingness to prosecute the Enron crowd. Lay still walking the streets is making a joke out of our DOJ, if these guys can't get the job done they should resign.

[Mfkmmof4]

How about Enron can't be fully investigated until Lieberman orders Rubin to testify as well. This is more then just the president's unwillingness to release documents.

[Dog Gone]

Emmet G. Sullivan

United States District Court for the
District of Columbia
Washington, D.C.

Born: Washington, D.C.-June 4, 1947.
Education: Howard University (B.A. 1968; J.D. 1971).
Judge Sullivan was appointed to the United States District Court for the District of Columbia on June 16, 1994. He was appointed by President Clinton.

[yep willow its me fed]

The Sierra Club, an environmental organization, and Judicial Watch, a conservative watchdog group, have filed lawsuits ....

And every time I get a request from Judicial Watch asking for a donation, I take their SASE and send it back with a note telling them to stop harassing this white house.

[steve50]

Rubin can always take the 5th so I guess it can never be investigated, doesn't wash with me. Sounds more like they are afraid of what Lay might try as a plea bargain. The DOJ has the power to call Rubin in for questioning, why don't they?

[jackbill]

I have a feeling that the White House is eventually going to win this one. The writer of this piece (surprise, surprise, AP) did not include comments by the White House lawyer.

According to my understanding, if the "task force" is made up entirely of government workers, the minutes do not have to be revealed. The reason why it was considered that Hillary's "healthcare taskforce" should reveal their documents was that there were definitely non-government workers on the taskforce.

The White House lawyer was quoted elsewhere as telling the judge that, in his opinion, Klayman had to prove that a non-governmental individual had been on the task force - and he had not.

From the little I know about the case, I'm not impressed with the judge and I suspect an appeals court will agree.

[Howlin]

will completely subvert and destroy any faith and trust the corporate world might have left.

Which is EXACTLY what this judge and Larry Klayman want.

[ConsistentLibertarian]

Voter confidence in corporate America is already shaky, and having the court order these documents released might completely subvert and destroy any faith and trust the voters have left with the White House.

[Gunrunner2]

>>A federal judge warned Bush administration lawyers Friday he would reject efforts to block the release of records on Vice President Dick Cheney's energy task force unless the White House provides specific reasons.<<

Here's two:
1) I don't want to
2) I don't have to
Now go away you Clinton hack. . .

[ConsistentLibertarian]

They don't want to release the names of the people the Task Force met with. They don't want to release the SEC report on President Bush. They don't want to release documents from Reagan's presidency as required by law. They don't want to release the names of people held in federal custody. I think they should run on that platform: "We'll decide how much you need to know."

[elfman2]

"I'm hope the information is released. It might explain this administrations unwillingness to prosecute the Enron crowd. Lay still walking the streets is making a joke out of our DOJ, if these guys can't get the job done they should resign."

You should know better. This is like the cocaine question that Bush with hounded with during the election. If he had answered it, there would have been a follow up, then another and another. Then the press's whole facade of "equal time" to Republicans would have been dominated with drug talk.

If Bush releases this, it will be the dominant media topic through the elections, regardless of anything contained in it.

[ConsistentLibertarian]

In that case they should stop releasing information on the the deficit or anything else that's bad news politically.

[elfman2]

" I think they should run on that platform: "We'll decide how much you need to know.""

Unless that degree of government disclosure is simultaniously and retroactively implemented across all agencies and elected officials. It would be suicide for one to do it. Information is power in this case because it can be mis-characterized and used to destroy.

Actually, that might be a good thing for Bush to call far and shut the whole fraudulent effort down with!

[elfman2]

"In that case they should stop releasing information on the the deficit or anything else that's bad news politically."

The amount of information Bush releases is normal and following precedent. Expecting details regarding meeting with private citizens is extraordinary and a giant fraud that only works of the naïve.

[Wphile]

U.S. District Judge Emmet G. Sullivan told government lawyers that simply citing special presidential privileges or the Constitution would not be enough.

Wow. What a shame, used to be a day when the Constitution mattered! Unfrickinbelieveable.

More reason why we need to take back the Senate.

[lewislynn]

but having the courts order these documents released will completely subvert and destroy any faith and trust the corporate world might have left.

Gee, that doesn't sound good for what might be in those documents does it? By the underlying theme of your writing they don't deserve our "faith and trust".

[ConsistentLibertarian]

Ahh ... I see. If only Bush could GET AWAY with a government that operates completely in secret. Well, if that's the basic premise of people who side with the White House on this dispute, I think they should make this case loudly and clearly on TV, radio, in print, etc. It could be a billboard ad in an election cycle "Don't worry. We won't tell you anything that can be used against us."

[elfman2]

"U.S. District Judge Emmet G. Sullivan told government lawyers that simply citing special presidential privileges or the Constitution would not be enough."

Yep, that's just a piece of paper…