Posted on 05/23/2002 3:40:35 PM PDT by Amelia
COURT: JUDICIAL WATCH LAWSUIT CAN PROCEED CONCERNING ENERGY TASK FORCE MEETINGS
BUSH ADMINISTRATION LOSES COURT EFFORT TO DISMISS LAWSUIT
(Washington, DC) Judicial Watch, the public interest group that investigates and prosecutes government corruption, announced that a federal court judge ruled today, over the objections of the Bush Administration, that Judicial Watchs lawsuit against Vice President Cheney and his Energy Task Force can proceed to discovery. The Bush Administration had asked the court to dismiss Judicial Watchs case and allow no discovery. The ruling, by The Honorable Emmet G. Sullivan, was thus a devastating defeat for the Bush Administration. Judicial Watch began its quest to obtain information about the Energy Task Force over one year ago and was force to file a lawsuit under the Federal Advisory Committee Act (open meetings law) when it was rebuffed in its requests for information by Vice President Cheney. Several months later, the Energy Task Force was sued by the Sierra Club, which is now a co-plaintiff in Judicial Watchs lawsuit.
Judge Sullivan ruled today that the case will proceed and that he will order Judicial Watch and the Sierra Club to propose a discovery plan for the Cheney Energy Task Force.
The courts ruling lifts the veil of secrecy from Vice President Cheneys Energy Task Force. Judicial Watch will now proceed to discovery about the Task Forces composition and operations, and we intend to question individuals under oath, stated Judicial Watch Chairman and General Counsel Larry Klayman.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.