JW [and Sierra Club] VICTORY: COURT RULES CHENEY ENERGY TASK FORCE MUST TURN OVER INFORMATION

Judicial Watch ^ | 23 May 2002 | Judicial Watch

[Amelia]

JW VICTORY: COURT RULES CHENEY ENERGY TASK FORCE MUST TURN OVER INFORMATION

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 Watch’s lawsuit against Vice President Cheney and his Energy Task Force can proceed to discovery. The Bush Administration had asked the court to dismiss Judicial Watch’s 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 Watch’s 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 court’s ruling lifts the veil of secrecy from Vice President Cheney’s Energy Task Force. Judicial Watch will now proceed to discovery about the Task Force’s composition and operations, and we intend to question individuals under oath,” stated Judicial Watch Chairman and General Counsel Larry Klayman.

[wingnuts'nbolts]

No, It's not about anything but funding Judicial Watch and his now accustomed lifestyle. At one time I believed he stood for honesty in Government. Can't believe I did that!

[FreeTheHostages]

In D.D.C. you can't generally "pick" your judge. Assignment of cases is supposed to be random. L. Klayman can't pick Judge Lamberth. Although he's gotten a lot of cases before him by persuading Judge Lamberth that certain cases were "related." footnote: recall there was a scandal recently because recent Clinton appointees got some politically charged cases non-randomly. Hence DC Circuit stepped in and reinforced that case assignment must be random.