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.

[Howlin]

I've never heard it called a VICTORY, have you? The firms I worked with all just said, "Whew." LOL.

[OldFriend]

Klayman, like bill clinton, is addicted to publicity.

[facedown]

Good catch.

[Amelia]

If Klayman were a REAL conservative he would only investigate charges of corruption against Democrats, thereby ruining any credibility that his organization has!

He might also be trying to convince the IRS that he isn't running a partisan organization. See this article (which IS from JW's viewpoint).

[OldFriend]

BUMP for the TRUTH, something Klayman forgot!

[Southflanknorthpawsis]

A Clinton judge

It figures. Next thing you know, Larry will be praising Bill Clinton and suing Ken Starr. LOL !!!

[deport]

I just can't get over Klayman teaming with the SIERRA CLUB!

I don't think 'eww' had anything to do with the combining of the cases as such, but rather it was done by the Court....

This isn't worth a lot except to continue the discovery phase and get on to the laws involved... That's down the road somewhere... short thread ... LOL

By the way did you catch the PRESS RELEASE ON THIS CASE?

JW vs US Dept of Energy

[Lancey Howard]

The ruling, by The Honorable Emmet G. Sullivan. . .
A Clinton judge:

Yep, the guy is by definition a scumbag, corrupt to the core.

[Southflanknorthpawsis]

I don't think 'eww' had anything to do with the combining of the cases as such, but rather it was done by the Court....

Either way, the friend of my enemy is my enemy. They are in bed together regardless if it was by invitation or happenstance.

[Amelia]

Good catch!!

[FreeTheHostages]

Is Klayman an equal opportunity corruption fighter? Or is he just an opportunist?

Neither. He's not bipartisan. He's decidedly somewhat conservative. He's not just an opportunist in the sense that I think that he thinks what he is doing is right. But he's a bad lawyer. Just technically not good. Barred from some courts. And that's the problem. Who wants a lawyer for conservative causes that just sews distrust of us in the minds of federal judges? I know some here disagree, but I don't think he has what it takes to be a good conservative lawyer. I think he's not silly, like Monica's Ginsberg, but he's pretty bad. Pretty close to that if you've done some federal litigation and seen him in court. He's just not good.

[Amelia]

A Clinton judge:

I am amazed at how much FReepers can find, and how fast they can find it!

I thought Larry would only appear in front of the one judge?

[connectthedots]

The Court of Appeals will toss this case out before it really gets started.

[connectthedots]

The Court of Appeals will toss this case out before it really gets started.

[FreeTheHostages]

I'm a conservative. I've appeared before Judge Emmett Sullivan. He is one of the few Clinton appointments I can stomach. Judge Sullivan is not, like so many of these D.D.C. judges Clinton appointed, an ideologue. He has his world view and it can infect cases. But actually he does TRY to be fair. In that sense, I do have the greatest respect for him. So careful there. He's not so bad, actually. (Don't even get me started on the ones that are. I seriously should write a book about it.)

[FreeTheHostages]

The Court of Appeals will toss this case out before it really gets started.

Bears repeating (again). I agree.

[Ronin]

Klayman is a gadfly -- who needs to be swatted.

[Amelia]

Judge Sullivan is not, like so many of these D.D.C. judges Clinton appointed, an ideologue. He has his world view and it can infect cases. But actually he does TRY to be fair.

That's good to know.

And another good thing about FR - such a wide variety of experiences and knowledge here!

[ArneFufkin]

One of the concerns I had about Klayman's lawsuits against the plethora of Clinton operatives was that he was trespassing on territory, and possibly poisoning evidence and tainting witnesses, that the Independent Council were prepared to move against in a Criminal indictment. Klayman was in everything ... Filegate, Chinagate, the Travel Office ... he was stepping all over Starr's inquiry in what seemed to me to be a manic onslaught of filings.

You seem to know the legal environs, are my concerns founded?

[ned]

I certainly hope that this case won't be used as an excuse to delay the IRS audit of Judicial Watch's records "because no one is above the law."