Appeals Court to Revisit Lawsuit Over Cheney Energy Meetings

[Tsiyu]

By Sam Hananel Associated Press Writer
Published: Jan 27, 2005



WASHINGTON (AP) - The legal fight over access to the records of Vice President Dick Cheney's 2001 energy task force is back before a federal appeals court, seven months after the Supreme Court sidestepped the issue.
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit was hearing arguments Thursday in the nearly 4-year-old fight over whether a federal open government law can be used to compel the Bush administration to publicly release records from meetings of the task force.

The Sierra Club and Judicial Watch are suing to get access to the records, claiming the public has a right to know what role energy company executives who met with task force officials played in crafting industry-friendly recommendations.

The Bush administration opposes producing any records, saying that privacy is important to ensure members of such panels can speak candidly. The administration also maintains that the formal makeup of the task force was limited to government officials. Federal law requires government panels to conduct their business in public, unless all members are government officials.

more:


http://ap.tbo.com/ap/breaking/MGBST7QLG4E.html

[NVMojo]

1. there should have been an open door to a "consumer advocate"

in that process in 2001 at the bare minimum. Because how can energy consumers know price fixing or some other corporate friendly deal was cut at the expense of the energy user who has no choice? And this point needs to be argued.

[salin]

2. to this point... on Wednesday there was an item

that indicated that heating/energy costs in Michigan had increased 88% since 2000. More information and transparency would be a good thing.

[Disturbed]

3. How many more years will it be?

Cheney is a crooked as any Mob Boss and Scalia is his cover.

[rodeodance]

4. Cnn reported briefly on this issue this morning also. Good to hear it.

[liveoaktx]

5. How pathetic is it when we are happy IF MSM covers something

important?

[Selteri]

10. My heating gas bill Skyrocketed in Ohio

over 130%

[TahitiNut]

13. "December's heating bill ... 88 percent higher ... than ... December 2000"

http://www.freep.com/money/business/tompor26e_20050126.htm

"December's heating bill could be 88 percent higher for some Michigan consumers than bills for December 2000."

[Just Me]

6. Obviously, Cheney has something to hide.

Otherwise, he wouldn't be so stubborn about keeping the public (impacted by his policies) in the dark.

He's ripping off the American people and HAS to hide his robbery.

Oh, yeah. I wouldn't want to leave out the tie into marching our country into war in the Middle East.

Military + energy + corporatists = policies.

[dqueue]

7. Exactly what did this industry compendium know about Iraq...

in advance of the invasion? Especially before 9/11...

[Just Me]

8. Aw, now,...you don't suppose Cheney was lining up the profitteers,...

,...off the Iraq invasion,...BEFORE 9/11,...now, do you? :eyes:

[leesa]

9. They knew they wouldn't hand over their oil willingly.

[Just Me]

11. What angers me most is how this incredibly corrupt regime,...

,...can bounce this case (which involves information and actions having such tremendous impact upon the American people) back and forth between the appeals court and the SCOTUS.

[leftofcool]

12. Just Read this book...............

"Crossing the Rubicon." You know everything then..........at least how Cheney set up 9/11 for oil.

Left of Cool

[struggle4progress]

14. kick