Appeals Court Rejects Bush Attempt to Withhold Energy Documents

A federal appeals court yesterday rejected the Bush administration’s argument that it should not have to release documents related to Vice President Dick Cheney’s Energy Task Force, marking the fourth — yes, fourth — time the judiciary has told the White House the information must be made public. The suit against the Veep was brought by the Sierra Club and Judicial Watch, a conservative watchdog group, both of which sought to learn who participated in the task force and what role Cheney played in it. Now that the appellate court has ruled against it, the Bush administration’s only remaining options are to appeal the case to the Supreme Court or turn over the requested documents. “The vice president has been told by multiple courts that he is not above the law. Perhaps now he will give up his legal stonewalling and begin complying with court orders to turn over his secret energy task force documents,” said Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton.