Bush defends secrecy of records

TUESDAY, JANUARY 29, 2002

President Bush on Monday defended his administration's decision to keep secret documents and other records from his national energy task force.

Bush told reporters the information needed to be kept private to prevent erosion of the executive branch's powers. Congress is seeking names, contacts and other records of the task force, which was chaired by Vice President Dick Cheney.

With the bankruptcy of Enron, members of Congress seeking the information want to know of the company's ties to the task force. Republicans and some Democrats don't believe Enron had any particular sway in the development of the energy policy.

Enron's role in last year's power crisis in California, however, is on the mind of lawmakers. Sen. Jeff Bingaman (D-N.M.), chairman of the Energy and Natural Resources Commitee, is holding a hearing today at 9:30 a.m. to discuss the issue and how to learn from the company's fall.

The General Accounting Office (GAO), the investigative arm of Congress, is expected to decide this week whether to sue Cheney to get the documents. The lawsuit would be a first.

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Access Vs. Success? (The Washington Post 1/29)
Bush Says Privacy Is Needed on Data From Enron Talks (The New York Times 1/29)
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