(Washington, DC) Judicial Watch, the public interest group that investigates and prosecutes government corruption, today announced that a federal court has ruled in its favor against Vice President Cheney and his Energy Task Force. The 83 page opinion was issued late yesterday by Judge Emmet G. Sullivan and lambasted the arguments put forward by the Bush Justice Department seeking to prevent any inquiry into the operations of the Energy Task Force. After the Vice President rejected Judicial Watch’s request that his Task Force open its meetings to the public, Judicial Watch was forced to file suit in July, 2001. A few months later, the Sierra Club also filed suit against the Task Force.

The Court is set to allow discovery into, among other things, the Vice President’s role in the Task Force, how the Task Force operated, and the identities of Task Force participants. Judicial Watch will seek discovery from the Vice President himself in this case.

The Court firmly rejected as “mischief” Bush Administration arguments that inquiry into the operations of Task Force would necessarily impinge on the President’s constitutional powers. The Court said the Bush Administration’s “stunning” arguments “fly in the face of precedent” and are a “problematic and unprecedented assertion...of Executive Power.” The Court voiced “concern” over the Bush Administration’s misstating constitutional law and guiding precedent.

“Judge Sullivan’s decision is historic. We are pleased that the Court turned back the Bush Administration’s lawless attempt to prevent the American people from gaining access to information about the operations of its government. Let discovery begin,” stated Judicial Watch Chairman and General Counsel Larry Klayman.

A copy of Judge Sullivan’s ruling is available by clicking here.