Bush Administration Continues to Deny the Public's Right to Know Who Shaped Energy Plan

Justice Department Attempts to Block Deposition of Energy Task Force Director

WASHINGTON, DC (May 10, 2002) -- Late yesterday, government attorneys filed a motion in federal district court to stop a May 15 deposition of the administration energy task force's executive director, Andrew Lundquist. NRDC (Natural Resources Defense Council) issued a subpoena to Lundquist on April 30 to depose him and force the Energy Department to finally release records of who consulted with him to formulate the Bush energy policy. Lundquist was a Department of Energy (DOE) employee while serving as the task force's executive director, but the administration has refused to release his records in response to NRDC's Freedom of Information Act request to DOE.

"The Bush administration continues to deny the public information about what its government is doing -- information to which the public is legally entitled," said NRDC attorney Sharon Buccino. "This administration is not above the law."

NRDC will oppose the Justice Department's motion for protective order. The dispute will be resolved by Judge Gladys Kessler, the federal judge overseeing NRDC's lawsuit against the Energy Department for failure to comply with the group's Freedom of Information Act request.

The government's motion is attached.

NRDC is represented in this case by the Washington, D.C., law firm of Meyer and Glitzenstein.

The Natural Resources Defense Council is a national, non-profit organization of scientists, lawyers and environmental specialists dedicated to protecting public health and the environment. Founded in 1970, NRDC has more than 500,000 members nationwide, served from offices in New York, Washington, Los Angeles and San Francisco.

Additional Downloadable Materials for the Press

Bush administration's motion, 5/9/02 in PDF format, 539k.

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Bush Administration Continues to Deny the Public's Right to Know Who Shaped Energy Plan