The (Imo first month 11), February 22, 2002, the U.S. Congress and the White House court.

2002 2 22, the Office of the Comptroller-General of the United States Congress (GAO) officially filed litigation to the District Court in Washington, directed at Vice President Dick Cheney, asking the judge to make a ruling, ordered the White House to the General Accounting Office, the Government provides information about Last year, the government close to the situation in the energy policy process. This case was a 80-year history of the General Accounting Office for the first time sued the White House, is the most serious court confrontation between the Congress and the White House since the "Watergate".
the Comptroller General David Walker, Director, said, "We have no alternative but to take this step," accountable to Congress and the American people, the total Audit no choice. Now the case before the court, and wants the court to be able to make decisions quickly. Defendants raised by the General Accounting Office, only Cheney accused him as Vice-President and Chairman of the National Energy Policy Group, misconduct during the development of energy policy in the last year. Walker's words to summarize, the energy team is headed to Cheney tells met whom, when, and where to talk about what is going on ".
the face of the Office of the Comptroller-General of the crusade, the White House continue to maintain a tough stance. White House spokeswoman Anna Woman Ke said the case involving the White House "vital constitutional rights, since a few weeks ago, the Comptroller-General threatened to sue the court," We are vigilant, ready to defend our principles. " Surface of the case is the General Accounting Office and Vice President Dick Cheney "make life difficult", actually the opposition Democratic Party Enron bankruptcy caused waves to the Republican Party, led by President Bush to launch an attack. In May 2001, the Bush administration launched a new energy policy was to take care of the interests of the corporate giants, have aroused the discontent of the Democrats. The two Democratic congressmen requested the Audit Commission in April 2001, the first involved in the investigation, then there are four Democrats in power committee made the same request. The General Accounting Office as a non-partisan agency of Congress under the action had to request of Members. Reference in early December 2001, one of the Top Ten U.S. Enron filed for bankruptcy protection, due to the various "shady dealings" are frequently exposed to the political arena in the United States caused by the strong "Enron shock. Enron's political donations close ties with the Bush administration became the hot topic of the U.S. News hot pursuit. By the end of January 2002, the General Accounting Office, a formal decision will report to the court, but still want to make concessions on the Bush administration, which settled out of court. However, the Bush administration "do not eat soft and hard, continue to be denied for various reasons. Finally, the General Accounting Office had to go to court to have a say.
According to reports, during the period from February 2001 to May, Cheney and their leadership energy group has 400 bigwigs with more than 150 companies, trade associations, trade unions and environmental organizations held a meeting. And as the first major U.S. energy trader Enron, Cheney is the most important "honored guest". Cheney's office acknowledged before Enron accident last year, Cheney met with Enron representatives six times. Cheney is the reason why a tough, on the grounds that: President and Vice President have listened to advisers say "the truth" executive privilege "that the rights protected by the Constitution, the General Accounting Office have no say. An official of the White House and even vividly describes: "The president picked up the phone to make a long distance to a General in Afghanistan battlefield. Should, in accordance with the logic of the General Accounting Office, the telephone is not also able to investigate? "
, Prosecution and defense of their chances of winning are full of confidence. To win the lawsuit, both sides spent the famous big lawyer. The General Accounting Office to call out a crusade against the Government, a Washington lawyer Carter Phillips. This past cases handled 34 major cases the Supreme Court has been hit. Especially two years ago in the Microsoft monopoly case, Phillips represents Microsoft put on a large gantry achieved the outstanding service for Microsoft to win the lawsuit in court. Government is forcing Qi, the Bush administration's chief legal adviser, Ministry of Justice, Deputy Attorney Olson, Assistant Minister responsible for the Civil Division Stephens work together to lobby against. 2000 Bush-Gore election lawsuit confront Olson in the Supreme Court to have a good performance to win votes for Bush's lawsuit, the White House has to get through the last joint. This time, the Bush administration is still hope Olson call a good fight. Last who wins the lawsuit, the U.S. legal experts believe that the odds of both defense and prosecution 50:50 from Eventually, "almost no doubt the Supreme Court, the time-consuming but also how to two or three years .
but it is worth noting that, for the Bush administration, this lawsuit regardless of wins and negative, are difficult to discuss cheap. 1. Adverse timing. The U.S. mid-term elections this year, a general election, all the members of the House of Representatives, 1/3 of the Members of the Senate, as well as a large number of governorships. Enron bankruptcy has already provoked much discussion. The case of a court, the press certainly would lead to a new round of fierce speculation. The Republican image obviously compromised; 2. Far-reaching. Enron bankruptcy have been recently tend to cool down, and the General Accounting Office and now this report, Enron relationship with the Bush administration's attention again. The 2004 presidential election will be kicked off next year, "Walker v. Cheney lawsuit just in full swing, the Bush re-election campaign, will be faced with various problems.