http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/politics/politics-enron-bush-gao.html
Bush Flatly Refuses to Hand Over Energy Papers
By REUTERS
March 13, 2002
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A defiant President Bush flatly refused on Wednesday to divulge details of internal energy task force meetings to congressional investigators, calling the information privileged and the request a threat to executive authority.
The General Accounting Office, the investigative arm of Congress, sued the administration in February for records of the task force's meetings. Democratic lawmakers allege Enron Corp. and other energy companies played a disproportionately large role in the task force's deliberations, whereas environmentalists were largely shut out.
The task force, headed by Vice President Dick Cheney, produced a policy favoring more oil and gas grilling as well as a revival of nuclear power. Cheney's office has acknowledged that representatives of Enron, Bush's biggest financial backer in the 2000 campaign, were among industry experts the task force consulted.
But Bush insisted that releasing the documents would damage the executive branch's ability to obtain candid outside advice, signaling he was ready for courtroom combat.
``When the GAO demands documents from us, we're not going to give them to them,'' Bush told a White House news conference. ''These were privileged conversations.''
``I have an obligation to make sure that the presidency remains robust and that the legislative branch doesn't end up running the executive branch,'' he added.
Enron declared the largest bankruptcy in U.S. history in December, destroying thousands of jobs and billions of dollars in investor equity, and prompting 10 congressional committees, the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Justice Department to launch investigations.
An internal inquiry ordered by Enron's board alleged senior managers used off-the-books partnerships to hide losses, fool investors and enrich themselves.
During the 45-minute press conference, the president did not mention by name Enron or its long-time auditor, the accounting firm Andersen.
(In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, this material is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes.)
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