Congress' investigative unit, the General Accounting Office, announced Wednesday its plans to sue the White House for refusing to release records of meetings between Vice President Dick Cheney and energy industry executives.
Congress is seeking the documents as part of its investigation into whether corporate executives, including those within the now collapsed Enron Corp., influenced national energy policy.
Both President Bush and Cheney have said the documents should remain secret in order to preserve the White House's ability to obtain \unvarnished"" advice from outside advisors and maintain confidentiality in White House meetings.
A lawsuit would be the first time the agency has sued the executive branch for refusing to comply with an inquiry.
