Vice President Dick Cheney's spokeswoman, Juleanna Glover Weiss, said the White House was confident in its position that the General Accounting Office, the investigative arm of Congress, did not have the legal authority to request the information.

The GAO had demanded the White House respond by Thursday or face a lawsuit. Cheney has provided some information to the GAO but not meeting records of President Bush's energy task force, which was headed by Cheney.

``We are confident in the strength and persuasiveness of our position,'' Weiss said. ``The matter could end right now, but that of course is up to the GAO comptroller general. We're focused on securing much-needed energy legislation.''

The task force has been criticized for its closed-door meetings and meetings with industry officials as it developed the energy policy Bush unveiled on May 17. Bush called for stimulating production of coal, oil and nuclear power as well as conservation measures.

GAO Comptroller General David Walker had been asked by California Democratic Rep. Henry Waxman and Michigan Democratic Rep. John Dingell to investigate the work of the energy policy task force.

``Vice President Cheney continues to act like someone who has something to hide,'' said Laura Sheehan, Dingell's spokeswoman.

Congressional sources said that while a GAO lawsuit was a possible next step, it was up to the GAO, which is the investigative arm of Congress. The GAO had no immediate reaction.

Critics have charged the administration did not include environmentalists and other concerned groups outside the energy industry in significant policy discussions.

In letters sent to the House of Representatives and the Senate a month ago, Cheney argued the president, the vice president and other senior aides needed the ability to have a ''confidentiality of communications.''

Cheney in June turned over records relating to the costs of the energy task force, but the GAO sought additional records, raising the possibility of taking the issue to court.

The agency sought names of people attending the energy policy group meetings and of panel staff workers. It also sought records of meetings that energy panel staff or Cheney had with people to gather information relevant to the energy plan.

Copyright © 2001 Reuters Limited

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