The Nation - News from Oct. 11, 1985

The commission that directs the planning for the celebration of the bicentennial of the Constitution, which has for the most part kept its planning a private matter, was sued to open its meetings to the public. The suit, filed by the Ralph Nader-founded group Public Citizen, charged that the commission, chaired by Chief Justice Warren E. Burger, is a federal advisory committee and, as such, must be open to the public. The nonprofit group also charged that the commission must make its records, transcripts, working papers and other documents available for public inspection and that the commission has failed to do so. A representative for Burger, Toni House, said there would be no comment on the suit.