GAO filed suit in the U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C., to obtain access to information about the task force's contacts with outside parties. This is the first time that GAO has filed suit against a federal official in order to obtain access to records. In a statement released the same day, GAO said that it took this step "reluctantly" but added that "given GAO's responsibility to Congress and the American people, we have no other choice."