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The Senate Judiciary Committee Thursday approved subpoenas for five Department of Justice officials in the U.S. attorneys firing case, but panel Republicans exercised their right to force a weeklong delay before voting on subpoenas of senior White House adviser Karl Rove, former presidential counsel Harriet Miers and other administration allies. While the White House has yet to respond to the committee’s request for documents and testimony, current counsel Fred Fielding has promised senators that he will return to the table with an offer tomorrow. The full Senate will vote next Tuesday on whether to reverse its actions from last year and bring interim U.S. attorney appointments back to the federal courts, according to a deal announced Thursday morning by party leaders. Two GOP amendments, from Sens. Jon Kyl (Ariz.) and Jeff Sessions (Ala.), will be given roll-call votes before a vote on the prosecutors bill, which is sponsored by Sens. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) and Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.). Schumer, No. 3 in Democratic leadership and the committee’s point man on the scandal, issued a statement calling the subpoena vote “a major step,” but added that it is “regrettable that members of the minority blocked subpoenas for some of the White House players. They should be joining in our efforts to get to the bottom of this.” Sen. John Sununu (N.H.) on Wednesday became the first Republican to urge the resignation of Attorney General Alberto Gonzales over the purging of eight U.S. attorneys last year. But Schumer, also the Democrats’ campaign chief, denied that he would use the issue to press other Republicans locked in close reelection fights in 2008. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) said Tuesday’s vote would put Republicans on the spot on the ousted attorneys: “They have run from the president on this issue like they were making a sprint in the Olympics.” Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) acknowledged that the entanglement of Sen. Pete Domenici (R-N.M.), well-respected on both sides of the aisle, makes legislating on the prosecutors issue awkward for his colleagues. Durbin also indirectly criticized Domenici for the call he made to former New Mexico prosecutor David Iglesias that has sparked a Senate ethics probe. “Basically, in my mind ... you never, ever contact a U.S. attorney and even suggest that a prosecution should take place,” Durbin said. |
