WASHINGTON, March 18 (UPI) -- The head of the Senate Judiciary Committee says he will seek authority to subpoena White House officials if they decline to testify about U.S. attorney firings.
The targets would include presidential political adviser Karl Rove and former White House counsel Harriet Miers, Chairman Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., said.
The White House and the Justice Department are at the center of a firestorm over the midterm firing of eight U.S. attorneys. Four of the fired prosecutors were investigating Republicans and a fifth was taking internal criticism for not going after Democrats, reports say.
Leahy, appearing on ABC's "This Week with George Stephanopoulos" Sunday, said at this point he was only seeking the right to issue subpoenas, and would hold a vote on the Rove and Miers subpoena authority Thursday.
The White House has said it was reviewing whether it should allow officials to testify.
A refusal would begin the subpoena process, Leahy said. "But you understand that what we're talking about (at this point is) the authorization for the subpoenas," he added. "I issue them only if we don't get cooperation."
Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, appeared with Leahy, and said he supports the inquiry but had constitutional and political concerns with subpoenas, did not think there was inappropriate behavior and would not support "a political with hunt."
