Rove: Courts will have to resolve subpoena

WASHINGTON, May 25 (UPI) -- Former White House political adviser Karl Rove said Sunday he first heard of the U.S. investigation of former Alabama Gov. Don Siegelman "in the newspaper."

Speaking for the first time about his subpoena by the House Judiciary Committee -- to testify about the Siegelman case and other instances of what Democrats allege was selective criminal prosecution -- Rove told ABC's "This Week with George Stephanopoulos" the issue of whether he will comply with the subpoena will have to be resolved in court.

"This is really about a constitutional question of the separation of powers," Rove said. "Congress, the House Judiciary Committee, wants to be able to call presidential aides on its whim up to testify, violating the separation of powers."

The committee last week ordered Rove to appear July 10 to answer questions about his role, if any, in the Siegelman prosecution and the firing of nine U.S. attorneys.

"I learned about Don Siegelman's prosecution by reading about it in the newspaper," Rove said Sunday.

Stephanopoulos said that comment was not a firm denial.

"I heard about it, read about it, learned about it for the first time by reading about it in the newspaper," Rove said.