Bush still dogged about attorneys scandal

WASHINGTON, Aug. 19 (UPI) -- What President George Bush knew about the firings of U.S. attorneys and when he knew it isn't clear from federal court documents, a review of testimony shows.

While the White House said there was "no indication" that Bush knew of the firings beforehand, Justice Department attorneys in court were more vague, ABC News reported Tuesday.

"The record does reflect at this stage that the president was not involved in decisions about who would be asked to resign from the department," Justice Department lawyer Carl Nichols argued in federal court in June. However, "the record does not reflect that the president had no future involvement."

Bush's role -- if any -- in the firings and their aftermath is unclear, ABC said. But in trying to block enforcement of congressional subpoenas against White House aides and seeking documents, the Bush administration "is very consciously trying to walk a very fine tightrope," said Stephen Vladeck, a law professor at American University.

While issuing statements from a podium to insulate Bush from the scandal that ultimately cost U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales his job, legal arguments are more ambiguous because "(if) they said (Bush) wasn't involved at all they would undermine their case for executive privilege," Vladeck said.