Senator Insists Bush Aides Testify Publicly
Jamie Rose for The New York Times
Senator Patrick J. Leahy, chairman of the judiciary panel, said a vote on subpoenas would be held Thursday.

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By SHERYL GAY STOLBERG
Published: March 19, 2007
WASHINGTON, March 18 — The Democratic senator leading the inquiry into the dismissal of federal prosecutors insisted Sunday that Karl Rove and other top aides to President Bush must testify publicly and under oath, setting up a confrontation between Congress and the White House, which has said it is unlikely to agree to such a demand.

Karl Rove, President Bush's chief political adviser, is among the officials who may be subpoenaed to testify publicly and under oath.
Some Republicans have suggested that Mr. Rove testify privately, if only to tamp down the political uproar over the inquiry, which centers on whether the White House allowed politics to interfere with law enforcement.

But Senator Patrick J. Leahy, Democrat of Vermont and chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, seemed to rule out such a move on Sunday. He said his committee would vote Thursday on whether to issue subpoenas for Mr. Rove as well as Harriet E. Miers, the former White House counsel, and William K. Kelley, the deputy White House counsel.

"I do not believe in this 'We'll have a private briefing for you where we'll tell you everything,' and they don't," Mr. Leahy said on "This Week" on ABC, adding: "I want testimony under oath. I am sick and tired of getting half-truths on this."

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Nice to hear a Senator is getting tired of half-truths. Slow, but steady.


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