Showdown Looming, Part 2

Washington Post:

Escalating a potential legal showdown with President Bush, a Senate committee yesterday approved three subpoenas to top administration officials, including White House adviser Karl Rove, demanding sworn testimony about what they knew of plans to fire eight U.S. attorneys.

The Senate Judiciary Committee, following similar action from a House Judiciary subcommittee Wednesday, issued subpoenas for the testimony of Rove, former White House counsel Harriet E. Miers and deputy White House counsel William Kelley. Each was mentioned in e-mails retrieved from the Justice Department regarding the planning to dismiss federal prosecutors.

Democrats rejected Bush's offer this week to have Rove and other advisers testify behind closed doors, not under oath and with no transcript of the meeting -- an offer administration officials called "extraordinarily generous." They said the move would give Congress information while protecting the president's ability to obtain unfettered advice without its public airing.

"What we're told we can get is nothing, nothing, nothing," said Senate Judiciary Chairman Patrick J. Leahy (D-Vt.). He said it is essential to hear from Rove: "I know he's the decider for the White House -- he's not the decider for the United States Senate."

Bush is provoking a Constitutional crisis. Not the first time, but Congress finally has leadership that believes in checks and balances.