WASHINGTON — The Senate Judiciary Committee voted 12-7 Thursday to find Karl Rove, one of the president’s former top advisers, and current White House Chief of Staff Josh Bolten in contempt of Congress for failing to comply with subpoenas seeking their testimony about the dismissal of nine U.S. attorneys last year.
“This is not a step I have wanted to take,” said Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., chairman of the judiciary panel, which is investigating whether the federal prosecutors were fired to silence investigations into Republicans and hasten investigations into Democrats.
Leahy said the committee was forced to take action after the White House refused to turn over requested documents and testimony related to the inquiry. The citations move to the full Senate for a vote.
“Congressional oversight is an essential part of our system of checks and balances,” Leahy said. “Getting answers and information helps identify and prevent abuses that hurt the American people and that corrode our system.”
Sen. Arlen Specter, R-Pa., the top Republican on the committee, sided with Leahy: “It is a vote that I will make with reluctance, but I will do so because I think it is necessary for the Congress to demonstrate our determination on congressional oversight that it involves some very important, substantive programs.”
Bolten was scheduled to appear and provide documents to the committee by June 28. Rove was summoned to testify on Aug. 2. Both failed to meet the deadlines.
