White House: Subpoenas kill deal

The White House today said their offer to allow Congress to interview top administration officials will be voided if Democrats issue subpoenas.

“If they issue subpoenas, the offer is withdrawn,” said White House spokesman Tony Snow.

Democrats can either accept the White House offer to talk in private, without a transcript and not under oath, with Karl Rove and other top administration officials, or issue subpoenas, which President Bush has said he will fight in court.

Mr. Snow, when pressed, backed off his statement that the White House would withdraw their offer. He said instead that Congress would have “knocked it off the table.”

“They will have rejected the offer,” Mr. Snow said at the midday news briefing.

A House Judiciary subcommittee this morning authorized the issuance of subpoenas for Mr. Rove, a top political adviser, and former White House counsel Harriet Miers, giving congressional Democrats more leverage in their showdown with Mr. Bush.

“The White House’s offer provides nothing more than conversations. It does not allow this committee to get the information we need without transcripts or oaths,” said Rep. John Conyers Jr., Michigan Democrat, who chairs the House Judiciary Committee.

“We are continuing our talks with the White House, along with the Senate, but we must protect the interest of the Congress and the American people by maintaining the option to move forward with our investigation with or without continued cooperation from the administration,” Mr. Conyers said.

Congress wants to delve into whether the White House fired eight federal prosecutors last year for improper reasons. Mr. Conyers may now issue the subpoenas at any time.

The Senate Judiciary Committee is scheduled tomorrow to vote to authorize their own subpoenas on Mr. Rove and Miss Miers.

Mr. Bush said yesterday that he would “not go along with a partisan fishing expedition aimed at honorable public servants.”

Mr. Bush promised to take the fight over subpoenas to court.

White House spokesman Tony Snow said this morning that Mr. Bush has set conditions on the interviews with administration officials because “what we want to avoid is the trappings of a media spectacle.”

Mr. Snow said there is no need for a transcript because Congress is on a “fact-finding mission,” and will be having a “conversation” with the officials, instead of holding a hearing or trial.

The president said he still has confidence in Mr. Gonzales, a longtime ally, whose chief of staff resigned last week over the imbroglio.

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