Leahy and the committee issued several subpoenas to administration officials, including former Deputy Chief of Staff Karl Rove, seeking testimony and documents related to the firing of the federal prosecutors. Democrats have accused the president of politicizing the Justice Department.

Mr. Leahy has insisted that the White House act first on his panel’s request for files on eavesdropping without warrants and interrogation policies for terror suspects. He said conversations with the White House “had been encouraging.”

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