The Senate Judiciary Committee has voted to authorize subpoenas for Karl Rove and other White House officials to testify about the Bush administration’s dismissals of eight U.S. attorneys. President Bush has vowed to fight the subpoenas if they are issued. The White House has said Rove and others can meet with lawmakers, but only if it is done behind closed doors and not under oath. On Thursday, Senate Republican Arlen Specter offered President Bush a compromise. He suggested that select lawmakers question Karl Rove and other administration officials in public, but not under oath. On Thursday, Specter and Senate Judiciary Chair Patrick Leahy debated what the committee should do.

Sen. Arlen Specter: “If we don’t like what we get, we can always issue a subpoena and move with a subpoena if we don’t like what we get in the interest of” —

Sen. Patrick Leahy: “What we were told we could get is nothing, nothing, nothing. We were told we could have a closed-door meeting, with no transcript, not under oath, limited number of people, and the White House can determine what the agenda is. That, to me, is nothing.”