White House Delays Testimony, Documents in U.S. Attorneys Controversy

ABC News’ George Stephanopoulos, Jon Garcia, and Z. Byron Wolf Report:  The White House is stalling on handing over documents and producing witnesses involved in the controversial firing of eight U.S. attorneys last year, and that has members of Congress worried.  "It is disappointing that the White House is not coming forward with their plan to bring witnesses to testify," said Senate Judiciary subcommittee chair Charles Schumer (D-NY).  "We hope that this delay is not a signal they will not cooperate."

Members of the House and Senate Judiciary committees met with White House counsel Fred Fielding earlier this week to try to hash out an agreement on documents and testimony, and asked for an answer from the White House by today.  Fielding called House Judiciary staff by today’s deadline, but the response is not what the committees were looking for:  "Given the importance of the issues under consideration and the presidential principles involved," said White House spokesman Scott Stanzel, "we need more time to resolve them."  The White House said Fielding is willing to meet again next Tuesday. 

House Judiciary Committee Chairman John Conyers, Jr. (D-MI) expressed his disappointment, but said the White House says it’s continuing work to resolve the issue.  "Despite those assurances and my continued hope that the White House will resolve these questions in a cooperative fashion," Conyers’ statement said, "the Committee must take steps to ensure that we are not being stonewalled or slow walked on this matter." 

Conyers warned that he will schedule a vote on subpoenas in an attempt to force the documents’ release and witnesses to come forward. "Allegations that our criminal justice has been undermined by partisan politics and that the Congress was deceived about these activities are among the most serious this Congress will consider and we expect immediate answers," Conyers said.

Conyers’ counterpart on the Senate Judiciary Committee, Democrat Patrick Leahy of Vermont, called for subpoenas of Justice Department officials yesterday.  Of the White House delay, Leahy said, "I hope the President makes the right decision and works with us voluntarily to root out this corruption."  Noting in the statement that his committee will move forward regardless of administration cooperation, Leahy said, "We need to rebuild the public’s confidence that our laws will be enforced without fear or favor."