US: Democrats in Congress have ramped up their dispute with the White House over presidential power, calling on the House of Representatives to cite two officials for contempt of Congress for refusing to co-operate with an investigation the firing of nine federal prosecutors last year.
Earlier, the top Republican on the Senate judiciary committee suggested that a special prosecutor might be needed to investigate allegations of misconduct at the justice department and by attorney general Alberto Gonzales.
The committee yesterday recommended that the full House cite White House chief of staff Joshua Bolten and former White House counsel Harriet Miers for refusing to hand over documents or to testify before the committee.
The White House has claimed executive privilege to avoid handing over some documents and has instructed some current and former officials to ignore subpoenas to testify.
Republicans warned that Congress would lose a federal court battle over the subpoenas but committee chairman John Conyers said it was important to assert the rights of the legislative branch.
"If we countenance a process where our subpoenas can be readily ignored, where a witness under a duly authorised subpoena doesn't even have to bother to show up, where privilege can be asserted on the thinnest of bases and in the broadest possible manner, then we've already lost."
White House spokesman Tony Snow accused Democrats of staging a political stunt.
During a heated four-hour hearing before the Senate judiciary committee on Tuesday, Mr Gonzales claimed that congressional leaders from both parties agreed in 2004 to continue a domestic surveillance programme that his own justice department officials said was illegal.
Democrats who attended the 2004 briefing disputed Mr Gonzales's account, however, saying there was no consensus about the spying programme. "He once again is making something up to protect himself," said Senator John D Rockefeller.
The ranking Republican on the judiciary committee, Arlen Specter, joined Democrats in suggesting that Mr Gonzales had repeatedly misled the committee in recent weeks, warning that the attorney general could face perjury charges.
"I do not find your testimony credible, candidly. The committee is going to review your testimony very carefully to see if your credibility has been breached to the point of being actionable," Mr Specter said.
Mr Gonzales refused to answer numerous questions and said he did not know the answer to many others, including how many names were on the list of federal prosecutors to be fired that he approved.
The White House said President George Bush continued to have confidence in Mr Gonzales, an old friend from the president's time as Texas governor.
One Democrat after another told Mr Gonzales he should resign, arguing that the justice department had become dysfunctional under his leadership.
"Would you please explain to us why the administration of justice and the American people would not be better served by somebody sitting in the office who does not have all of the problems that you possess with respect to believability, credibility, confidence, trust?" asked Wisconsin's Herb Kohl.
Mr Gonzales, who had been heckled by protesters as he entered the hearing, responded with a calm, bewildered smile.
"Ultimately I have to decide whether or not it would be better for me to leave or just stay and try to fix the problems," he said. "I've decided to stay and fix the problems."