Judiciary Committee Chair Rejects Privilege Claims

Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy says he is rejecting executive privilege claims in an investigation of the firing of U.S. attorneys.

Leahy said President Bush was not involved with the firings, making illegal his claims of executive privilege for his chief of staff, Joshua Bolten, and former political adviser Karl Rove, the Associated Press reports.

The rejection is a procedural step required as the committee seeks to enforce subpoenas of the two men and other White House officials, the New York Times reports. The next step, a vote on contempt citations, is coming soon, committee aides told the newspaper.