Leahy Issues Subpoena For Rove E-mails

Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) has issued a subpoena to the Justice Department demanding it turn over all e-mails in its possesion to or from Karl Rove, White House deputy chief of staff, related to the firing of eight U.S. attorneys last year, as well as any Rove e-mails uncovered during the Valerie Plame probe. Leahy has given Attorney General Alberto Gonzales until May 15 to comply with the subpoena.

Leahy also wants all DOJ documents related to the decision to fire the eight prosecutors, as well as DOJ policies on hiring and firing both career and political appointees and what role the White House would have in that process.

The Justice Department did not have any immediate formal response, although a DOJ official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said he "did not believe that we have any Karl Rove e-mails" or have been withholding them from congressional investigators.

Click below to read the entire letter.