Congress files suit to force Bolten, Miers to testify

Rebuffed by the Department of Justice after pushing for contempt charges to be brought against White House Chief of Staff Josh Bolten and former White House Counsel Harriet Miers, House Democrats filed a federal lawsuit today in a renewed attempt to force Bolten and Miers to testify before Congress.

At the order of President Bush, Bolten and Miers refused to comply with congressional subpoenas issued by the House Judiciary Committee, which has been investigating the firing of nine federal prosecutors that Democrats allege were fired after refusing to fall in line with certain White House political causes.

Congressional Democrats had asked Attorney General Michael Mukasey to bring criminal contempt charges against Bolten and Miers, but Mukasey declined to do so.