No decision on Rove testifying

By Tabassum Zakaria

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The White House said on Friday no decision had been made on whether to let political strategist Karl Rove testify to Congress over the firing of U.S. prosecutors that is prompting calls for Attorney General Alberto Gonzales to step down.

The Justice Department has released documents and e-mails related to the firing of eight U.S. attorneys after critics questioned whether it was politically motivated.

The controversy was the latest in a string of bad news to hit the White House, including allegations of substandard health care for wounded Iraq war veterans and the conviction of a former top aide to Vice President Dick Cheney in the case involving the outing of former spy Valerie Plame.

White House counsel Fred Fielding, who was negotiating with Capitol Hill on the question of White House officials testifying, advised House Judiciary Committee staff he would not have a decision by Friday as he had expected, and that talks should resume on Tuesday, a White House spokesman said.

"Given the importance of the issues under consideration and the presidential principles involved, we need more time to resolve them," spokesman Tony Fratto said.

The House and Senate judiciary committees said they could vote next week to authorize subpoenas for Rove and others.

Sen. Charles Schumer, a New York Democrat on the judiciary committee who has called for Gonzales to resign, said in a statement he was disappointed in the White House delaying the decision. "We hope that this delay is not a signal they will not cooperate," he said.

Gonzales, who assured lawmakers previously that politics was not a factor in the dismissals, is scheduled to go before the Senate panel in April for a hearing on the Justice Department.

BUSH'S CONFIDENCE IN GONZALEZ

President George W. Bush has expressed confidence in Gonzales and said the firings were justified. But he said the issue was not handled properly and Gonzales should go to Capitol Hill to answer questions.

Two Republican senators -- John Sununu of New Hampshire and Gordon Smith of Oregon -- have added their voices to Democrats calling for Gonzales to go.

Asked if Gonzales would be fired, White House spokesman Tony Snow said, "I know of no such plan."

Bush has not had a conversation with Gonzales about whether the attorney general should step down, Snow added.

Snow said the White House would leave Fielding to decide on whether Rove should testify. The White House typically argues that officials who are not confirmed by the Senate, like Rove, do not have to appear before Congress.

Documents released on Thursday showed the administration believed most of the nation's 93 U.S. attorneys were "loyal Bushies" and Gonzales was aware of the possible dismissals of others in late 2004, when he held Fielding's job as White House counsel.