Republicans urge Bush to avoid fight with Congress

By Donna Smith

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Key Senate Republicans on Sunday urged President George W. Bush to compromise with Congress over White House aides' testimony as support for U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales eroded further.

Sen. Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania, the top Republican on the Senate Judiciary Committee, said Gonzales would have to step down if he did not tell the truth when he told Congress that he was not involved in discussions about a group of fired U.S. prosecutors at the center of the Washington controversy.

"We have to have an attorney general who is candid, truthful and if we find that he has not been candid and truthful, that's a very compelling reason for him not to stay on," Specter said on NBC's "Meet the Press."

Documents released late on Friday showed that Gonzales attended a meeting last November where the imminent carrying out of a plan to fire federal prosecutors was discussed.

Sen. Chuck Hagel, a Nebraska Republican and possible presidential candidate, told ABC's "This Week" that Gonzales lost credibility and Bush should "fix the problem" and avoid a court fight with Congress.

"I think the president makes a big mistake if he tries to make this a constitutional issue and make it a separation of powers issues," Hagel said.

Specter also suggested Bush compromise over the issue of Karl Rove, Bush's chief political strategist, and other aides providing testimony to Congress.

Bush has refused to allow them to testify in public and under oath about their roles in the firings. Instead, Bush offered to have them talk to congressional investigators behind closed doors without taking the oath or allowing transcripts of the conversations.

Congressional Democrats called that unacceptable and both the House and Senate Judiciary Committees have authorized subpoenas if the aides do not come forward voluntarily.

"I want them in the open, under oath, publicly, where both Republican senators and Democratic senators can ask questions," Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy of Vermont told CBS's "Face the Nation."

Critics accuse the administration of firing prosecutors to make room for its allies or because it felt some were too tough on Republicans and too easy on Democrats.

The administration has said that while the dismissals were mishandled, they were justified, and it denied making any threats. Officials also note a president can fire a U.S. prosecutor at any time.

Specter said Bush should avoid a court fight and compromise with lawmakers.

"This matter is so important to the day-in and day-out functioning of the Department of Justice that the air has to be cleared," Specter said. "I think the president is wrong when he refuses to have a transcript."

Sen. Lindsey Graham, a Republican from South Carolina who serves on the Senate Judiciary Committee, agreed.