Michael Gawenda, Washington
US PRESIDENT George Bush and the Democrat-controlled Congress are heading for a major constitutional confrontation after Mr Bush said he would refuse to allow Karl Rove, his closest political adviser, to testify before a congressional committee investigating the sacking of eight US federal attorneys.
Mr Bush said the threat by senior Democrats to subpoena Mr Rove and former White House counsel Harriet Miers to explain their roles in the sackings was an attempt to set up "show trials".
"We will not go along with a partisan fishing expedition aimed at honourable public servants," he said in a hastily called televised news conference. More...
