The White House said last night no decision had been made on whether to let political strategist Karl Rove testify to Congress over the firing of US 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.
Senator 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.