House Holds 2 Bush Aides in Contempt

The House voted today to hold two Bush insiders guilty of contempt of Congress for refusing to cooperate in last year's US attorneys scandal, the AP reports. Angry  Republicans boycotted the vote and walked out in protest. Democrats censured chief of staff Josh Bolten and former Bush counsel Harriet Miers for ignoring congressional subpoenas into whether prosecutors were fired for political reasons.

Republicans were incensed that House Democrats voted on the contempt charges instead of acting on soon-to-expire surveillance legislation. Democrats accused their rivals of fear-mongering in the ongoing partisan battle over executive privilege. "This is beyond arrogance," said Dem Nancy Pelosi. "This is hubris taken to the ultimate degree." (More US attorney firings stories.)