A United States Senate panel, following the House of Representatives' lead, has authorised subpoenas for White House political adviser Karl Rove and other top aides involved in the sacking of federal prosecutors.

THE chief White House lawyer floated the idea of firing all 93 US attorneys at the start of President George W Bush’s second term, but the Justice Department objected and recommended the eight dismissals that have generated a political firestorm two years later.

The chief White House lawyer floated the idea of firing all 93 US attorneys at the start of President George Bush’s second term, but the justice department objected and eventually recommended the eight dismissals that have generated a political firestorm two years later.