House panel defies Bush, votes for subpoenas … WASHINGTON (CNN) — House Democrats voted Wednesday to give their leaders the authority to force White House officials to testify on the firings of U.S. attorneys.  —  The House Judiciary subcommittee vote was to authorize subpoenas.

Snow swallows own old words  —  "What kinds of conversations does executive privilege protect?...What are the limits on privilege?'' a newspaper columnist wrote in the spring of 1998 on a subject strangely familiar today.  —  "Evidently, Mr. Clinton wants to shield virtually any communications …

Ousted California Prosecutor Previously Had Disputes on Strategy  —  Among the cases of the eight federal prosecutors dismissed by the Department of Justice last year, none brought more accusations of egregious political retaliation than that of Carol C. Lam.

Hounding Fox News coverage  —  Journalists strive to report the news, not to be the news.  So Fox News should have been a bit embarrassed to headline a story that ended with the Nevada Democratic Party canceling Fox's sponsorship of a pre-caucus debate.  —  Then again, Fox is not a typical news organization.

Governor calls Limbaugh 'irrelevant'  —  Schwarzenegger's repudiation of the conservative talk show host comes as he is accused of betraying his party's values.  —  SACRAMENTO — After repeatedly being asked about his conservative critics, including talk show host Rush Limbaugh …

Al Gore's Legislative Recommendations to the House  —  If you don't want to read my whole blow-by-blow of Gore's testimony to the House, here's a summary of his ten legislative recommendations.  — An immediate "carbon freeze" that would cap U.S. CO2 emissions at current levels …

Hollywood's Climate Follies  —  "My fellow Americans, people all over the world, we need to solve the climate crisis.  It's not a political issue.  It's a moral issue.  We have everything we need to get started, with the possible exception of the will to act.  That's a renewable resource.

Muslims offer to help 'John Does' sued by imams  —  Lawyers and a Muslim group say they will defend at no cost airline passengers caught up in a lawsuit between a group of imams and U.S. Airways if the passengers are named as "John Does" and sued for reporting suspicious behavior that got …

F.B.I. Is Warned Over Its Misuse of Data Collection  —  House Republicans joined Democrats on Tuesday in warning the F.B.I. that it could lose the power to demand that companies turn over customers' telephone, e-mail and financial records if it did not swiftly correct abuses in the use …

Corps caused disaster, report says  —  State inquiry finds decades of blunders  —  Decades of incompetence and neglect by the Army Corps of Engineers allowed Hurricane Katrina's storm surge to devastate New Orleans, according to a long-awaited report being released today …

Baathism on the Nile  —  In five days Egypt is scheduled to hold a national referendum on changes to its Constitution.  Even veteran Egyptian opposition figures, well versed in the regime's authoritarian ways, have expressed shock at the choice of March 26 for the referendum.

Colorado Senate: Leading Republican to Exit Race  —  Former Colorado Rep. Scott McInnis (R) is expected to end his Senate bid as soon as today, according to sources familiar with his thinking who asked not to be identified because they did not have permission to speak for the McInnis camp.