A Senate chairman investigating the Bush administration's warrantless domestic spying programme has subpoenaed documents from the White House, Vice President Dick Cheney's office, the National Security Council and Justice Department.
Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy gave the administration until July 18th to turn over specified materials that the White House last week declared off limits and highly classified.
In letters accompanying the subpoenas, Mr Leahy wrote: "Over the past 18 months, this committee has made no fewer than nine formal requests to the Department of Justice and to the White House, seeking information and documents about the authorisation of and legal justification for this program.
"There is no legitimate argument for withholding the requested materials," added Mr Leahy, a Vermont Democrat. "The administration cannot thwart the Congress's conduct of its constitutional duties with sweeping assertions of secrecy and privilege."
The White House condemned the action. "It's unfortunate that congressional Democrats have decided to choose confrontation," a White House spokeswoman said. "This is a highly classified program that was specifically designed to protect civil liberties."
Mr Leahy's panel, on a bipartisan vote of 13-3, authorised the subpoenas last week in another attempt to determine the administration's legal justification for warrantless surveillance that began shortly after the September 11th attacks.
Critics charge Mr Bush's warrantless domestic spying programme, conducted by the National Security Agency, violated the 1978 Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), which requires warrants. Mr Bush said he could act without warrants under wartime powers.
In January, the administration abandoned the programme and agreed to get approval of the FISA court for its electronic surveillance.