Senate Republicans blocked a vote of no confidence in US Attorney General Alberto Gonzales last night to dash Democratic hopes of embarrassing him and President Bush.
The Republicans stopped the no-confidence vote under Senate rules that allow a minority to block consideration of a measure. Their move came despite months of searing criticism of Mr Gonzales by members of both parties.
Seven Republicans split with their party and sided with Democrats.
A Senate no-confidence vote in a Cabinet member would have no force of law in the US system of government, and Mr Bush yesterday called the resolution "meaningless."
But Democrats wanted to pile pressure on Mr Bush to fire the United States's top law enforcement officer over his handling of the controversial firing of US prosecutors, which critics portray as a politically motivated purge.
The Democrats have a majority of 51 in the Senate, counting two independents who often vote with them - although yesterday, one of those, Joseph Lieberman of Connecticut, did not. Democrats needed 60 votes to scale the procedural hurdle erected by Republicans, but got only 53, with 38 voting against.
Mr Gonzales has refused to step down and is supported by Mr Bush, his longtime mentor. Mr Bush dismissed the Democrats' move as political, declaring, "There's no wrongdoing."
The Justice Department said after the vote that Mr Gonzales would remain focused on the "important issues" of his job.
Both the House and Senate have been investigating Mr Gonzales for months over the firings of nine US attorneys last year. Criticism of Mr Gonzales intensified after an April Senate hearing in which he said many times he could not remember details of what had happened during the firings.