Four of the eight fired U.S. Attorneys have been subpoenaed by the House, and will testify this coming Tuesday.

The Judiciary subcommittee on commercial and administrative law approved the subpoenas for former prosecutors in Arkansas, New Mexico, Seattle and San Diego -- all of whom will be required to appear for testimony at a hearing Tuesday. The Senate Judiciary Committee announced plans for a similar hearing on the same day.

The moves mark the latest escalation in the battle between congressional Democrats and the Justice Department over the controversial dismissals of eight U.S. attorneys, at least five of whom were presiding over public corruption probes when they were fired.

Meanwhile, the White House is being unusually candid about its (indifference to? acceptance of? desire for?) the firings.

"If any agency wants to make a change regarding a presidential appointee, they run that change by the White House counsel's office," said White House spokeswoman Dana Perino. "That is standard operating procedure, and that is what happened here. The White House did not object to the Justice Department decision."

As usual, the muckrakers are raking muck.

(Fun with analogies! TPMmuckraker : U.S. Attorneys :: firedoglake : Scooter Libby.)