Couple questions……1. If Domenici and Wilson didn’t intend to intimidate Iglesias, why were those calls made? 2. Is it ok for them to make such calls? 3. If it is, then why does Domenici feel the need to retain an attorney?

Senate Democrats said yesterday they are preparing to subpoena five senior Justice Department officials as part of a widening probe into whether eight U.S. attorneys were fired for political reasons.

The fallout from the investigation into why the prosecutors were dismissed continued yesterday. Sen. Pete V. Domenici (R-N.M.) hired a top defense attorney to handle a related probe by the Senate ethics committee, which is investigating allegations that he pressured a New Mexico prosecutor to bring indictments against a Democrat just before the November elections.

The Senate Judiciary Committee is scheduled to vote today to authorize subpoenas for Justice officials, including Michael A. Battle, who carried out the firings, and Kyle Sampson, chief of staff to Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales.

Republicans are likely to exercise their right under committee rules to delay the issue for a week, several aides said. But Democrats said the subpoena push signals their intent to continue digging into the firings.

The new subpoena threat followed dramatic testimony Tuesday from six of the fired U.S. attorneys, including two who alleged that GOP lawmakers or staffers had made improper telephone calls asking about ongoing criminal investigations. A third prosecutor said a Justice Department official warned him two weeks ago that he and his colleagues should keep quiet or risk retaliation.

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