By David Stout and Jim Rutenberg President George W. Bush has told his former White House counsel, Harriet Miers, not to even appear on Thursday before the House Judiciary Committee investigating the firings of U.S. attorneys, the committee chairman said Wednesday.

WASHINGTON _ President Bush ordered former White House Counsel Harriet Miers to stay away Thursday from a House panel investigating last year's firings of nine U.S. attorneys, prompting the chairman of the House Judiciary Committee to threaten Miers with a contempt citation.

A senior Justice Department official who helped carry out the dismissals of federal prosecutors said Friday he is resigning.

By Associated Press WASHINGTON -- Two congression

Congress issued subpoenas Wednesday for former presidential counsel Harriet Miers and political director Sara Taylor, reaching directly inside the White House for the first time in the probe of the firings of federal prosecutors.