House panel deposes Harriet Miers

Nearly four years ago, Harriet Miers was one of the-most pursued women on Capitol Hill. President Bush nominated the former White House Counsel for the Supreme Court. And a cadre of television cameras traced the path of the nominee as she traveled from meeting after meeting with senators.

Miers soon withdrew her nomination and Mr. Bush nominated Samuel Alito for the High Court instead.

But on Monday, Harriet Miers came and went from Capitol Hill with barely a notice.

But the stakes were nearly as high as four years ago.

FOX has learned that House Judiciary Committee staffers deposed Miers behind closed doors Monday morning in the Rayburn House Office Building. They wanted to ask her questions about the alleged politicization of the Bush Justice Department.

Former Attorney General Alberto Gonzales asked Miers to consider implementing a "targeted for removal and replacement" system for some US Attorneys. It's alleged that the former administration didn't believe these officials were on the same page as the Bush White House. Democrats launched investigations into the dismissals.

The House and Senate Judiciary Committees subpoenaed Miers and other officials to testify about their role in the firings. But Miers refused to appear. The House eventually voted to hold Miers and former White House Chief of Staff Josh Bolten in contempt of Congress. But despite the contempt citation, both Miers and Bolten still refused to testify, sparking a constitutional standoff between two, co-equal branches of government.

The House then sued the Bush Administration in an effort to force Miers and Bolten to appear.

In March, Miers and former Bush adviser Karl Rove agreed to testify under oath.

Miers testified today behind closed doors. It remains unclear when Bolten could be deposed. But a senior House Democrat familiar with the inquiry described Bolten as "a tasty little morsel." The senior lawmaker indicated to FOX that Rove "is really the big catch." But there is still no agreement for Rove to appear.