Washington, D.C. ? Attorney General Alberto Gonzales late Friday declined to provide his congressional critics with information on whether he misled Congress in sworn testimony related to his department’s purge of federal prosecutors.

Gonzales’ refusal increases the likelihood that lawmakers of both parties will seek ways to pry him from office.

In a two-page letter to Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy, Gonzales reiterated his position that alleged violations of the USA Patriot Act were mistakes rather than civil liberties abuses. He said he was not aware of any political briefings at the Justice Department akin to those given by White House political aides at other federal agencies.