Sen. Arlen Specter, R-Pa., ranking Republican on the Senate Judiciary Committee, left, and committee chairman Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., listen to comments Thursday about the vote on contempt of Congress charges against former White House aid Karl Rove and White House Chief of Staff John Bolten.

Washington ? The Senate Judiciary Committee voted for a contempt citation against presidential confidants Karl Rove and Josh Bolten on Thursday, the latest move in an inquiry into possibly politically motivated firings of federal prosecutors.

The 12-7 vote sent the citation against the two to the full Senate. Majority Leader Harry Reid told reporters afterward that he will consider whether to bring it to the floor next year.

Rove, the architect of President Bush’s two campaigns for the White House, and Bolten, the president’s chief of staff, have refused to comply with subpoenas demanding testimony and documents in the congressional probe.

Rove, who recently left government, and Bolten claim the information Congress demands is off-limits under executive privilege. Lawmakers in both the House and Senate dispute that.

The Senate Judiciary Committee vote means that contempt citations against Bush administration officials await floor action in both chambers of Congress.

It’s not clear they will advance any further.