Two junior Democrats are urging their leaders to open an investigation into the Countrywide VIP mortgage program.

Rep. Paul Hodes (N.H.), who is in his second House term, and freshman Rep. Mike Quigley (Ill.) called on the House Oversight and Government Reform panel to initiate an investigation into Countrywide Financial's "Friends of Angelo"� VIP program and whether it was used to gain influence over federal officials.They made their case for the investigation in a letter to Rep. Edolphus Towns (D-N.Y.), the panel's chairman, and Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.), the ranking member. Towns has stood firmly against opening an investigation in the face of months of pressure from Issa and Republicans. Towns, who received two mortgage...