The Obama administration Wednesday took the side of top Bush administration officials - including most-vocal recent critic, former Vice President Dick Cheney - in the ongoing fight over the outing of CIA operative Valerie Plame.

The Justice Department asked the Supreme Court not to hear an appeal of a lawsuit brought by Mrs. Plame and her husband, former U.S. Ambassador Joseph C. Wilson IV, against several top Bush administration officials.

The department's move continued the Bush administration's policy to fight the suit, which has already been dismissed by two lower courts.

The White House referred questions about the case to the Justice Department, which declined to comment.