Dems seek testimony from fired U.S. attorneys

But Democrats say the eight firings — some without cause, according to the Justice Department — indicate the Bush administration is using a new provision in the Patriot Act to reward political allies with coveted jobs as U.S. attorneys.

Congressional pressure
The new provision, enacted a year ago with the reauthorization of the Patriot Act, removes a time limit within which appointees to such posts must be confirmed by the Senate. Democrats say that's a Bush administration effort to get around the confirmation process.

Attorney General Alberto Gonzales has said he intends to submit the name of every nominee to vacant U.S. attorney posts to the Senate for confirmation.

Still, Democrats tried to revive a bill Wednesday that would reimpose the time limit. An objection by Sen. Jon Kyl, R-Ariz., killed the measure. On Wednesday, its sponsor, Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., tried to attach it as an amendment to an omnibus bill to tighten the nation's homeland security. Kyl was again expected to block the measure, his spokesman said.

The Justice Department says a 120-day limit isn't enough time for an appointee to be recommended by home-state senators, nominated and confirmed.

But raising the issue on the Senate floor allowed Feinstein to read a news story into the record that fueled the matter anew Wednesday.

‘Episode came like a thief in the night’
In Wednesday's editions, McClatchy Newspapers quoted Iglesias as claiming that two members of Congress contacted him in the weeks before the 2006 election to ask about an investigation of a kickback scheme. He said the members, whom he refused to identify, appeared eager to see an indictment just before the elections.

Corruption charges against two previous state New Mexico treasurers — both Democrats — became an issue during the election; further charges could have helped the Republicans. Iglesias, a Republican, refused to name the members of Congress in the report because he feared retaliation, according to McClatchy Newspapers. Contacted by the AP, Iglesias said: "I've got nothing further to say about that."

The Justice Department's Roeherkasse said that the U.S. Attorneys Manual calls on federal prosecutors to notify the agency of any calls from members of Congress.

"We are unaware that anyone in Main Justice (department headquarters) was notified of any conversations between U.S. Attorney Iglesias and members of the New Mexico Congressional delegation," Roehrkasse said.

Earlier Wednesday, Iglesias' last day on the job, he told reporters at a news conference in Albuquerque, N.M., that the Bush administration's call for his resignation came without warning and was rooted in politics — not performance.

"This episode came like a thief in the night," he said of the Dec. 7 request for him to step down. He added, "Obviously, I tripped some wire."

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