Political pressure over the prosecution and untimely death of Aaron Swartz seems to be increasing rather than fizzling out. On Tuesday, Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-CA) introduced "Aaron's Law," which would reform the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act that was used to prosecute Swartz. Another member of the House Judiciary Committee, Darrell Issa (R-CA), said he wanted to investigate the actions of the US Attorney who authorized the prosecution, Carmen Ortiz of Massachusetts.

Ortiz responded shortly after that, saying her office's prosecution was "appropriate" and reasonable. Her attorneys were willing to let Swartz serve just six months in a "low-security setting," she wrote.

That statement has hardly put the issue to rest. If anything, Ortiz's defense seems to be adding fuel to the fire.

Today, another key lawmaker is demanding more information about the prosecution—a lot more information. Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) sent a letter this morning to Attorney General Eric Holder, suggesting the case against Swartz may have been retaliation for prior investigations of Swartz, or his use of FOIA.

Cornyn and Holder have a history of bad blood, and their past disputes have had a partisan slant to them. In a public hearing last year, Cornyn actually demanded that Holder resign because he wasn't forthcoming enough about Operation Fast and Furious, a sting operation that involved smuggling guns to Mexican drug cartels with the intention of tracing them. Holder was "failing and refusing to perform the duties of [his] office," and had "violated the public trust," Cornyn said then. Holder called Cornyn's complaints inaccurate and "political gamesmanship."

Cornyn's latest letter asks [PDF]: