Watchdog group calls for probe of Domenici / Dems to summon 2 more fired U.S. attorneys

2007-03-06 04:00:00 PDT Washington -- Democrats plan to subpoena two more U.S. attorneys who were recently dismissed from their posts as congressional leaders prepare for House and Senate hearings today to determine whether the Bush administration played politics in the firing of federal prosecutors.

On Monday, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, a congressional watchdog group, filed a formal complaint against Sen. Pete Domenici, R-N.M., asking the Senate Select Committee on Ethics to investigate his conduct for allegedly interfering with the work of his state's U.S. attorney, which would be a violation of Senate rules.

The Department of Justice revealed Monday that Domenici made as many as four phone calls over the past two years to Attorney General Alberto Gonzales and his deputy to complain about the U.S. attorney in New Mexico, David Iglesias, and question whether he was "up for the job."

A total of six former federal prosecutors are being summoned to the hearings before the Senate Judiciary Committee and a subcommittee of the House Judiciary panel, just as the issue is taking on new importance in Congress.

Democrats contend the prosecutors were fired for political reasons. But the Republican administration has said it has the authority to make personnel changes it deems appropriate -- without congressional interference. The administration has said none of the six prosecutors was let go because of politics.

The use of subpoenas marks the first time the new Democratic-controlled Congress has seized that extraordinary power in its attempt to oversee the Bush administration. The issue is all the more volatile because it involves a senior Republican senator, Domenici, and could pull in a senior Republican member of the House, Heather Wilson of New Mexico.

Four former prosecutors already have been subpoenaed for the House hearing: Iglesias, Carol Lam of San Diego, John McKay of Seattle, and H.E. "Bud" Cummins of Little Rock, Ark. All four are to appear at both hearings.

In addition, the House subcommittee plans to issue subpoenas today for two more recently dismissed prosecutors: Daniel Bogden of Nevada and Paul Charlton of Arizona. House officials said Bogden and Charlton agreed to appear at today's hearing.

Eight federal prosecutors -- including Kevin Ryan in San Francisco -- have been dismissed by the Department of Justice, but Iglesias' case has raised the greatest concern.

He has said he cannot understand why he was removed. He said he was troubled by a phone call from Domenici just before last year's midterm election inquiring about a continuing criminal investigation of New Mexico Democrats.

At the time, Domenici's Republican colleague in the House, Wilson, was locked in a tight campaign for re-election, and some Democrats speculate that Domenici and Wilson believed last-minute indictments against New Mexico Democrats would boost her chances. She won in a squeaker.

Sunday, Domenici acknowledged that he had made a call to Iglesias before the election but said it was only to ask how long the investigation would last.

"It was a very brief conversation," the senator said.

Wilson acknowledged Monday that she contacted Iglesias to complain about the pace of his corruption investigations. But she denied allegations from Iglesias that she was pressuring him to speed them up.

"I did not ask about the timing of any indictments, and I did not tell Mr. Iglesias what course of action I thought he should take or pressure him in any way," Wilson said in a statement. "The conversation was brief and professional."