More federal prosecutors resign under pressure

I saw this story on Keith Olberman last night, a show I unfortunately almost never watch. I was stunned that this is going on completely under the radar - the Bush administration is believed to be driving prosecutors who are Democrats out of office and using a new law that allows them to appoint "temporary" replacements for an indefinite period.

http://www.cnn.com/2007/LAW/01/17/feds.quit.ap/
(AP) -- Two U.S. Attorneys in California announced they are stepping down, as critics alleged political pressure from the Bush administration was pushing them and others out of their jobs. The two are among 11 top federal prosecutors who have resigned or announced their resignations since an obscure provision in the USA Patriot Act reauthorization last year enabled the U.S. attorney general to appoint replacements without Senate confirmation.

California Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D), complained on the Senate floor Tuesday that the White House is using the provision to oust Ryan, Lam and other federal prosecutors and replace them with Republican allies. "The Bush administration is pushing out U.S. attorneys from across the country under the cloak of secrecy and then appointing indefinite replacements," Feinstein said.

In her tenure leading the Southern District, Carol Lam prioritized prosecuting political corruption and health care fraud. She also oversaw the government's case against Randy "Duke" Cunningham, the former Republican congressman who pleaded guilty to taking $2.4 million in bribes, and her office won corruption convictions of two San Diego city councilmen.