Senators disagree on whether attorney general should go

Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday vowed to ratchet up their investigation of the Bush administration's firing of eight U.S. attorneys amid revelations that the purge was orchestrated with the White House by a top aide to Attorney General Alberto Gonzales.

But two top Democrats disagreed over whether Gonzales should remain in office. Sen. Charles Schumer of New York wants the attorney general to resign, saying the handling of the prosecutors "is about as serious as it gets." Sen. Dianne Feinstein of California stopped short of Schumer's position, saying she would withhold judgment until the committee wraps up its investigation.

Asked about the difference, Feinstein said, "I am more reserved than my colleague in general."

Gonzales said on Tuesday he would not resign, but noted: "I acknowledge that mistakes were made here. I accept that responsibility."

Schumer and Feinstein called a news conference to respond to reports that top Justice Department official D. Kyle Sampson, who resigned this week, had coordinated the removal of the U.S. attorneys with then-White House Chief Counsel Harriet Miers and White House political adviser Karl Rove.

Feinstein said news articles called into question White House motives in convincing Congress last year to give the administration power to appoint interim U.S. attorneys to indefinite terms.

"Some people say it was for national security reasons, but that no longer washes," she said. At another point, she wondered aloud, "Did the president know [the firings] were in the works?"

The Senate is scheduled to take up a bill by Feinstein that would repeal the 2006 measure and reinstate previous rules that would allow the local federal district court to appoint a federal prosecutor if the administration's candidate is not confirmed by the Senate within 120 days.

Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., has filed for cloture to overcome an objection raised against the bill by Sen. Jon Kyl, R-Ariz. As a part of a possible unanimous consent agreement, Kyl has asked for a vote on an amendment that would waive the 120-day deadline in some cases.

Feinstein said she had not had a chance to read the amendment. Feinstein said she expects the committee to issue subpoenas for Sampson, Miers and Rove. "We will dig as deep as is required," she said.