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WASHINGTON — Sen. Pete Domenici had no qualms about voting to block the Senate from expressing no confidence in Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, who Domenici successfully lobbied to fire New Mexico U.S. Attorney David Iglesias.

There isn't any reason in the Constitution for a "no confidence" vote about a Cabinet member, and no one gave him a reason why he shouldn't vote, the Albuquerque Republican told reporters before joining with other Republicans to prevent a vote on the resolution Monday night.

In the end, his vote wasn't pivotal, as Democrats fell seven votes of the 60 needed to cut off debate on the resolution.

But the New Mexico Democratic Party said Domenici should have abstained from the procedural vote on Gonzales because his involvement in Iglesias' dismissal meant he could not be unbiased about Gonzales.

Said Party Chairman Brian Col¢n: "It's no surprise that Domenici has full confidence in Bush's Department of Justice - the Bush administration has been as responsive to Domenici's political needs as he is to theirs. However, Domenici had a clear conflict of interest, and he never should have cast a vote today."

Senate ethics rules generally only counsel a senator to abstain from voting when the senator has a direct financial interest in the outcome.

"Just because my name came up in conjunction (with Gonzales), therefore it does not follow that I cannot vote," said Domenici.

The Senate ethics committee has launched a preliminary inquiry into whether Domenici violated ethics rules by contacting Iglesias about the federal investigation involving former Democratic state Sen. Manny Aragon before Aragon was indicted.

Monday's vote was 53-38. Six Republicans voted with the Democrats, including Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania, the ranking Republican on the Judiciary Committee, which has been investigating the firings of Iglesias and seven other U.S. attorneys.

The sponsor of the resolution, New York Democrat Charles Schumer, said before the vote Monday: "We have learned that under Attorney General Gonzales, being a loyal `Bushie' was more important than being a consummate professional. We have learned that U.S. attorneys who were doing their jobs admiringly were apparently dismissed because of unfounded allegations by political figures, allegations that were never investigated, never proven."

Republicans spent more time attacking the alleged political motives of the Democrats than defending Gonzales. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell said Schumer had a conflict of interest, too, because at the same time he is heading the investigation of Gonzales, he is chairing the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee which attempts to unseat Republican senators.

"I trust we will not see he's using the Senate vote on his own resolution for campaign purposes," said McConnell.

Sen. Trent Lott, a Mississippi Republican, noting the collapse of the immigration bill last week, said, "Maybe we should consider a vote of `no confidence' in the Senate or in the Congress for an inability to produce anything."

Schumer responded, "They have failed to utter the words, `We have faith in Attorney General Gonzales.' "

While no-confidence votes can bring down a government in a parliamentary system, the only way for Congress to remove a presidential appointee is through impeachment.