More National/World

• Congressman is indicted
• Series of attacks target Green Zone
• Iran is defying U.N., agency says

MOST RECENT TRIB STORIES

• ABQTrib.com to remain available
  08:48 a.m., February 25, 2008
• Congressman is indicted
  08:37 a.m., February 23, 2008
• Series of attacks target Green Zone
  08:36 a.m., February 23, 2008
• Iran is defying U.N., agency says
  08:35 a.m., February 23, 2008
• Waterboarding approval probed
  08:34 a.m., February 23, 2008

TRIB IN THE BLOGOSPHERE*

• Ty Murray Invitational thrills fans in Albuquerque
• Is Rome Burning?
• Ominous Skies
• The Road to Invalidation
• Albuquerque company participates in “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition”

*Note: The Tribune does not create and is not responsible for the blogosphere's headlines and stories. These links to blogs talking about ABQTrib.com are automatically generated. Use them at your own risk.

STORY TOOLS

• E-mail story
• Comments
• iPod friendly
• Printer friendly

SHARE THIS STORY [?]

WASHINGTON — Ousted U.S. Attorney David Iglesias says he should be replaced in Albuquerque by one of his two former top aides - both career prosecutors who interviewed for the job - instead of a politically connected nominee.

According to a newly released internal Justice Department document, Larry Gomez, acting U.S. attorney and former first assistant to Iglesias, and Rumaldo Armijo, executive assistant U.S. attorney, were interviewed but, the memo said, the Justice Department "would like additional candidates before making a decision."

The same document said a "possible nominee" is Jim Bibb, the losing Republican candidate for state attorney general last year and one of four names submitted by Sen. Pete Domenici, an Albuquerque Republican who pushed the Bush administration to fire Iglesias.

Domenici submitted four names for the administration's consideration. In general, such nominations are accepted and one of the nominees is selected.

The document referring to additional candidates was among 3,000 pages released by the Justice Department this week that added more fuel Tuesday to a confrontation between the Democrat-controlled Congress and President Bush, who vowed to defy subpoenas for White House aides for what he labeled a "partisan fishing expedition."

Iglesias told The Tribune on Tuesday that he believes all eight U.S. attorneys who were fired late last year should be replaced by career Justice Department prosecutors, not political appointees.

"I think it would allay any fears that the public has that whoever replaces us may be overly political in light of the revelations and the scandal that politics played a huge roll in our terminations," Iglesias said.

Either Gomez or Armijo, he said, would "do a wonderful job as U.S. attorney."

He said he's known Armijo for 20 years - both attended the University of New Mexico Law School - and called his former colleague "tremendously talented and ethical."

Gomez is equally known for his "professionalism and is well respected by the office and the courts," said Iglesias.

After his firing, Iglesias had recommended to Attorney General Alberto Gonzales that Gomez be named acting U.S. attorney, stating in a letter, "He has loyally served this administration and has previously been interim U.S. attorney between the first Bush administration and the Clinton administration."

Gomez, Armijo and Bibb did not return phone calls.

Domenici had no comment on the idea of selecting a career federal prosecutor over one of his recommendations. Domenici faces a Senate ethics committee inquiry over his call to Iglesias last October seeking information about a local corruption probe.

In January, Domenici announced that he was recommending Bush choose from among four people to replace Iglesias, including Bibb. The others were Glenn Ellington, a Santa Fe attorney; Charles Peifer, a former assistant attorney general; and Pat Rogers, an Albuquerque attorney who was among the Republicans who complained to the Justice Department about Iglesias.

Albuquerque attorney Jason Bowles, who represented former state Treasurer Robert Vigil, has been endorsed as a nominee by Sen. Jeff Bingaman, a Silver City Democrat.

"My only concern," Bingaman said Tuesday, "is that we get a U.S. attorney for New Mexico that has the best qualifications and experience for the job."

Also on Tuesday, Bush defended the decision by Gonzales to fire eight U.S. attorneys, including Iglesias, but not how they were fired.

"I also want to say something to the U.S. attorneys who have resigned: I appreciate your service to the country," the president said. "While I strongly support the attorney general's decision, and am confident he acted appropriately, I regret that these resignations turned into such a public spectacle."

Iglesias told The Tribune that he appreciated the president's thank-you but also wants an apology from someone in the administration and a retraction of the claims that the fired U.S. attorneys were not performing well.

Bush was much less conciliatory toward Democrats in Congress, who rejected his offer to interview Karl Rove and other White House aides - only in private, not under oath and with no transcript, according to Bush's demand - and set meetings this week to issue subpoenas.

A House panel today approved subpoenas for Rove and other top White House aides, setting up a constitutional showdown over the firings of eight federal prosecutors.

White House spokesman Tony Snow said that in offering aides to talk to the committees privately, Bush had sought to avoid the "media spectacle" that would result from public hearings with Rove and others at the witness table.

"There must be accountability," countered subcommittee Chairwoman Linda Sanchez, a California Democrat.

Bush said presidents could not receive candid advice if their aides could be hauled before Congress and that he would defend that separation of powers in court if necessary.

The Senate trimmed Bush's authority over U.S. attorneys Tuesday, voting 94-2 to repeal a provision of the Patriot Act that permitted Gonzales to appoint interim U.S. attorneys for indefinite periods without submitting a nominee to the Senate for confirmation. The bill would mandate that the local U.S. District Court would appoint an interim U.S. attorney if a vacancy is unfilled for more than 120 days.

Domenici and Bingaman voted for the bill.