More on Lam

The Washington Post and McClatchy Newspapers’ D.C. bureau both recently took a look at the spate of forced U.S. attorney resignations around the nation.

The Post story had these interesting tidbits:

Six of the prosecutors received calls notifying them of their firings on a single day shortly before Christmas, officials said, including the U.S. attorney who oversaw a prominent public corruption probe in San Diego and a prosecutor in New Mexico whose life as a military lawyer was portrayed by Tom Cruise in the movie “A Few Good Men.” Most have told colleagues that they have no idea why they were shoved out, according to aides. …
But there is also evidence that broader political forces are at work. One administration official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity in discussing personnel issues, said the spate of firings was the result of “pressure from people who make personnel decisions outside of Justice who wanted to make some things happen in these places.”

McClatchy’s piece says: “Attorney General Alberto Gonzales is transforming the ranks of the nation’s top federal prosecutors by firing some and appointing conservative loyalists from the Bush administration’s inner circle who critics say are unlikely to buck Washington.”

A replacement for Lam has not yet been announced.

(And a hat-tip to TPMmucker.com for pointing us to the stories.)