Special Prosecutor Named In AttorneyGate

Attorney General Michael Mukasey has appointed Nora Dannehy, the acting U.S. attorney in Connecticut, as special prosecutor investigating the firing of nine United States Attorneys. The announcement came with the conclusion of an 18-month investigation by the Office of Professional Responsibility and the DOJ Inspector General.

The launching of a criminal inquiry follows the recommendation of internal Justice Department investigators who concluded that, despite denials of the administration, political considerations played a part in the firings of as many as four of the federal prosecutors.

According to Public Record, the 392-page report (pdf) calls firing of New Mexico U.S. Attorney David Iglesias "the most 'controversial' and that his dismissal was 'engineered' by New Mexico GOP lawmakers Sen. Pete Domenici, Congresswoman Heather Wilson and former White House political adviser Karl Rove over complaints about Iglesias's refusal to secure indictments in voter fraud cases and in a public corruption case.

The report is an indictment of then-Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, who was confirmed by the Senate by a 60-36 vote (along party lines) in 2005. Democrats endorsing Gonzales included Landrieu (D-LA), Lieberman (D-CT), Nelson (D-FL), Nelson (D-NE), Pryor (D-AR) and Salazar (D-CO) .

Also at the center of the investigation: Karl Rove, who refused to cooperate with the 18-month investigation.

Related: AttorneyGate -- The Firing of US Attorneys, A Timeline and Reagan, Clinton, Bush: Why It's Different This Time