Committee seeks Paulose interview

The House Judiciary Committee wants to interview U.S. Attorney for Minnesota Rachel Paulose, a former assistant to Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, as it continues its investigation into the firings of eight federal prosecutors.

Rep. John Conyers Jr., chairman of the committee, said he wants to interview Paulose and others based on an initial round of interviews and on a review of documents released by the Justice Department. The request was made in a letter Monday to Acting Assistant Attorney General Richard Hertling.

Paulose, who had served as a top Justice Department counsel and special assistant to Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, was appointed interim U.S. attorney in Minnesota in March 2006. Her predecessor was not among the eight fired U.S. attorneys, but critics have suggested her appointment was an example of political cronyism.

This month, three lawyers in Paulose's office resigned from their top management posts amid questions about the 34-year-old's management style and experience.

"In our continuing effort to determine the truth behind these firings, we believe that these future interviews will also provide information which we may not already have but that is critical to our investigation nonetheless," the letter said.

Conyers, D-Mich., said in the letter that the interviews would be voluntary.

A spokeswoman for Paulose could not be reached for comment after regular business hours Monday.