U.S. Attorneys quit; senator blames Bush

Two U.S. Attorneys in California announced they are stepping down, as critics alleged political pressure from the Bush administration was pushing them and others out of their jobs.

Kevin Ryan, chief federal prosecutor for the state's Northern District, and Carol Lam, who headed the state's Southern District, both announced Tuesday they would be leaving.

The two are among 11 top federal prosecutors who have resigned or announced their resignations since an obscure provision in the USA Patriot Act reauthorization last year enabled the U.S. attorney general to appoint replacements without Senate confirmation.

California Sen. Dianne Feinstein, a Democrat, complained on the Senate floor Tuesday that the White House is using the provision to oust Ryan, Lam and other federal prosecutors and replace them with Republican allies.

"The Bush administration is pushing out U.S. attorneys from across the country under the cloak of secrecy and then appointing indefinite replacements," Feinstein said.

Attorney General Alberto Gonzales denied the claim, saying administration officials "in no way politicize these decisions."

Ryan, who was appointed to his post in 2002, replacing now-FBI director Robert Mueller, reached a "mutually agreeable decision with Washington" to step down, spokesman Luke Macaulay said. He declined to say whether President Bush had asked Ryan to resign.

Ryan did not give a date for his last day on the job.

During his tenure, Ryan oversaw high-profile prosecutions on stock options fraud and steroids in sports, which led to the convictions of five people linked to the Burlingame-based Bay Area Laboratory Co-Operative.

At least 106 companies are being probed by the Department of Justice or the Securities and Exchange Commission on questions about the timing of options grants. Options give recipients the right to buy stock at a fixed price, generally the stocks' market price the day of the grant. The inquiries are studying whether grants were "backdated" to coincide with low stock prices, maximizing the holder's potential for profit.

Criticism of Ryan has mostly centered on his administration of the office. Last year, a Justice Department audit reportedly questioned Ryan's management and rated staff morale as low.

Lam, also appointed in 2002, did not comment on the circumstances of her departure, slated for Feb. 15., or discuss future plans in a statement.

In her tenure leading the Southern District, which covers San Diego and Imperial counties, she prioritized prosecuting political corruption and health care fraud. She oversaw the government's case against Randy "Duke" Cunningham, the former Republican congressman who pleaded guilty to taking $2.4 million in bribes, and her office won corruption convictions of two San Diego city councilmen.