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Bush ally Gonzales 'steps down' | Bush ally Gonzales 'steps down' |
(about 1 hour later) | |
US Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, embroiled in a row over the sacking of eight US attorneys, has resigned, reports quoting senior officials say. | |
Mr Gonzales, who reportedly submitted his resignation to the president on Friday, is expected to formally announce the move later on Monday. | |
Members of Congress have accused Mr Gonzalez of abuse of office over the sacking of federal prosecutors. | Members of Congress have accused Mr Gonzalez of abuse of office over the sacking of federal prosecutors. |
He is the latest in a run of senior officials to leave the White House. | |
The row over last year's firings, which critics in Congress claimed were politically motivated, has been rumbling for several months. | The row over last year's firings, which critics in Congress claimed were politically motivated, has been rumbling for several months. |
Mr Gonzales, the nation's top law-enforcement officer, has faced numerous calls to resign over the affair. | Mr Gonzales, the nation's top law-enforcement officer, has faced numerous calls to resign over the affair. |
Lying claims | |
Opponents say he fired the attorneys for political reasons and later lied about the reason for their dismissal. | |
He testified before committees in both houses of Congress, but senators later said he lied under oath. | He testified before committees in both houses of Congress, but senators later said he lied under oath. |
Mr Gonzales has repeatedly said that he did nothing wrong. | Mr Gonzales has repeatedly said that he did nothing wrong. |
A long-time friend of President George W Bush, Mr Gonzales is the latest senior official to leave the White House as the president approaches the end of his second term in office. | |
Karl Rove, Mr Bush's most trusted and senior adviser, announced earlier this month that he was stepping down. | |
Paul Wolfowitz, president of the World Bank, agreed in May to step down amid a row over the hiring of his girlfriend. | |
Donald Rumsfeld, one of the lead architects of the Iraq war, quit as defence secretary after a Republican battering at the polls in November's mid-term election. |