Timeline: How the U.S. Attorneys Were Fired
June: U.S. Attorney Bud Cummins of Arkansas is asked to resign.
May 12: The FBI raids Foggo's house and office.
May 11: Sampson tells White House Deputy Counsel William Kelley: "The real problem we have right now with Carol Lam ... leads me to conclude that we should have someone ready to be nominated on 11/18, the day her 4-year term expires."
May 10: The U.S. attorney's office in San Diego notifies the Justice Department that search warrants are to be executed for Foggo, the No. 3 official in the CIA.
March 9: The Patriot Act reauthorization allows the attorney general to appoint interim prosecutors for an indefinite period of time without approval from the Senate. Previously, interim attorneys could serve only 120 days.
March 8: Foggo resigns as executive director of the CIA.
Jan. 9: Sampson recommends to Miers and Kelley that their office "work quietly with targeted U.S. attorneys to encourage them to leave government service voluntarily."
2005
March: Sampson recommends to Miers and Kelley the retention of U.S. attorneys "who have produced, managed well, and exhibited loyalty to the President and Attorney General" and the removal of those "who have been ineffectual managers and prosecutors, chafed against Administration initiatives, etc."
Feb. 3: Gonzales is confirmed as the 80th attorney general.
January: Rove inquires about the firing of U.S. attorneys. Sampson responds that "...we would like to replace 15–20 percent of the current U.S. Attorneys–the underperforming ones. (This is a rough guess; we might want to consider doing performance evaluations after Judge comes on board.) The vast majority of U.S. Attorneys, 80–85 percent, I would guess, are doing a great job, are loyal Bushies, etc."
Sources:
Washington Post
Associated Press
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