Ex-Justice official praises most fired U.S. attorneys (AP/CNN)

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WASHINGTON (AP) -- The Justice Department's former No. 2 official testified Thursday he was unaware of plans to fire underperforming U.S. attorneys and praised all but one of the eight who were purged last year.

Jim Comey, who served as deputy attorney general from 2003 to 2005, said he had one 15-minute conversation during his tenure about prosecutors who were considered weak managers. Only one of the eight who were ultimately fired -- Kevin Ryan, the former U.S. attorney in San Francisco -- fit that description, Comey said.
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His testimony starkly contrasted with the Justice Department's insistence that the eight were ordered to resign in a midterm purge because they were considered underperformers in some of the Bush administration's priority crime-fighting areas.

David Iglesias of New Mexico, for example, was "a very effective U.S. attorney," Comey said. He called Daniel Bogden of Nevada "as straight as a Nevada highway and a fired-up guy" and Paul Charlton of Arizona "one of the best."

Of John McKay, former prosecutor in Seattle: "One of my favorites," Comey said. Carol Lam of San Diego was "a fine U.S. attorney."
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more: http://www.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/05/03/fired.prosecutors.ap/index.html