NEW YORK, March 13 (UPI) -- Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton told ABC News Tuesday that U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales should step down.
In an interview to be aired Wednesday on "Good Morning America," Clinton, also a Democratic senator from New York, called for a full investigation into the firing of eight U.S. attorneys.
Gonzales is under fire for his role. While the attorneys, who represent the federal government in civil and criminal cases, are political appointees, critics say that the Bush administration wanted them to serve as political operatives.
"The buck should stop somewhere, and the attorney general -- who still seems to confuse his prior role as the president's personal attorney with his duty to the system of justice and to the entire country -- should resign," Clinton said.
Gonzales, who first served President Bush as White House counsel, has acknowledged that the firings were mishandled but has said he would not resign.
President Bill Clinton asked for the resignation of every U.S. attorney after his election. Clinton said that was different because a new president, especially when his predecessor was from a different party, gets to choose his own people.
