Surgin' an' Purgin' with Paul Krugman

Paul Krugman explains why the administration has suddenly begun firing federal prosecutors:

Surging and Purging, by Paul Krugman, Commentary, NY Times: There’s something happening here, and what it is seems completely clear: the Bush administration is trying to protect itself by purging independent-minded prosecutors.

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Since the middle of last month, the Bush administration has pushed out at least four U.S. attorneys, and possibly as many as seven, without explanation. The list includes Carol Lam ... who successfully prosecuted Duke Cunningham, a Republican congressman, on major corruption charges. The top F.B.I. official in San Diego ...[said] that Ms. Lam’s dismissal would undermine multiple continuing investigations. ...

[S]uch a wholesale firing of prosecutors ... isn’t normal... Why, then, are prosecutors that the Bush administration itself appointed suddenly being pushed out? The likely answer is that for the first time the administration is really worried about where corruption investigations might lead.

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