The Attorney General will be spending more time with his family, with speculation centering on Michael Chertoff as a replacement. That probably means a nasty confirmation fight. Things weren’t going to get better for Gonzales this fall, which explains the decision to go now, but Judiciary Chairman Patrick Leahy is already making it clear that Gonzales’ resignation will not be the end of the story:
I hope the Attorney General’s decision will be a step toward getting to the truth about the level of political influence this White House wields over the Department of Justice and toward reconstituting its leadership so that the American people can renew their faith in its role as our leading law enforcement agency.
A tip of the hat to Paul Bedard and our competitor Newsmag Blog, U.S. News’ Washington Whispers, which was on top of this story Friday night.