US Attorney General Gonzales announces resignation (3rd Lead)

Aug 27, 2007, 14:47 GMT

Washington - The top US law enforcement officer, Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, announced his resignation Monday after months of allegations he was behind politically motivated firings of federal prosecutors.

Gonzales told reporters at a press conference that he informed Bush of his decision on Sunday and that his last day in office will be September 17. US President George W Bush, who has stood by his justice minister, was expected to make remarks later from his ranch in Crawford, Texas.

'It has been one of my greatest privileges to lead the Department of Justice,' Gonzales said in a brief statement before walking away from the podium without taking questions.

Gonzales has been under intense pressure to resign from Democrats in Congress and even some of Bush's Republicans who believe he has not been honest about his role in the dismissal of eight federal prosecutors. Democrats also allege he has abused the country's anti- terrorism laws.

Gonzales, 52, has been close to the president since Bush was governor of Texas and served as his top legal aid in the White House before taking over at the Justice Department in February 2005.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, a longtime critic of Gonzales, said his resignation will not end the investigation into any potential White House role in the sacking of the prosecutors.

'Alberto Gonzales was never the right man for this job. He lacked independence, he lacked judgment...' Reid said in a statement. 'This resignation is not the end of the story.'

Senate Democrats in July called for a perjury investigation of Gonzales, charging that he made conflicting statements during congressional testimony about the firing of the prosecutors.

Gonzales had also come in for sharp criticism for allegedly overstepping the bounds of anti-terrorism laws in permitting surveillance of US citizens.

Gonzales is the latest to announce his departure from the administration as Bush heads into his final stretch in office. Bush's closest political advisor and deputy chief of staff Karl Rove announced earlier this month that he was leaving.

Rove had also been the subject of allegations about a potential White House role in the dismissal of the prosecutors. Rove, like Gonzales, has been with Bush since his days in Texas. Rove has refused to appear before the congressional panels probing the case.