Newly released emails confirm the White House worked with the Justice Department to fire eight U.S. Attorneys. The decisions were made in part on whether the prosecutors "exhibited loyalty to the president and attorney general." On Capitol Hill, Democratic lawmakers said they now want to question White House adviser Karl Rove and former White House counsel Harriet Miers. [includes rush transcript]

Calls for Attorney General Alberto Gonzales to resign are increasing as more details emerge on how the Justice Department worked with the White House to fire eight U.S. Attorneys.

Gonzales acknowledged on Tuesday mistakes had been made but refused to step down.

On Capitol Hill, Democratic lawmakers said they want to question White House adviser Karl Rove and former White House counsel Harriet Miers.

The House Judiciary Committee released a series of emails and documents that show the White House initiated the process more than two years ago that led to the dismissals. The decisions were made in part on whether the prosecutors "exhibited loyalty to the president and attorney general."

In one case, the Attorney General's chief of staff D. Kyle Sampson -- who resigned on Monday -- urged the White House counsel's office to call him regarding "the real problem we have right now with Carol Lam."

Carol Lam was the U.S. Attorney in Southern California who was leading the investigation of former Republican Congressman Randy Duke Cunningham. Sampson's email came on May 11, 2006, the same day the Los Angeles Times reported that Carol Lam's investigation was expanding to include another California Republican, Congressman Jerry Lewis.

Carol Lam later became one of the eight prosecutors fired. In a few minutes we will speak with the journalist Joe Conason who has been following the story closely. But first we turn to the testimony of David Iglesias, who was dismissed as the United States attorney in New Mexico. He testified before Congress last week.

• U.S. Attorney David Iglesias being questioned by Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY)

The political journalist Joe Conason has been closely following this story. He joins us in the firehouse studio.

• Joe Conason, national correspondent for The New York Observer, columnist for Salon.com and head of the Nation Institute Investigative Fund. His latest book is "It Can Happen Here: Authoritarian Peril in the Age of Bush."