Bush nominee faces Senate panel

Mr Bush nominated Mr Mukasey for the job last month

A Senate committee has begun a confirmation hearing for President George W Bush's nominee for Attorney General, Michael Mukasey.

A retired federal judge, Mr Mukasey, 66, has presided over a number of high-profile terror trials and is seen as an independent-minded conservative.

He promised the Senate Judiciary Committee he would steer clear of partisan politics in his decisions.

If confirmed, he will replace Alberto Gonzales, who resigned in August.

With Democratic and Republican members of the committee giving him pre-hearing endorsements, his confirmation seems all but assured, says the BBC's Jamie Coomarasamy in Washington.

Partisan politics plays no part in either the bringing of charges or the timing of charges Michael Mukasey Profile: Michael Mukasey

Under questioning by committee chairman Patrick Leahy, a Democrat, Mr Mukasey promised an independent pursuit of justice.

"Legal decisions and the progress of cases are decided by facts and law, not by interests and motives," Mr Mukasey said.

"Partisan politics plays no part in either the bringing of charges or the timing of charges," he said.

Mr Mukasey also repudiated a 2002 Justice Department memo - later overridden - saying the president could issue orders that violate the Geneva Conventions as well as international and US laws prohibiting torture.

The memo "was worse than a sin, it was a mistake. It was unnecessary", Mr Mukasey said.

'Clear-eyed'

Mr Mukasey's on-the-record answers to questions about interrogation techniques, phone tapping and other controversial issues will be closely scrutinised.

At the time of Mr Mukasey's nomination, Mr Bush said he had the right qualifications for the job and was "clear-eyed about the threat our nation faces".

Democratic Senator Charles Schumer of New York, a member of the committee and a persistent critic of Alberto Gonzales, said at the time that he saw Mr Mukasey as someone with whom he could do business.

Mr Gonzales resigned after months of pressure over his role in the firing of federal prosecutors.

The hearing was to continue on Thursday.