Date set for Gonzales Senate vote

The US Senate has scheduled a vote of no confidence in the Attorney General, Alberto Gonzales, for June.

Mr Gonzales, one of President George W Bush's closest allies, has been under fire for his role in the dismissal of a number of federal prosecutors.

Democrats and a number of Republicans have called on him to step down, but Mr Bush has continued to defend him.

Mr Bush backed Mr Gonzales in a White House news conference, saying he still had confidence in the attorney general.

Congress' highly unusual no-confidence vote has now been scheduled for next month.

Although the US attorney general is appointed by the president alone, those senators who want Mr Gonzales to resign hope the prospect of an embarrassing public reprimand might focus his mind.

Dwindling support

Five Republicans have publicly echoed calls by the majority Democrats for the attorney general to go, while several others have questioned his ability to serve in his current office.

At the root of the controversy is the role Mr Gonzales played in the firing of eight federal prosecutors last year, some of whom allege they were dismissed for political reasons.

His old friend and close ally President Bush has maintained that the charges against Mr Gonzales are themselves being dragged out for political theatre.

"I've got confidence in Al Gonzales," Mr Bush said at a White House news conference.

If there had been any wrongdoing at the justice department, it would be taken care of, he added.

He described the congressional hearings over Mr Gonzales as "grand political theatre".

However, that is a sentiment now shared by fewer and fewer people on Capitol Hill.