In other news, a spate of dismissals of federal prosecutors is raising new allegations the Bush administration is interfering with the judicial system. In one controversial case, Justice Department officials have asked San Diego U.S. Attorney Carol Lam to step down. Legal experts say the move is unprecedented because Lam was never accused of misconduct while in office. Lam oversaw the corruption prosecution against the jailed former Republican Congressmember Duke Cunningham. She’s also avoided low-level cases around border smuggling and focused on public corruption and white-collar crime. The Associated Press reports at least 11 U.S. attorneys have resigned since last year’s enactment of an obscure provision in the USA PATRIOT Act that allows the U.S. attorney general to name replacements without Senate confirmation. Criticism is also being raised about those new replacements. In Arkansas, both state senators voiced concerns after the administration appointed a former research director for the Republican National Committee.