'm surprised that they're replacing people with political operatives

And what's up with the title of this discussion? "Critics?!" What critics? Not even Dianne Feinstein has suggested that these folks are being asked to step down because they've criticized the Bush Administration. All indications are that they are being asked to resign because they were doing a shitty job.

I'm surprised that they're replacing people with political operatives.

Are they? I read every link, but didn't see many indicators that the replacements were political hacks. In fact, I didn't see any indication of who the replacements are at all, save one: Diane J. Humetewa.

Without knowing more details, we can't assess whether Bush has appointed the equivalents of Harriet Miers or John Roberts -- both of whom were considered by Bush's detractors to be political choices, but only one of which was actually unqualified. The utter failure to provide facts in this story* is telling.

* By the linked articles, not you, Thalia.

Barry Bonds and Bush aren't friends.

It's difficult to evaluate this situation without more information from less biased sources. What are these attorneys records? Is this routine or not?  My own research uncovered the fact Bud Cummings is not a U.S. Attorney, so I honestly don't know what to believe.

I don't find Daily Kos links terribly helpful. Since Bud Cummings doesn't seem to exist, I looked up Carol Lam. This blog has an interesting take on her situation, and this newspaper article offers some reasons why she may have been replaced:

"An independent research organization based at Syracuse University analyzed prosecution data and concluded that between 2001, before Lam took over, and 2005, prosecutions in San Diego declined to 3,261 from 5,266, or 38 percent. More recent statistics are not available."

"From the start, Lam said she would put more focus on white-collar crime cases, which can be more complex and take more time and resources.
But even in that area, the number of cases went down. In 2001, according to the Syracuse study, there were 142 white-collar crime prosecutions. In 2005, the number was 82. "

"Indeed, it is those white-collar corruption prosecutions that will be most remembered about Lam's tenure. There, too, critics find fault.
"I applaud the theory of going after white-collar crime, but some of the individual decisions over who to go after have been lax," said defense attorney Michael Crowley. He represented City Council aide David Cowan, a minor figure in the San Diego City Hall strip club case who was acquitted of a single charge but was devastated by the ordeal.

In that case, council members were charged with accepting campaign contributions in exchange for eliminating rules banning touching between patrons and dancers. The convictions of former Councilman Michael Zucchet were thrown out by a federal judge after the trial. The case is now on appeal.

Crowley and others also pointed to Lam's prosecution of local political consultant Larry Remer for using college funds for a bond campaign ad. That corruption prosecution ended in a hung jury and eventually resulted in a misdemeanor plea.

"If you are saying you don't have enough resources, why are you spending them on that?" said a lawyer who spoke on the condition of anonymity.

And then there was the Alvarado Hospital case. An expert on medical fraud, Lam prosecuted officials there for allegedly accepting kickbacks over a common practice used in the industry to entice doctors to work in underserved areas.

The case was tried twice, with Lam herself prosecuting the second trial, but neither jury could reach a verdict."