U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales is facing tough questions about his honesty and his competence from members of the Senate Judiciary Committee Thursday. Gonzales defended his controversial decision to dismiss eight U.S. federal prosecutors late last year, saying it was "justified and should stand." Senator Arlen Specter, a Republican member of the panel, said he did not understand how Gonzales could say he played a "limited role" in the dismissals, after several of his aides had testified otherwise under oath. In a fiery exchange, Specter said he either had to question Gonzales's candidness or his judgment.

Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy, a Democrat, said the U.S. Department of Justice is experiencing an unparalleled crisis of leadership. He said Gonzales has undercut the credibility of the rule of law in the United States.

Gonzales is trying to explain the different explanations he has given about his involvement in the firings. Other Department of Justice officials also have given contradictory reasons for the firings, at first saying they were performance-related, and then backing away from that rationale.

Critics say they believe the firings were politically motivated and that President Bush's senior political adviser, Karl Rove, was deeply involved.

The Bush administration has defended the firings, saying the prosecutors serve at the pleasure of the president.

In prepared testimony released Sunday, Gonzales apologized for mishandling the matter, and says he was "less than precise" in his statements.

Committee Democrats are focusing many of their questions on the role Gonzales and the White House played in the firings of two prosecutors in the western states of California and New Mexico.

Gonzales has said that the prosecutors were dismissed as part of a management review designed to improve leadership in the Justice Department.