The New York Times today reports that Ashcroft's own prosecutors are criticizing him for not appointing special counsel in the CIA leak probe relating to the disclosure of CIA operative Valerie Plame's identity.

Several senior criminal prosecutors at the Justice Department and top F.B.I. officials have privately criticized Attorney General John Ashcroft for failing to recuse himself or appoint a special prosecutor to investigate the leak of a C.I.A. operative's identity. The criticism reflects the first sign of dissension in the department and the F.B.I. as the inquiry nears a critical phase. The attorney general must decide whether to convene a grand jury, which could compel White House officials to testify.

The criminal justice officials, who spoke on the condition that they not be identified, represent a cross section of experienced criminal prosecutors and include political supporters of Mr. Ashcroft at the department's headquarters here and at United States attorneys' offices around the country. The officials said they feared Mr. Ashcroft could be damaged by continuing accusations that as an attorney general with a long career in Republican partisan politics, he could not credibly lead a criminal investigation that centered on the aides to a Republican president.

[link via Matt Yglesias at Tapped , who also comments about the difference between an independent counsel and a special counsel.]

While we're on this topic, check out the compilation of sources and articles on the Plame-Wilson-CIA leaks story over at Alex Parker's The Parks Department. And Tom McGuire's recommended additions to Alex's list.

Update: CBS News provides this analysis of Ashcroft, the leaks probe and his potential conflicts of interest.