The growing criticism of Gonzales, which intensified with Democrats calling for the attorney general’s resignation over the firings, has boiled over and now extends to a growing number of lawmakers from both parties who are publicly voicing their displeasure with DoJ.

While some Bush loyalists stand behind Gonzales, the attorney general cannot count on uniform GOP support as he is engaged in a fight for his political life.

Sens. Jon Kyl (R-Ariz.) and Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.), who have consistently backed the president throughout his six-plus years in office, have declined to defend Gonzales.

The latest example is Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (R-Calif.). The lawmaker has strongly criticized Gonzales in the case of two Border Patrol agents, who are serving long prison sentences for an incident that resulted in the shooting of a suspected Mexican drug smuggler.

Rohrabacher criticized the administration for its “pattern of arrogance” and the “ruthless prosecution” of former Border Patrol agents Ignacio Ramos and Jose Compean.

Since taking office, the Bush administration’s Justice Department has drawn the ire of Democrats and Republicans with expanding executive authority — often irking lawmakers in the process.

The administration and Sen. Arlen Specter (R-Pa.), the former chairman of the Judiciary Committee, have often clashed over the extent of presidential powers.

Sen. John Sununu (R-N.H.), who was the first Republican to publicly call for Gonzales’s resignation, this week expressed frustration with how DoJ handled concerns over the Patriot Act extension.

The senator also pointed to an internal DoJ investigation that showed the FBI’s misuse of so-called National Security Letters.

“When the Patriot Act was due to be reauthorized two years ago, the attorney general failed to address bipartisan concerns early in the process, resulting in a Senate filibuster and unnecessary delays in passing legislation,” Sununu stated when calling for Gonzales’s resignation.

“During the same period, the Justice Department gave assurances to Congress with regard to the use of National Security Letters,” Sununu added. “The recent Inspector General’s report has shown that our worst fears regarding the documentation and oversight of National Security Letters were all too real.”