An ethics watchdog group called on the Senate Monday to investigate whether Sen. Pete Domenici (R-N.M.) inappropriately contacted a U.S. attorney regarding an ongoing criminal probe. 

In a letter to the Senate Committee on Ethics, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) said Domenici should be investigated for contacting New Mexico U.S. Attorney David Iglesias in October 2006 to inquire about an ongoing corruption investigation of Democrats. 

Domenici said in a statement that he called Iglesias and asked “if he could tell me what was going on in that investigation and give me an idea of what time frame we were looking at.” 

“It was a very brief conversation,” Domenici said, “which concluded when I was told that the courthouse investigation would be continuing for a lengthy period.” 

CREW sees Domenici’s involvement as an attempt to influence the November elections. 

“The communication with Mr. Iglesias appears to have been based on political considerations, i.e., Sen. Domenici made the telephone call in October 2006 in an apparent attempt to influence Mr. Iglesias to take action that might have adversely affected Democrats in the November elections,” according to the group. 

CREW urged “swift and harsh action” by the Ethics Committee if Domenici attempted to influence a criminal case to benefit the GOP. 

Domenici apologized for making the call but disputed that it was politically motivated or an ethics violation. 

“In retrospect, I regret making that call and I apologize,” the senator said. “However, at no time in that conversation or any other conversation with Mr. Iglesias did I ever tell him what course of action I thought he should take on any legal matter. I have never pressured him nor threatened him in any way.” 

Iglesias was one of eight U.S. attorneys fired by the Justice Department in December. Congressional Democrats have alleged the firings were politically motivated and charge they were intended to clear the way for appointment of political allies of the Bush administration. 

Adding to their speculation is news that the director of the Executive Office of U.S. Attorneys at the Justice Department, Tony Battle, may be leaving his post. 

The White House played down any connection and Bush spokesman Tony Snow on Monday told reporters Battle has “made it known for many months that he’s wanted to move on.” 

CREW requested that the Ethics Committee examine a potential violation of Senate Rule 43 , which grants senators permission to contact independent and executive government officials at the request of petitioners. Domenici’s request has not been identified as a response to petition. 

The Senate Ethics Manual, in a discussion of Rule 43, says it is “the general advice” of the Ethics Committee that senators should refrain from intervening in pending legal actions. 

“The principle behind such advice is that the judicial system is the appropriate forum for the resolution of legal disputes and, therefore, the system should be allowed to function without interference from outside services,” the manual reads.

CREW also implied that Domenici breached another part of the Senate Ethics Manual, engaging in “improper conduct, which may reflect upon the Senate.” 

The manual states that the Senate has previously concluded “certain conduct” to be “unethical and improper even though such conduct may not necessarily have violated any written law, or Senate rule or regulation.” Such conduct has been characterized as “improper conduct which may reflect upon the Senate.”