Schumer and Richardson in Today's Observer

Yesterday, I spent some time with Chuck Schumer down in his Washington office, and he predicted that while Alberto Gonzales will probably be forced to resign, the residue of the U.S. attorneys scandal will have some impact on the 2008 elections.

He's in for a busy week, as key witnesses testify before the Senate Committee on the Judiciary. Schumer predicted that Gonzales' former chief of staff will be a slippery witness and dismissed as "ridiculous" the terms the White House offered for a Rove and Miers testifying.

Sources in Schumer's office told me that subpoenas for the high level White House aides have already been authorized, though whether they will actually be issued is another story.

I also caught up with Bill Richardson during his busy trip to New York this week, and got an unexpectedly frank assessment of where he and his campaign are in relation to the Big Three.

--Jason Horowitz