(R-NE): "I trusted him before, but I can't now" Rep. Adam Putnam (R-FL), House Republican Conference Chairman, 1st top House Republican to call for ouster: "time for fresh leadership" Rep. Tom Tancredo (R-CO): "a series of leadership failures" In addition, several Republicans were critical of Gonzales, without calling for his resignation or firing: Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX), member of Senate Judiciary Committee: "the way this has been handled has been deplorable" Sen. John Ensign (R-NV), chairman of National Republican Senatorial Committee: "incompetence," "they blew it" Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC), member of Senate Judiciary Committee: "He has said some things that just don't add up" Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME): "I do not think he has served the president well" Rep. Jim Sensenbrenner (R-WI), member of House Judiciary Committee: "could die by a thousand cuts" Republican Senators Trent Lott and Orrin Hatch expressed support for Gonzales, although Hatch conceded that Gonzales had "bungled." Announcement On August 26, 2007, Gonzales submitted his resignation as attorney general with an effective date of September 17, 2007. In a statement on August 27, Gonzales thanked the President for the opportunity to be of service to his country, giving no indication of either the reasons for his resignation or his future plans. Later that day, President Bush praised Gonzales for his service, reciting the numerous positions in Texas government, and later, the government of the United States, to which Bush had appointed Gonzales. Bush attributed the resignation to Gonzales's name having been "dragged through the mud" for "political reasons". Senators Schumer (D-NY), Feinstein (D-CA), and Specter (R-PA) replied that the resignation was entirely attributable to the excessive politicization of the attorney general's office by Gonzales, whose credibility with Congress, they asserted, was nonexistent. Successor On September 17, 2007, President Bush announced the nomination of ex-Judge Michael B. Mukasey to serve as Gonzales's successor. Bush also announced a revised appointment for acting attorney general: Paul Clement served for 24 hours and returned to his position as solicitor general; the departing assistant attorney general of the Civil Division, Peter Keisler was persuaded to stay on, and was appointed acting attorney general effective September 18, 2007. Post-resignation Investigations Soon after departure from the DOJ in September 2007, continuing inquiries by Congress and the Justice Department led Gonzales to hire a criminal-defense lawyer George J. Terwilliger III, partner at White & Case, and former deputy attorney general under former president George