Former Federal Judge Michael Mukasey, a tough-on-terrorism jurist with an independent streak, is U.S. President George W. Bush's choice to become U.S. attorney general to replace Alberto Gonzales and lead a Justice Department accused of being too close to White House politics.

Mukasey, a retired chief U.S. district judge, is likely to face a relatively smooth confirmation by a Democratic-led Senate that has demanded new Justice Department leadership for months.