Cooley at center of lawsuit

As one veteran prosecutor puts it, the infighting, lawsuits and upheaval inside the Los Angeles District Attorney's Office has turned it into a veritable "snake's nest." Troy Anderson in the Daily News.

A series of legal battles between the prosecutors union and District Attorney Steve Cooley over allegations of anti-labor retaliation has provided a rare and sordid glimpse into the office charged with enforcing the law in the nation's most populous county.

"There is a lot of apparent acrimony between the administration and the union," said Tom Higgins, the head deputy district attorney who oversees criminal filings for most of Los Angeles and once ran against Cooley. "I think it's unfortunate we are fighting amongst ourselves."