The Stevens Six have lawyered up. And what lawyers they are.

Legal Times reports that Nicholas Marsh, one of the public integrity prosecutors, has hired Karl Rove's lawyer, Robert Luskin, of Patton Boggs.

Joseph Bottini, one of the Alaska-based assistant US Attorneys, has teamed up with Kenneth Wainstein, a partner at O'Melveny & Myers, who is a former U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia, and most recently served as a homeland security adviser to President Bush. Wainstein is said by Legal Times to have "close ties" to Mary Patrice Brown, the new head of DOJ's Office of Professional Responsibility, which is also probing the conduct of the Stevens Six.

William Welch, who heads the Public Integrity section, has hired William Taylor III, a partner with Zuckerman Spaeder. Taylor successfully defended the former president of the Salt Lake City Olympic Committee against federal bribery charges.

Welch's deputy, Brenda Morris, who was the chief prosecutor on the Stevens trial, has been talking to Hogan & Hartson's Chuck Rosenberg, who last year stepped down as served as chief of staff to Deputy Attorney General (and whistle-blower) James Comey, counselor to Attorney General John Ashcroft, and counsel to FBI Director Bob Mueller.

The two remaining members of the Stevens Six -- Public Integrity prosecutor Edward Sullivan, and assistant US Attorney James Goeke -- are also said by Legal Times sources to have been in discussions with "prominent Washington attorneys".

Earlier this month, Judge Emmet Sullivan named Washington lawyer Henry Schuelke to probe whether the six had committed criminal violations by withholding evidence from the defense during the trial of Stevens, the former Alaska GOP senator.

This all leaves one obvious question. These advocates don't come cheap. So is DOJ footing the bill, as it often does when staffers get into legal trouble while carrying out their jobs (and as it's still appraently doing for Alberto Gonzales)? We've asked the department, and will keep you posted.