WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The No. 3 House Republican told CNN Friday he wasn't impressed with Attorney Gen. Alberto Gonzales' testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee and suggested Gonzales should resign his post.

"He did not distinguish himself in the hearing," House Republican Conference Chairman Adam Putnam said. "There remains a cloud over the department."

Asked if Gonzales should resign, Putnam replied, "I think that they would be well served by fresh leadership."

Putnam did not want to characterize how House Republicans were reacting to yesterday's Senate hearing, but said "I haven't heard anyone doing high fives over the attorney general's performance."

Meanwhile, GOP Rep. Tom Feeney of Florida, a member of the House Judiciary Committee, called the U.S. attorney firings "the most horrible management decision since the Saturday night massacre at Watergate."

Feeney criticized Gonzales but stopped short of calling for his resignation, saying that's the president's call.

Former House Speaker Dennis Hastert, R-Illinois, defended Gonzales' authority to dismiss the US attorneys, saying "he should have just done it."

But asked about how the attorney general handled the matter, Hastert said based on the many statements coming from the Department, "maybe he's made his own mess." The Illinois Republican said it's up the president to decide if Gonzales should keep his job.