Standing Rules of the Senate

U.S. Senate: Standing Rules of the Senate:

Section 29 Executive Sessions 5. Any Senator, officer, or employee of the Senate who shall disclose the secret or confidential business or proceedings of the Senate, including the business and proceedings of the committees, subcommittees, and offices of the Senate, shall be liable, if a Senator, to suffer expulsion from the body; and if an officer or employee, to dismissal from the service of the Senate, and to punishment for contempt.

Why is Harry Reid exempt from this?

His defense seems to be that Sen. Patrick Leahy previously made the same sort of statement, even referring to an email contained in the file. This is no defense. The only difference is that Leahy, as a member of the Judiciary Committee, had legitimate access to the file. Both divulged the contents of this confidential file in violation of Senate Rules. Harry Reid's defense is that he's following Leahy's unconscionable smear. Is this a new defense, "I have an accomplice?"

The Washington Post said today that there still might be place for a compromise agreement after debate on Priscilla Owen's nomination begins on the floor. Given this recent performance, why would anyone be foolish enough to trust Reid, et. al. to keep an agreement?