Reid cites FBI file on judicial pick

Minority leader Reid continues to show his arrogance and total lack of comity on the Senate floor. This time his brazen hubris may have legal consequences.

Minority Leader Harry Reid strayed from his prepared remarks on the Senate floor yesterday and promised to continue opposing one of President Bush's judicial nominees based on "a problem" he said is in the nominee's "confidential report from the FBI."

Those highly confidential reports are filed on all judicial nominees, and severe sanctions apply to anyone who discloses their contents. Less clear is whether a senator could face sanctions for characterizing the content of such files.

Republican staff members and supporters of Mr. Bush's nominees were outraged.