Blogoland

Isn't that convenient?

The Senate Ethics Committee has dropped its investigation of Sen. Richard Shelby regarding allegations he was the source of a media leak about how the National Security Agency handled messages before the Sept. 11 attacks.

The Alabama Republican said on Sunday he was "gratified" the committee had closed the matter and that he felt vindicated.

"Throughout the life of this investigation, I have taken the position that I never knowingly disclosed any classified information. My position has not changed," Shelby said in a statement.

No comment on why the matter was dropped or whether Shelby was the source of the leak. And interesting choice of words from the Senator -- "knowingly." Hm. This AP report gives more detail on the strict secrecy laws for this type of classified material.

Meanwhile, the CIA has referred the matter of the leaked "black sites" to the Justice Department.

More thoughts on this later.

UPDATE: The Captain believes that this is super-good news for Republicans.

That gets Shelby completely off the hook and the GOP caucus in the Senate clear of any further restraint in pursuing other leak cases -- such as the leak of CIA operations for terrorist holding facilities and an air operation earlier this year.

That's pretty laughable. I don't think it made a difference one way or the other to the Republicans that Shelby was being investigated on this leak probe. Astonishing hypocrisy just doesn't even compute.

Many more details in the National Journal