Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D.-Nev.) just took the Senate floor to denounce an amendment by conservative Sen. Jim DeMint (R.-S.C.) to strengthen earmark reform. DeMint's proposal, as Amanda Carpenter outlined today on HUMAN EVENTS, includes the same language as the one passed by House Democrats.

Andy Roth at the Club for Growth notes the "high political drama" that has transpired today. DeMint's amendment actually had enough supporters, but Democrats managed to halt it. Reid then seized on the opportunity to twist the arms Democrats who supported it.

One Senate Republican staffer explained it to me this way:

The Senate just rejected an attempt by Sen. Durbin, the Majority Whip for the Democrats, to kill a DeMint amendment to add Nancy Pelosi’s earmark disclosure requirements to the Senate lobbying reform bill. Sen. Durbin’s motion to kill the Pelosi earmark rule was rejected by a vote of 51-46, with most Democrats voting to kill the amendment. Under normal procedures, the amendment would then be adopted by unanimous consent since the Senate was on record supporting the amendment. However, Sen. Kennedy took the unprecedented step of blocking adoption of the amendment.

On only the fifth vote of the new Congress, Senate Democrats are now on record opposing common sense earmark reform -- reform that has already been adopted by the House under the direction of Speaker Nancy Pelosi -- and are on record using obstruction tactics to thwart the will of the Senate and the American public on earmark reform. Senate Democrats are also on record opposing the comprehensive earmark disclosure requirements crafted by Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Under the earmark definition in the underlying Senate bill, 95 percent of earmarks would have been exempt from disclosure. Under the Pelosi rule, nearly all earmarks are required to be disclosed.

Seven Republicans voted with Durbin and a majority of Democrats. They include Senators Robert Bennett (Utah), Jim Bunning (Ky.), Pete Domenici (N.M.), Orrin Hatch (Utah), Trent Lott (Miss.), Gordon Smith (Ore.) and George Voinovich (Ohio). Let's make sure they hear our displeasure.

UPDATE -- 5:09 p.m.: A few updates from like-minded bloggers. I'll begin with Andy Roth at the Club for Growth. He notes DeMint's comparison of this charade to the one House Republicans conducted back in 2003 for the Medicare prescription drug bill. Mark Tapscott at Tapscott's Copy Desk calls this "Business-as-usual in the Senate." And Ed Frank at Americans for Prosperity lists the senators who need to be contacted ASAP.

UPDATE -- 5:13 p.m.: I encourage all bloggers to contact Jon Henke in Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell's office. His e-mail address is Jon_Henke@mcconnell.senate.gov. As the new-media director for the Senate GOP, Henke needs to hear from us. Tell him to encourage McConnell to stand up for DeMint's amendment on the Senate floor.

UPDATE -- 6:24 p.m.: I'm told by Capitol Hill sources that McConnell is a supporter of DeMint's amendment. I never meant to suggest that he wasn't. My point was that Reid, during his remarks, kept implying that McConnell, by virtue of the fact that he's a co-sponsor of the overall bill, was with the Democrats on this one. Shame on you, Harry.

UPDATE -- 6:50 p.m.: Citizens Against Government Waste has released a strong statement blasting the Senate for stalling on the earmark definition.

UPDATE -- 7:07 p.m.: Rep. Jeb Hensarling (R.-Tex.), chairman of the Republican Study Committee, says House Speaker Nancy Pelosi ought to be discouraged with Reid's decision to derail her earmark reform plan.

It is hardly surprising that Democratic unity couldn't even withstand their very first legislative initiative. Their 100 hour honeymoon has turned into a 16 hour train wreck. Although they managed to play nice during the campaign season, this drama between Democratic Leaders reinforces that Democrats still cannot walk the walk when it comes to fiscal accountability. On just their fifth vote of the 110th Congress, Democrat leaders are now officially opposing common sense earmark reform.

UPDATE -- 7:59 p.m.: I have video of the debate from earlier today, beginning with Reid and followed by DeMint. Pay close attention to Reid's attack on Pelosi.