Reported first by The Raw Story Senator Reid has taken the Senate into a Clossed Session at 2:25pm in order to discuss Iraq War intelligence and the CIA Leak Case. No other news sources are confirming at this time, but turning to C-SPAN confirms this and are replaying Reid’s statement that called for the session, the Senate is at this time in clossed session for the first time since the Senate discussed matters pertaining to Clinton’s impeachment in 1997. Here is part of the statement by Reid:

This past weekend, we witnessed the indictment of the I. Lewis Libby, the Vice President’s Chief of Staff and a senior Advisor to President Bush. Libby is the first sitting White House staffer to be indicted in 135 years. This indictment raises very serious charges. It asserts this Administration engaged in actions that both harmed our national security and are morally repugnant.

The decision to place U.S. soldiers in harm’s way is the most significant responsibility the Constitution invests in the Congress. The Libby indictment provides a window into what this is really about: how the Administration manufactured and manipulated intelligence in order to sell the war in Iraq and attempted to destroy those who dared to challenge its actions.

As a result of its improper conduct, a cloud now hangs over this Administration. This cloud is further darkened by the Administration’s mistakes in prisoner abuse scandal, Hurricane Katrina, and the cronyism and corruption in numerous agencies.

[...]

We demand that the Intelligence Committee and other committees in this body with jurisdiction over these matters carry out a full and complete investigation immediately as called for by Democrats in the committee’s annual intelligence authorization report. Our troops and the American people have sacrificed too much. It is time this Republican-controlled Congress put the interests of the American people ahead of their own political interests.

More on this as it develops. Give ‘Em Hell Harry!

UPDATE: 3:24pm: The AP Wires are now running a story, apparently Senator Durbin seconded the motion, the Republican leadership apparently claims they didn’t see this one coming, but Senator Durbin told reporters that the Republicans were informed right before Reid’s speech.

UPDATE: 3:27pm: Senator Durbin and Senator Levin are talking to reporters, they have said that the purpose of this closed session is to gain a committment to force a full investigation of the Iraq War’s casus belli, of failures in intelligence. Levin has been saying that this investigation was supposed to start over a year ago, and it needs to begin now Senator Levin argues that he believes the delay is coming because of where the investigation will go, despite a committment that the chair of the Select Intelligence Committee and the Majority Leader signed a pledge to compelte this second phase of the investigation.

On a question of timing, the reason is because the committment was made one year and three months ago before the election that phase two would be conducted after the investigation, today marks one year from the last election, with the promise unmet.

Reporters brought up Republican claims that Democrats were filibustering investigation votes and that there is a draft report. Levin handeled the question immediatley, no draft has been shown to Senator Rockerfeller or other members of the committee, a date has not been announced, and no votes have been made.