A couple months ago when debate about the fate of FISA legislation passed in August was rekindled, Sen. Chris Dodd won high praise from the blogosphere for declaring his intent to not only place a hold on but if necessary filibuster any bill that sought to grant retroactive immunity to telecommunication companies that aided the Bush administration’s warrantless wiretapping program. Now it seems Dodd might have to make good on his promise now that Senate Majority Leadership Harry Reid has signaled that a FISA bill granting immunity will come up for a vote on Monday despite Dodd’s hold.

Now Reid of course does not have to honor the hold but traditionally the practice is frowned upon as, along with the filibuster, it is a way of ensuring the minority party’s views are expressed and considered. And given it is being issued by a fellow Democrat, one would think Reid wouldn’t have been so willing to forgo tradition. Some might say that Reid is just doing what is necessary to unclog the bottleneck which has plagued the Congress for some time now but when you consider that not a peep has been mentioned about not honoring a similar hold placed on a bill banning waterboarding by Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham, any claims that Reid just wishes to keep the debate rolling along just doesn’t wash.

Anyone else think it might be time that Reid be applied the appropriate label?

See Glenn, Christy, and Libby on Reid and Digby has the last work on Huckleberry Graham.

(X-posted at The Xsociate Files)