Sen. Jim DeMint (R-SC) and four GOP colleagues wrote Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-TN) yesterday that they want the Senate to take up S. Res. 123, a earmarks disclosure rule. The Senate passed a statutory version of the rule unanimously as part of S. 1, the ethics and and lobbying reform bill adopted 96-2 in January. DeMint and Sens. Coburn (OK), Cornyn (TX), Enzi (WY), and Chambliss (GA) said they will seek unanimous consent next Tuesday to consider the measure. As a resolution, it would become an internal rule of the Senate and, unlike S.

In the first 100 hours of the current Congress, the House enacted a package of ethics and lobbying reforms that included banning members of Congress from receiving gifts and free meals and travel from lobbyists. About a month later, Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) tapped Rep. Michael Capuano (D-MA) to head up a bipartisan task force to explore whether to create an independent office to enforce House ethics rules. Capuano's findings are due May 1, but expected later that month.

Via Think Progress, looks like the Office of Special Counsel has launched an investigation into GSA chief Lurita Doan's possible Hatch Act violations.

Below are two key caveats regarding the OMB earmark database project we lauded yesterday.

• Limited Scope of Earmarks -- to include only congressionally-sourced earmarks. See OMB's own definition: Earmarks are funds provided by the Congress for projects or programs where the congressional direction circumvents the merit-based or competitive allocation process, or specifies the location or recipient ... for activities/projects/programs not requested by the Administration. (Emph. added.)