The Senate confirmed Gen. David Petraeus as CIA director today, 94-0. Meanwhile, the Justice Department will "drop criminal investigations of most CIA officials" who tortured people. Is there a quid pro quo here, or just two independent, predictable things?

The Senate Ethics Committee has uncovered extensive evidence that former Sen. John Ensign (R-NV) and others broke U.S. law by trying to cover up an affair Ensign had with a campaign aide, the wife of one of his top Senate staffers.