In a gesture to end its characteristic gridlock, the Senate began the 112th with a vote to end “secret holds” — a procedural move that allows lawmakers to anonymously block legislation or nominees. GOP Sens. Jim DeMint (SC), Mike Lee (UT), Rand Paul (KY), and John Ensign (NV) were the only four to vote against the measure. “No longer will senators be able to holdup legislation anonymously,” said Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-MO) at the time. “From now on, they’re going to have to own it.”

But anonymous obstruction dies hard in the Senate. After keeping up appearances for five months, a GOP senator placed a secret hold last Friday on the nomination of Heather Higginbottom as the deputy budget director at the Office of Management and Budget. Democratic aides suggest that Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-AL) broke the pledge: