This morning, Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-TN) and House Speaker J. Dennis Hastert (R-IL) wrote a letter to intelligence committee chairmen about the recent leak of information to the Washington Post about secret CIA detention centers in Europe.

In the letter, Frist and Hastert claimed the leaks “could have long-term and far-reaching damaging and dangerous consequences” for the security of the United States, and warned of a “dangerous trend” of leaking “that, if not addressed swiftly and firmly, likely will worsen.”

But today, in an off-camera meeting with reporters, Sen. Trent Lott (R-MS) revealed that the leak likely came from a Senator or Senate staffer who attended a GOP-only meeting with Vice President Dick Cheney last week, where the detention centers were discussed.

CNN’s Ed Henry has the full report:

Watch in Quicktime

Sen. Dick Durbin on the Senate floor this afternoon:

I don’t understand this. While the Department of Justice is actively investigating this man for wrongdoing that could have endangered American troops and American lives, the Department of State and the Department of the Treasury are hosting him like some sort of dignitary. So don’t be surprised if you watch the Chalabi motorcade speed up when they pass the Department of Justice. I guess they’re concerned whether an FBI agent will come out and pursue this so-called active investigation.

It is very difficult to track how this man, who gave us such misleading information before the invasion of Iraq, now under active investigation for endangering American troops is now under active investigation for endangering American troops is now the toast of the town at the Department of Treasury and the Department of State

More information on Mr. Chalabi here.

UPDATE: More from Rep. George Miller.

UPDATE 2: Arianna has the full text of Durbin’s remarks.