(Sampson Hearing Shutdown) I think this is the applicable Senate rule:

[BuyingThyme]

5. (a) Notwithstanding any other provision of the rules, when the Senate is in session, no committee of the Senate or any subcommittee thereof may meet, without special leave, after the conclusion of the first two hours after the meeting of the Senate commenced and in no case after two o'clock postmeridian unless consent therefor has been obtained from the majority leader and the minority leader (or in the event of the absence of either of such leaders, from his designee). The prohibition contained in the preceding sentence shall not apply to the Committee on Appropriations or the Committee on the Budget. The majority leader or his designee shall announce to the Senate whenever consent has been given under this subparagraph and shall state the time and place of such meeting. The right to make such announcement of consent shall have the same priority as the filing of a cloture motion.

(b) Each meeting of a committee, or any subcommittee thereof, including meetings to conduct hearings, shall be open to the public, except that a meeting or series of meetings by a committee or a subcommittee thereof on the same subject for a period of no more than fourteen calendar days may be closed to the public on a motion made and seconded to go into closed session to discuss only whether the matters enumerated in clauses (1) through (6) would require the meeting to be closed, followed immediately by a record vote in open session by a majority of the members of the committee or subcommittee when it is determined that the matters to be discussed or the testimony to be taken at such meeting or meetings

http://rules.senate.gov/senaterules/rule26.php

If it's already been posted, let me know.

[underpants]

1. Good work

That seems awfully confusing and complicated.

[BuyingThyme]

3. Yeah, it sounds like anybody can stop almost any meeting

after the Senate has been in session for two hours...

ON EDIT: I'm confused.

[steve2470]

2. good work, thank you ! nt

[slipslidingaway]

4. Thank you! n/t

[Gman]

5. This just means that this drags on for at least another day...

staying the lead story for as long as Sampson's up there.

Pretty stupid move, I think.

[Justice Is Comin]

6. How lame can they get?

Leahy is the majority leader--and they think he's not going to give consent to his own hearing???

[AnnInLa]

7. OK, am just getting home and need to know

what happened? I just read a summary of the hearing this morning, but did a Senator shut down the hearing? What exactly was said about shutting it down? Thanks, anyone!

[AnnInLa]

8. Never mind....just saw Hissyspit's post

[BuyingThyme]

9. Yes, during Grassley's time, somebody invoked a rule,

shutting down the hearing.

I'm getting the feeling it was Hatch, but that might not be right.