From The Hill, pressure is growing on Minority Leader Mitch McConnell to rein in Senator DeMint who is holding up passage of ethics reform for the sake of earmarks reform:

Frustrated by Sen. Jim DeMint’s (R-S.C.) vow to hold up ethics conference talks until earmark reforms are enacted, Democrats and watchdog groups are pointing a finger at Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.).

McConnell is standing idle while DeMint keeps a unanimously approved ethics bill in limbo, Democrats and watchdogs charge. By pressuring the Senate GOP and its leader, not merely the affable freshman who has become the face of the opposition, reform advocates hope to end the Senate’s ethics logjam without forcing a difficult procedural vote to silence DeMint.

“Mitch McConnell is making a big mistake sitting on his hands,” said Craig Holman, legislative representative for Public Citizen. “Now he’s letting his own rank-and-file undermine his image of authority.”