No, that's respect for the rule of law.  He is not allowed, under penalty of law, to share or discuss this information.  A 'higher moral authority' doesn't save the senator from criminal proceedings, and you can be sure if he had the right wing would shouting it from the mountain tops!

The senator, in the minority party, handled this about as well and strategicly as he could.  At least he had the sense and balls to write what he wrote and indidcate he was putting a copy away for safe keeping.  (When did the US government become Goodfellas?)