The News and Observer reports (January 12, 2006) court documents filed last Wednesday show Louisiana Congressman William Jefferson demanded bribes “in exchange for his help in promoting a pair of business deals in Africa.” Jefferson’s former legislative director already pleaded guilty.

All this on top of the Abramoff scandal.

I read the other day where the former head of one of the government ethic departments in Washington said the system we have today amounts to ‘legalized bribery.’

And we’ve got our problems right here in North Carolina, too.

Representative Deborah Ross has introduced a bill to prohibit politicians from putting campaign funds in their pockets. That’s fine. But it’s not enough.

There’s a great story about Sir Lancelot. Sir Lancelot was captured by these four beautiful sorceresses. They told him he had to marry one of them. Then each of them set out to entice him into picking her.

One offered him wealth.

Another sex.

Another love.

The fourth offered him power and said if he had power he could get the other three for himself.

I don’t think a whole lot of politicians are actually taking outright bribes. They like a few perks – like trips to five star resorts and dinners at five star restaurants. But what they really want is power and what usually happens is they trade something they can do for someone for the cash to get reelected and keep that power.

It may be perfectly legal but it reeks to high heaven because what it amounts to is the same as bribery – government is for sale.

What the legislators need to do to pass real ethics reform is simple. No corporation, no lobbyist, no one wanting a government contract, no one wanting a government subsidy or special tax break to enrich themselves should be able to contribute to a politician who has the power to help them.

That will be a big step toward ending legal bribery.