Editorial: Skies are a bit too friendly

Thursday, Jan. 12, 2006 | 8:17 a.m.

House Republican leaders, reeling from an unfolding scandal involving former lobbyist Jack Abramoff, are considering changes to congressional ethics rules. Among them is a total ban on privately funded congressional trips.

On Jan. 3 Abramoff pleaded guilty to fraud, tax evasion and conspiracy to bribe public officials in a deal that compels him to provide investigators with information about members of Congress who accepted his tainted largesse. Since the deal many members of Congress have been rushing to jettison campaign contributions they accepted from Abramoff.

Many House members, too, however political their motivations may be, are aligning themselves with bills calling for tough reform of House ethics rules. Although the Abramoff scandal is rife with allegations of illegal influence peddling, one well-publicized incident -- former Republican House Majority Leader Tom DeLay's 10-day trip in 2000 to England and Scotland -- has become a symbol for all the crookedness.

Documents uncovered by the Washington Post showed that airfare and many other expenses of DeLay's trip, which provided luxury accommodations, fine dining and rounds of golf, and included his wife, were initially charged to credit cards belonging to Abramoff and another lobbyist.

House rules forbid members from taking trips on the dime of lobbyists. But DeLay argues that the trip was ultimately paid for by a private, nonprofit group, the National Center for Public Policy Research -- of which Abramoff was a board member. This is a loophole that needs closing.

Rules in place now allow nonprofit groups to pay for House members' expenses if the travel involves official duties. The Abramoff scandal is showing the flaw in this rule -- nothing overtly prevents lobbyists from forming sham nonprofit organizations through which all expenses may be funneled.

We agree that there should be a total ban on all privately funded travel by members of Congress. If a trip is justifiable, the member can take a government plane. Or he can fly commercial and submit detailed vouchers for reimbursement from government travel budgets, just like other government employees do.

... nothing overtly prevents lobbyists from forming sham nonprofit organizations through which all expenses may be funneled.