So what is the response from Congress? Well, not much. In separate "lobbying reform" bills crawling through the legislative process, the House of Representatives and Senate leave many of the loopholes allowing members and their staff to accept gifts from lobbyists well above the stated $50 limit. These include sham trips, bargain rates on jets, and premium seats for major sporting events and concerts.  Neither bill would create an office capable of enforcing the few ethics restrictions that do exist.

The legislation has one objective: to make it appear as if a scandal-racked Congress is doing something in an election year. But the fact is that many members of Congress feel cruelly cheated by the $165,200 annual salary they have voted for themselves and harbor a sense of entitlement to supplement their incomes with freebies.