Democrats deal with corruption in their own house

He may be Jewish, but when Democrats think of Jack Abramoff, they see Christmas.

The now-notorious lobbyist is their Santa Claus, delivering for Democrats the present of a GOP corruption scandal that threatens to turn over control of Congress after 12 long years of receiving coal in their stockings.

So it is no surprise that many of those same Democrats are now looking at Rep. William Jefferson and seeing the Grinch who stole Christmas.

Jefferson, a Democrat who represents a district in New Orleans that was ravaged by Hurricane Katrina, was allegedly caught red-handed by the FBI taking a $100,000 cash payoff, $90,000 of which they later found stashed in his freezer.

Jefferson's alleged activity gives an ever-so-slight bipartisan twist to what was a purely Republican scandal. And while there is panic in many Democratic circles about this turn of events, I think it's just about the best thing that could have happened to the party, if they can open their eyes for a minute and see the light.

Democrats have been focusing voter attention on Republican corruption, the sordid stories coming out about Duke Cunningham, Tom DeLay, Bob Ney and others. And this has a good potential to win them many seats in Congress.

But voters aren't stupid. They see this as just more partisan warfare. It's easy to talk about ethics in government when you do nothing but point at the other side of the aisle.

For Democrats to make their case to the American people that they are indeed fit to lead this country, they need to show that they care more about what is right for America than they do about what is right for their party. They need to take a stand that corruption is not acceptable no matter which party you belong to. The Republicans have shown they can't do this, as they have repeatedly defended the misdeeds of DeLay & Co.

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi made a good start in the accountability department when she publicly asked Jefferson to step down from his seat on the Ways and Means Committee, which he refused.

But then the Congressional Black Caucus seems intent on sinking the party for the cause of political correctness. They threatened Pelosi with a revolt over the fate of their fellow black congressman. Excuse me if this crosses that incorrectness boundary, but isn't it just as racist to claim a person is innocent because of their race as it is to assume they are guilty?

The CBC has a point in that Jefferson hasn't been charged. However, the FBI has him on videotape taking the money, they found the marked bills in his freezer, and people who allegedly paid him off are ready to testify. Makes you wonder why they haven't arrested Jefferson yet. If this isn't enough evidence of wrongdoing to lock someone up, what is?

Even so, there is a difference between the evidence needed to send someone to prison, and the higher standard demanded of someone who sits on a powerful congressional committee that appropriates trillions of our tax dollars.

And let us not forget this isn't the first controversy following Jefferson. During the Katrina disaster, he reportedly commandeered a military truck to help him retrieve items from his house, when the truck should have been helping to save those fighting for their lives in the floodwaters.

Yet the way machine politics works, those same people he abandoned in New Orleans would probably let him serve another term, if he's not serving time behind bars.

Democrats have a brief window of opportunity to prove they are serious about changing the way Washington works. And that starts with setting ethical standards at home. They have an uphill climb because the system they work in is built on a corrupt foundation of campaign financing and big-money lobbyists. Dealing with Rep. Jefferson is just the first step.

If Democrats can't see fit to demand even the minimum of moral conduct from their own party leaders, then they have no ground to stand on to go after Republican corruption. They can either reach for the high ground, or be stuck wallowing in the mud with the GOP elephant.

• Kirk Caraway is Internet editor of the Nevada Appeal. Write to him at kcaraway@nevadaappeal.com or comment online at nevadaappeal.com.