Tennessee's Moral Compass Still Hunting for Magnetic North

To kick off the 2006 campaign, Washington lawmakers this week are hoisting the "ethics reform" standard. If voters are wondering whether Congress can rally to save itself from temptation, developments in a Tennessee political-corruption scandal that resembles the Abramoff affair aren't encouraging.

A federal corruption sting last May netted five current or former legislators in an operation dubbed "Tennessee Waltz." Among them was Democratic State Senator John Ford, a member of the Ford political dynasty, who was indicted for soliciting $55,000 in bribes and threatening to kill FBI agents and informants. Mr. Ford has since resigned his position and will go on trial this year.

Democratic Governor Phil Bredesen's reaction was to call a special legislative session to create a state ethics committee and toughen lobbying and campaign-finance rules. Two of the indicted pols remain in the Senate, however, and a resolution to exclude the pair failed by one vote. Mr. Bredesen will have to decide if their participation poisons his initiative enough that it wouldn't have credibility in the eyes of voters.

The presence of two indicted members isn't the state Senate's only PR problem. Mr. Ford's replacement, sister Ophelia Ford, may soon lose her seat. Her election was challenged after reports that dead people, felons and a resident from another district voted in the election. She won by 13 votes.

The Ford family's problems have yet to affect its biggest star, U.S. Representative Harold Ford Jr., who is running for the U.S. Senate seat to be vacated by Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist. Mr. Ford's challenge may be to distance himself from Washington's and his family's ethics problems, both of which will grace front-pages all year long.