Here’s the first paragraph of a Reuters article on soccer and corruption in Nigeria:

“Soccer referees in Nigeria can take bribes from clubs but should not allow them to influence their decisions on the field, a football official said on Friday.”

It’s stunning how comfortable a country can be with corruption, but is it really all that different from the way members of Congress have handled meals, gifts, travel and other favors from lobbyists? Sure, say representatives and senators, we accept freebies but they don’t influence our decisions.

Of course, we don’t call such favors “bribes” in America. That would be impolite and, well, against the law. But whether it’s unethical is the subject of considerable debate on Capitol Hill, and the side that doesn’t think so is carrying the day.

Last Wednesday, the Senate easily passed a lobbying reform bill that causes a lot more paperwork for lobbyists but doesn’t require lawmakers to kick the freebies habit.

Also last week, Tony Rudy, former deputy chief of staff for former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, pleaded guilty to conspiracy charges in an influence-peddling case involving former lobbyist Jack Abramoff.

It was Abramoff’s interactions with politicians that sparked crackdowns on lobbyists. But lawmakers also need reforms, as the Senate vote shows.

The Senate bill would prohibit lawmakers from accepting gifts and meals from lobbyists, but it would allow the employers of lobbyists to pick up the tab. Plus, private jet travel would still be allowed.

The bill also declined to establish an independent enforcement body to take the place of the ineffectual Ethics Committee. Senators finagled the unpopular practice of adding budget earmarks by making that pork barrel practice more difficult, but not impossible.

In short, the Senate went easy on itself, but at least it did something.

Over in the House, the issue was farmed out to multiple committees in the hopes that this whole Abramoff scandal will blow over.

Congress continues to spin this as a lobbying issue, but it takes two to do the influence tango. Members of Congress don’t need gifts; they don’t need free meals. If they need to travel on official business, the taxpayers can pay for that.

This isn’t Nigeria.