EDITORIAL SENATE BANS SOME PERKS.

It's hard to be a lawmaker in Washington these days.

First, San Diego Rep. Randy "Duke" Cunningham gave everyone a bad name by accepting outrageously expensive gifts from a defense contractor who just happened to win government contracts Cunningham was involved in awarding.

Now, the scandal surrounding lobbyist Jack Abramoff has forced the Senate into supporting a ban on one of the most fabulous perks in politics - free gifts and meals.

Not quite willingly, the Senate agreed Wednesday to this additional restriction on members' ability to take freebies from those seeking to influence their policy decisions.

Now the bill must go to the House for a vote before the free meals will end.

They ought to. This ban doesn't affect the larger problem of money influencing politics through political donations and independent expenditures, but it does show a certain, if reluctant, purpose on the part of lawmakers to clean up politics.