Inquirer Editorial: Down payment

Distinguishing itself at long last from neighborhood dry cleaners and cheesesteak joints, the Pennsylvania legislature could soon cease to be a cash business.

Responding to The Inquirer's reports of an aborted sting that allegedly caught four lawmakers taking money from a lobbyist turned informant, a state Senate committee this week passed a ban on most cash gifts to legislators. The full Senate could follow suit as early as today. The House is considering a similar proposal, and the governor has expressed support for the idea.

This passes for progress in Harrisburg, and the legislation should be enacted. But lawmakers must go further, joining Philadelphia and a majority of states, including New Jersey, by strictly limiting and requiring broader disclosure of all gifts to public officials.

Facing allegations that tarnish the entire institution, the legislature must produce nothing less than a clear statement of ethical principles.