The Democratic National Committee’s Web site features a prominent section devoted to what it calls the “Republican Culture of Corruption.” Recent events indicate that the Democrats are living, ethics-wise, in a glass house and that their initial glee at the indictments of Republicans such as Rep. Thomas DeLay and Rep. Randy “Duke” Cunningham may have been misplaced.

Just yesterday the Associated Press reported that the Senate Democratic leader, Harry Reid, took free ringside tickets from the Nevada Athletic Commission to three boxing matches while the commission was trying to influence him on federal regulation of boxing. Republican senators either paid for the tickets or recused themselves from the legislation, the AP said. But not Mr. Reid, who explained to the AP, “I’m not Goodie two shoes.”

Then there is Rep. William Jefferson, a Democrat of Louisiana. The Justice Department says in an affidavit that it found $90,000 in cash in his freezer and that it videotaped the congressman accepting a $100,000 bribe. Mr. Jefferson maintains he is innocent.

The congressman who was the top Democrat on the House ethics committee, Alan Mollohan of West Virginia, has been engaging in dealings that a New York Times editorial described as “shady.” While serving in Congress, Mr. Mollohan managed to amass a real estate empire that includes a $1.45 million oceanfront home while investing alongside a nonprofit executive whose groups receive federal grants that he earmarks. The Wall Street Journal reported that federal prosecutors are investigating Mr. Mollohan, who says the charges against him are false, outrageous, and irresponsible.

The culture of corruption, in other words, may be a rare example of bipartisanship in today’s polarized Congress. Some say this strengthens the case for term limits, though cynics might say that term-limited congressmen might be even more brazen in attempts to enrich themselves in the time available, kind of like the person who has won a 10-minute shopping spree at Bloomingdale’s and reacts by grabbing everything in sight.

As politics, the corruption issue has its limits. Individual corrupt congressmen may be forced from office or find themselves defeated at the polls, but on the whole voters will realize that it isn’t a “Republican Culture of Corruption,” as the Democrats claim, or even a Democratic Culture of Corruption, but a Washington Culture of Corruption.