Over the weekend it was revealed that Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev) attended a boxing match after receiving free tickets valued at several thousand dollars from the Nevada Athletic Commission. Problem is, the agency was lobbying Reid at the time to drop support for the creation of a federal boxing commission.

Reid answered the allegations of ethics improprieties today with this totally ridiculous statement:

Reid says it’s his official duty to attend boxing matches in Nevada and that he did nothing wrong when he accepted complimentary ringside seats from a state agency that was lobbying him.

Reid says he would have been criticized for not going to the fight because he has an obligation to make sure the sport kept clean.

And Congressman Jefferson was stress-testing our currency to make sure it could stand up to cold temperatures, right Harry?

Uh, Senator, isn’t “keeping the sport clean” the commissioners job? Have you lost confidence in the agency? If so, why haven’t you called for the resignation of its key leadership?

You haven’t, because you won’t, because your excuse is completely bogus.

So, what’s this about a culture of corruption?

MORE: Puhleeze.