During a brief stop in Salt Lake City as part of a Western "red state tour," Reid attempted to capitalize on scandals that have wounded Republicans by outlining an ethics reform package he plans to release next week.

Reid attended a closed-door fundraiser for the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee at the Salt Lake Country Club before meeting with reporters at the downtown library, accompanied by Rep. Jim Matheson, D-Utah.

"This culture of corruption must change. The people of America know it is there," Reid said. "I dare somebody to oppose some of this stuff that we are proposing."

Reid said the ethics legislation would ban gifts from lobbyists and require them to periodically disclose which public officials they meet with and what topics they discussed. The bill also is expected to increase criminal penalties for members of Congress and lobbyists who violate such laws.

Reid said a series of scandals that have shaken Washington are examples of why the ethics legislation is necessary. They include the indictment of Scooter Libby, Vice President Dick Cheney's chief of staff, on perjury charges stemming from a grand jury investigation of the leak of a name of a covert CIA agent; former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay's criminal trial for allegedly transferring campaign funds illegally; and Jack Abramoff, the disgraced lobbyist who pleaded guilty to federal conspiracy and wire fraud charges earlier this month as part of a probe that could involve as many as 20 members of Congress, including DeLay.

But Republicans in Utah and Washington, D.C., say Reid is speaking "out of both sides of his mouth," since he too received money from Abramoff clients.

"There is no question that Jack Abramoff is a problem - a problem for Republicans and a problem for Democrats," said Joe Cannon, Utah Republican chairman. "One of the biggest beneficiaries of Jack Abramoff is Harry Reid."

Reid received about $61,000 in donations from American Indian tribes represented by Abramoff. Some members of Congress have returned or donated to charity money from sources with ties to Abramoff. Others, such as President Bush, have donated to charity the portion that came directly from Abramoff. Some from both parties have decided to hang on to the cash.

"Every one of these dollars, I have looked at closely," Reid said in defending his decision to keep the donations, which he claims are not tainted by Abramoff. Reid said the donations stem from his support of tribes in Nevada. Abramoff did not directly donate any money to Democrats.

"There is not a single Democrat who is involved in this," Reid said. "I don't know Jack Abramoff. I never met him."

Matheson introduced Reid by saying he "makes me proud to be a Western Democrat." Reid has ties to Utah. He attended Southern Utah University and graduated from Utah State University. He is Mormon and frequently returns for conferences of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. And he has a son who lives in Utah and works as Matheson's campaign attorney.

Reid also has visited Arizona, Colorado, Idaho and plans to stop in Nebraska today. Next month he will tour Southern states that supported President Bush in the last election.

mcanham@sltrib.com