The Missouri General Assembly ended last week’s special session the way it began — under a cloud of controversy over allegations of corruption by elected officials.That’s nothing new. For the past several years, politicians’ ethical lapses have been the focal point of the beginning and end of each legislative session whether it’s the regular or extraordinary session.The session begins with politicians acknowledging the need to enact tougher ethics laws and clamoring for change. The session ends without any meaningful reforms getting passed and new allegations of misbehavior and influence peddling.Lawmakers might take exception to that statement, pointing to the ethics reform bills that crossed the finish line last year. But few would argue they did much to change the culture in the state Capitol, which is still characterized as the “Wild West” due to its weak or nonexistent rules governing ethics.It’s like a broken record that nobody can change.Sometimes, as is the case again this year, there are calls for criminal inquiries and whispers of FBI investigations already underway over the most egregious examples of alleged corruption.To be sure, this past special session produced a bill that allows for a cheaper power rate for an aluminum smelter and a steel mill considering locating in the state’s bootheel.But much of the debate over the substance of the legislation was overtaken by allegations of pay-to-play, the use of a shadowy nonprofit entity to strong-arm lawmakers and a stunning flip-flop by Gov. Greitens in defending his use of dark money.The governor and some lawmakers hailed the special session and the legislation it produced as a huge win to bring back jobs to the state.But all the drama and recriminations over dark money and influence peddling that colored the special session (and the regular session for that matter) only served to remind us how broken things are in Jefferson City.Without question the special session sealed Greitens’ reputation as just another poser when it comes to someone who is serious about ethics reform. It proved what his critics have been saying all along: that he is driven more by political convenience than principle.The governor’s gubernatorial campaign was predicated on the need to change the culture in Jefferson City. On the stump he argued for transparency in campaign financing. He reversed his position in a radio interview right before the special session got underway.No one should be surprised when a politician flip-flops on a campaign pledge, but it is disheartening to see how quickly Greitens has embraced the swamp environs he pledged to drain.The self-branded outsider is proving exceptionally slick at playing an insider’s game, especially when it comes to untraceable political donations funneled through nonprofits entities like A New Missouri Inc., which figured prominently in the special session.Candidate committees and political action committees are legally required to identify donors and report contributions under Missouri’s current campaign finance laws. Nonprofit entities can keep those donors anonymous. Greitens’ new position is that’s just fine with him.Greitens says he doesn’t have a day-to-day role in the operation of the nonprofit, which is led by his closest advisers. But it sure played an outsized role in the special session as the principal lobbying arm for the legislation he wanted passed.As more reports surface that A New Missouri Inc. is the go-to repository for contributions from those seeking favors from the administration, the governor is going to have to work harder in keeping a straight face when he says there is no collusion.The reality is the appearance of corruption in the state Capitol has never been greater. We get that politicians rely on money to get elected, and almost all consciously or unconsciously do favors for their donors.But there has to be limits. Just like there has to be limits on gifts from lobbyists to politicians if not an outright ban. And, above all, there must be transparency when it comes to political donations. Voters have a right to know who is writing these huge checks.If you want to change the narrative in Jefferson City, start with ethics reform. Of course, that’s what was said at the beginning of the session.