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EspañolCITIZENS FOR RESPONSIBILITY AND ETHICS IN WASHINGTON
'Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington' (CREW) is an American government watchdog organization founded in 2003. One of their most visible projects is a biannual list of Washington politicians they label as the "most corrupt."
CREW's stated mission is to "promote ethics and accountability in government and public life by targeting government officials - regardless of party affiliation - who sacrifice the common good to special interests." To carry out these goals, the group engages in litigation, public advocacy, Freedom of Information Act requests and official complaints to government agencies such as the Federal Election Commission and the IRS.About CREW
In January 2006, CREW published a report, "Beyond DeLay: The Thirteen Most Corrupt Members of Congress," documenting the unethical activities of thirteen members of Congress, specifically ten House members and three senators. Although much of the information collected was already available from a variety of sources, CREW compiled the information into one reference document. The allegations against some of those on the list had been well publicized, while the activities of others had gone relatively unnoticed.
In September 2006, CREW issued a revised, 241-page report, '"Beyond DeLay: The 20 Most Corrupt Members of Congress (and Five to Watch)"'[1] (see list below). The report added nine representatives (eight Republicans, one Democrat) to the "most corrupt" list, while removing two, Randy Cunningham and Bob Ney, who have pleaded guilty to felony charges against them. It also added five representatives (four Republicans, one Democrat) "to watch."
CREW also runs the website "JackInTheHouse", focusing on convicted lobbyist Jack Abramoff and his various political connections.
Melanie Sloan, Executive Director of CREW, founded the organization in 2003. Sloan is a former U.S. Attorney and has served as an aide to Representative John Conyers and Senator Charles Schumer, both Democrats. She currently serves on the legal team of Valerie Plame,[1] helping her sue Vice President Dick Cheney, Dick Armitage, Scooter Libby and Karl Rove.[2][3]
According to ''The Washington Post'', CREW is funded in part through the efforts of "Democracy Alliance," a loose group of approximately one hundred progressive-oriented political donors who saw CREW as a possible counterweight to the conservative watchdog group, Judicial Watch. A New Alliance Of Democrats Spreads Funding Jim VandeHei
Former Senator Conrad Burns, one of those named by CREW as corrupt for his close ties to Abramoff, has said that the organization is "nothing but a group of partisan hacks doing the dirty work of Democrats."[4]
In response, CREW has stated they do have an agenda that goes beyond ethics. "We are progressive," said Naomi Seligman, the group's deputy director and a former spokeswoman for Senator Max Baucus of Montana. "We do work within a larger progressive infrastructure." Seligman suggested her group is the progressive counterweight to Judicial Watch.[5]
★ Clint Curtis
★ Swift Boat Veterans for Truth
★ Theft of Democratic documents within the U.S. Senate Committee on the Judiciary
★ Ethics violations by Tom DeLay
★ Valerie Plame Wilson and Joseph C. Wilson v. I. Lewis Scooter Libby, Karl Rove and Richard B. Cheney.
★ Tax allegations against Leslee Unruh, who spearheaded the South Dakota abortion ban.
★ Former Representative Mark Foley (''see Mark Foley scandal'')
★ Curt Weldon, presently being investigated by the FBI
★ Rep. Roy Blunt [6] (R-MO)
★ Rep. Ken Calvert [7](R-CA) ''(new, September 2006)''
★ Rep. John Doolittle [8](R-CA) ''(new, September 2006)''
★ Rep. Tom Feeney [9] (R-FL)
★ Rep. Katherine Harris [10] (R-FL) ''(new, September 2006)''
★ Rep. William Jefferson [11] (D-LA)
★ Rep. Jerry Lewis [12](R-CA) ''(new, September 2006)''
★ Rep. Gary Miller [13](R-CA) ''(new, September 2006)''
★ Rep. Alan Mollohan [14](D-WV) ''(new, September 2006)''
★ Rep. Marilyn Musgrave [15] (R-CO)
★ Rep. Richard Pombo [16] (R-CA)
★ Rep. Rick Renzi [17] (R-AZ)
★ Rep. Pete Sessions [18](R-TX) ''(new, September 2006)''
★ Rep. John Sweeney [19](R-NY) ''(new, September 2006)''
★ Rep. Charles H. Taylor [20] (R-NC)
★ Rep. Maxine Waters [21] (D-CA)
★ Rep. Curt Weldon [22] (R-PA) ''(new, September 2006)''
★ Sen. Conrad Burns [23] (R-MT)
★ Sen. Bill Frist [24] (R-TN)
★ Sen. Rick Santorum [25] (R-PA)
★ Rep. Chris Cannon [26] (R-UT)
★ Rep. Dennis Hastert [27] (R-IL)
★ Rep. J.D. Hayworth [28] (R-AZ)
★ Rep. John Murtha [29] (D-PA)
★ Rep. Don Sherwood [30] (R-PA)
1. "MELANIE SLOAN, LEGAL COUNSEL FOR JOE AND VALERIE WILSON, RESPONDS TO DISMISSAL OF CIVIL SUIT". The Joseph and Valerie Wilson Support Trust. http://www.wilsonsupport.org/. Accessed 27 July 2007.
2. "PLAME SUIT DISMISSED". The News Hole. http://thenewshole.msnbc.msn.com/. [2]. Accessed 27 July 2007.
3. Leonnig, Carol D. "Plame's Suit Against Top Officials Dismissed". ''Washington Post''. Friday, July 20, 2007, page A05. [3]. Accessed 27 July 2007.
★ Official Website
★ .PDF File: "Beyond DeLay: The 20 most corrupt members of Congress (and five to watch)"
★ ''Washington Times'' "Inside Politics" column, May 11, 2005
★ CREW Website "Valerie Plame Wilson and Former Ambassador Joseph Wilson Name Successor Counsel" news release, August 15, 2006
Mission
CREW's stated mission is to "promote ethics and accountability in government and public life by targeting government officials - regardless of party affiliation - who sacrifice the common good to special interests." To carry out these goals, the group engages in litigation, public advocacy, Freedom of Information Act requests and official complaints to government agencies such as the Federal Election Commission and the IRS.About CREW
Publications
In January 2006, CREW published a report, "Beyond DeLay: The Thirteen Most Corrupt Members of Congress," documenting the unethical activities of thirteen members of Congress, specifically ten House members and three senators. Although much of the information collected was already available from a variety of sources, CREW compiled the information into one reference document. The allegations against some of those on the list had been well publicized, while the activities of others had gone relatively unnoticed.
In September 2006, CREW issued a revised, 241-page report, '"Beyond DeLay: The 20 Most Corrupt Members of Congress (and Five to Watch)"'[1] (see list below). The report added nine representatives (eight Republicans, one Democrat) to the "most corrupt" list, while removing two, Randy Cunningham and Bob Ney, who have pleaded guilty to felony charges against them. It also added five representatives (four Republicans, one Democrat) "to watch."
CREW also runs the website "JackInTheHouse", focusing on convicted lobbyist Jack Abramoff and his various political connections.
Director
Melanie Sloan, Executive Director of CREW, founded the organization in 2003. Sloan is a former U.S. Attorney and has served as an aide to Representative John Conyers and Senator Charles Schumer, both Democrats. She currently serves on the legal team of Valerie Plame,[1] helping her sue Vice President Dick Cheney, Dick Armitage, Scooter Libby and Karl Rove.[2][3]
Funding
According to ''The Washington Post'', CREW is funded in part through the efforts of "Democracy Alliance," a loose group of approximately one hundred progressive-oriented political donors who saw CREW as a possible counterweight to the conservative watchdog group, Judicial Watch. A New Alliance Of Democrats Spreads Funding Jim VandeHei
Criticism
Former Senator Conrad Burns, one of those named by CREW as corrupt for his close ties to Abramoff, has said that the organization is "nothing but a group of partisan hacks doing the dirty work of Democrats."[4]
In response, CREW has stated they do have an agenda that goes beyond ethics. "We are progressive," said Naomi Seligman, the group's deputy director and a former spokeswoman for Senator Max Baucus of Montana. "We do work within a larger progressive infrastructure." Seligman suggested her group is the progressive counterweight to Judicial Watch.[5]
Some cases with CREW involvement
★ Clint Curtis
★ Swift Boat Veterans for Truth
★ Theft of Democratic documents within the U.S. Senate Committee on the Judiciary
★ Ethics violations by Tom DeLay
★ Valerie Plame Wilson and Joseph C. Wilson v. I. Lewis Scooter Libby, Karl Rove and Richard B. Cheney.
★ Tax allegations against Leslee Unruh, who spearheaded the South Dakota abortion ban.
★ Former Representative Mark Foley (''see Mark Foley scandal'')
★ Curt Weldon, presently being investigated by the FBI
CREW's "20 Most Corrupt Members of Congress"
House of Representatives
★ Rep. Roy Blunt [6] (R-MO)
★ Rep. Ken Calvert [7](R-CA) ''(new, September 2006)''
★ Rep. John Doolittle [8](R-CA) ''(new, September 2006)''
★ Rep. Tom Feeney [9] (R-FL)
★ Rep. Katherine Harris [10] (R-FL) ''(new, September 2006)''
★ Rep. William Jefferson [11] (D-LA)
★ Rep. Jerry Lewis [12](R-CA) ''(new, September 2006)''
★ Rep. Gary Miller [13](R-CA) ''(new, September 2006)''
★ Rep. Alan Mollohan [14](D-WV) ''(new, September 2006)''
★ Rep. Marilyn Musgrave [15] (R-CO)
★ Rep. Richard Pombo [16] (R-CA)
★ Rep. Rick Renzi [17] (R-AZ)
★ Rep. Pete Sessions [18](R-TX) ''(new, September 2006)''
★ Rep. John Sweeney [19](R-NY) ''(new, September 2006)''
★ Rep. Charles H. Taylor [20] (R-NC)
★ Rep. Maxine Waters [21] (D-CA)
★ Rep. Curt Weldon [22] (R-PA) ''(new, September 2006)''
Senate
★ Sen. Conrad Burns [23] (R-MT)
★ Sen. Bill Frist [24] (R-TN)
★ Sen. Rick Santorum [25] (R-PA)
"Five members to watch" (added September 2006)
★ Rep. Chris Cannon [26] (R-UT)
★ Rep. Dennis Hastert [27] (R-IL)
★ Rep. J.D. Hayworth [28] (R-AZ)
★ Rep. John Murtha [29] (D-PA)
★ Rep. Don Sherwood [30] (R-PA)
References
1. "MELANIE SLOAN, LEGAL COUNSEL FOR JOE AND VALERIE WILSON, RESPONDS TO DISMISSAL OF CIVIL SUIT". The Joseph and Valerie Wilson Support Trust. http://www.wilsonsupport.org/. Accessed 27 July 2007.
2. "PLAME SUIT DISMISSED". The News Hole. http://thenewshole.msnbc.msn.com/. [2]. Accessed 27 July 2007.
3. Leonnig, Carol D. "Plame's Suit Against Top Officials Dismissed". ''Washington Post''. Friday, July 20, 2007, page A05. [3]. Accessed 27 July 2007.
External links
★ Official Website
★ .PDF File: "Beyond DeLay: The 20 most corrupt members of Congress (and five to watch)"
★ ''Washington Times'' "Inside Politics" column, May 11, 2005
★ CREW Website "Valerie Plame Wilson and Former Ambassador Joseph Wilson Name Successor Counsel" news release, August 15, 2006
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