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| date = 2010-09-20
| date = 2010-09-20
| work = ABC News}}</ref>
| work = ABC News}}</ref>

''Roll Call'' reported that CREW investigated "groups and individuals who are the foes of CREW's donors" as well as a political opponent of one of CREW's board directors, and that CREW refused to disclose its donor list.<ref name="RollCall"/> Donors to CREW include such liberal groups as [[George Soros]]' [[Open Society Institute]], [[Democracy Alliance]], [[Service Employees International Union]], the [[Arca Foundation]], and the [[Gill Foundation]].<ref name=RollCall/><ref name=ADG>{{cite web
| url = http://www.citizensforethics.org/node/42509
| title = Inquiry is sought in Ross deal
| accessdate = 2010-04-03
| last = Daniels
| first = Alex
| date = 2009-09-24
| work = [[Arkansas Democrat-Gazette]]}}</ref><ref name=WP>{{cite web
| url = http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/07/16/AR2006071600882_pf.html
| title = A New Alliance Of Democrats Spreads Funding: But Some in Party Bristle At Secrecy and Liberal Tilt
| accessdate = 2010-04-04
| last = VandeHei
| first = Jim
| date = 2006-07-17
| work = [[The Washington Post]]}}</ref> The ''Roll Call'' article also stated that the CREW mission statement had changed since 2005, when it read that CREW "differs from other good government groups in that it sues offending politicians directly" and that it "aims to counterbalance the conservative legal watchdog groups that made such a strong impact over the past decade."

U.S. Senator [[Conrad Burns]] of Montana charged that CREW was "maliciously false" and "partisan hacks" in calling him corrupt in 2005. The ''[[Billings Gazette]]'' reported that CREW defended itself:<ref name="bill">{{cite web
| url = http://billingsgazette.com/news/state-and-regional/montana/article_052d5c44-e769-5e49-a056-d9c85abc56a8.html
| title = Burns calls 'corrupt' label from group 'maliciously false'
| accessdate = 2008-07-31
| last = Johnson
| first = Charles S.
| date = 2005-10-02
| work = [[Billings Gazette]]}}</ref>
{{quote | "We are progressive," said Naomi Seligman, the group's deputy director... "We do work within a larger progressive infrastructure." Seligman suggested her group is the progressive counterweight to [[Judicial Watch]], a group from the right that calls itself "a non-profit, public interest law firm dedicated to fighting government corruption." }}


== Director ==
== Director ==

Revision as of 18:00, 21 September 2010

Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) is a political watchdog group founded in 2003. One of its most visible projects is an annual report of Washington's most corrupt politicians.[citation needed]

Politics

The group is not officially aligned with any political party. Its 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."[1] CREW advances its mission by engaging in litigation, public advocacy, Freedom of Information Act requests, media outreach and official complaints to government agencies such as the Federal Election Commission and the Internal Revenue Service.[1] The Washington Post has variously described CREW as a "liberal watchdog group",[2] "nonprofit watchdog group",[3] "advocacy group",[4] and "nonpartisan watchdog group".[5] Roll Call reported in January 2008 that CREW files most of its complaints against members of Congress, and "all but a handful... have targeted Republicans". The article stated that CREW had issued press releases against Democrats but usually had not filed complaints against them, with the exception of Senator Mary Landrieu, a conservative Democrat.[6] CREW defended itself in to Roll Call:

"CREW is a nonpartisan organization that targets unethical conduct," [Deputy Director Naomi] Seligman wrote... "Now that the Democrats are in power, they will have opportunities for corruption that were previously reserved to Republicans and it is likely we will see more Democratic corruption."

In 2005 the "Most Corrupt" list consisted of 11 Republicans and 2 Democrats.[7][8] The September 2009 list had 7 Republicans and 8 Democrats.[9] Their 2010 list of "Corrupt Candidates" includes 9 Republicans and 3 Democrats (including fringe Democratic candidate for U. S. Senate Alvin Greene).[10] CREW filed at least one ethics complaint in 2010 against a liberal Democrat, U.S. Representative Gregory Meeks.[11]

On September 20, 2010, CREW filed complaints with the FEC and the Delaware U.S. Attorney's office, alleging criminal conduct, including embezzling and tax evasion, by Republican Senatorial candidate Christine O'Donnell.[12]

Director

Melanie Sloan serves as CREW's Executive Director. Prior to starting CREW in 2003, she served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the District of Columbia, after having worked for Congressional Democrats John Conyers, Charles Schumer, and Joseph Biden.[13] As a lawyer she represents Valerie Plame in her lawsuit against former Bush administration official for their alleged role in the public disclosure of her classified CIA status.[14][15]

References

  1. ^ a b "About CREW". Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington. 2008. Retrieved 2008-05-26.
  2. ^ Kane, Paul (2008-06-18). "Senators Deny Knowing Of Home Loan Favoritism". The Washington Post. Retrieved 2010-07-17.
  3. ^ Smith, R. Jeffrey (2010-07-31). "Rangel says colleagues who similarly sought donations were not punished". The Washington Post. Retrieved 2010-08-14.
  4. ^ Eggen, Dan (2010-08-12). "Group sues Federal Election Commission, saying its slow response limits appeals". The Washington Post. Retrieved 2010-08-14.
  5. ^ Bacon Jr., Perry (2010-08-14). "Rep. Maxine Waters blasts ethics panel and media, defends links to OneUnited". The Washington Post. Retrieved 2010-08-14.
  6. ^ Singer, Paul (2008-01-29). "Watchdog, Donors Share Common Foes". Roll Call. CREW has named Democratic Reps. John Murtha (Pa.), Alan Mollohan (W.Va.) and Maxine Waters (Calif.) to its "most corrupt" list, but never has released a separate ethics complaint against any of them. {{cite news}}: |access-date= requires |url= (help)
  7. ^ Cite error: The named reference bill was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  8. ^ http://www.crewsmostcorrupt.org/archive
  9. ^ "CREW's Most Corrupt". Retrieved 2010-08-14. Rep. Vern Buchanan (R-FL), Sen. Roland Burris (D-IL), Rep. Ken Calvert (R-CA), Rep. Nathan Deal (R-GA), Sen. John Ensign (R-NV), Rep. Jesse Jackson, Jr. (D-IL), Rep. Jerry Lewis (R-CA), Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY), Rep. Alan B. Mollohan (D-WV), Rep. John P. Murtha (D-PA), Rep. Charles B. Rangel (D-NY), Rep. Laura Richardson (D-CA), Rep. Pete Visclosky (D-IN), Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA), Rep. Don Young (R-AK)
  10. ^ http://www.citizensforethics.org/crookedcandidates2010
  11. ^ http://www.citizensforethics.org/node/45357
  12. ^ Dwyer, Devin; et al. (2010-09-20). "Christine O'Donnell Is a 'Criminal,' Claims Watchdog Group". ABC News. Retrieved 2010-09-21. {{cite web}}: Explicit use of et al. in: |first= (help)
  13. ^ "CREW Crew". Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington. Retrieved 2010-04-02.
  14. ^ "Melanie Sloan Responds to Dismissal of Civil Suit". The Joe and Valerie Wilson Legal Support Trust. Retrieved 2008-07-31.
  15. ^ http://www.citizensforethics.org/node/39740
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