May 9, 2012
What CREW Has Learned About Don Young
After a lengthy legal battle a court order forced the Department of Justice to produce hundreds of pages from the FBI’s investigative files of Alaska Representative Don Young. Even with redactions, those documents tell a remarkable story of greed and corruption. Read More ›
March 19, 2012
Family Affair
For the 2012 Family Affair report, our research team dug into the records of ALL 435 members of the House of Representatives. After combing through finance records, reviewing spending reports, and shaking the leaves off of their family trees, we found more than half of all House members use their positions to benefit themselves or their families. Read More ›
September 19, 2011
Most Corrupt 2011
CREW’s seventh report on congressional corruption names 19 members of Congress – 14 members whose actions violated the law or who otherwise engaged in serious misconduct, and five others whose lack of regard for the rules earned them a dishonorable mention. Read More ›
May 19, 2011
Under Investigation
CREW has compiled a list of Congress members likely under investigation by the Department of Justice (DOJ), the Committee on Standards of Official Conduct (House ethics committee), the Senate Select Committee on Ethics (Senate ethics committee) or the Office of Congressional Ethics (OCE). Read More ›
April 25, 2011
The Pork Parade
For years some members of Congress have made a lucrative side business of trading earmarks for campaign contributions. These members treat the federal treasury – meaning our tax dollars -- like their own personal piggy bank, handing out big money contracts to favored donors, friends, and family members. In exchange, these members often receive campaign donations, employment for relatives, or charitable contributions. Read More ›
December 20, 2011
Top Scandals 2011
Lecherous lawmakers, a deadbeat dad, and absentee agencies made CREW's annual list of the year’s top political scandals, the Top Scandals of 2011. Read More ›
December 15, 2011
Measuring Transparency Under the FOIA: The Real Story Behind the Numbers
CREW and OpenTheGovernment.org released a joint report, analyzing the government’s Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) data for 2010 and how it compares to the previous administration’s data. The results paint a mixed picture, with the Obama administration falling short of its commitment to create a government of unparalleled transparency. Read More ›
November 15, 2011
Funds for Favors: Exposing Donors’ Influence on Committee Leaders
Heading a committee in the House of Representatives brings rewards beyond the chance to write important bills: an increase in campaign contributions from the same industries those committees are supposed to oversee. Research by Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) found as members grow in power and seniority, the industries they are responsible for regulating steer more and more money into their campaign coffers. Those members typically receive especially big jumps in industry donations during the election cycle immediately before assuming the chairmanship or ranking member position. Read More ›
October 19, 2011
The Seemingly Intractable Problem of Domestic Abuse in the Department of Defense
This report documents the Department of Defense’s shocking failure to monitor acts of domestic violence committed by soldiers. Through a series of Freedom of Information Act requests directed to the army, navy, air force and marines, CREW learned DOD has ignored a 1999 law requiring the secretary of defense to “establish a central database of information on the incidents of domestic violence involving members of the armed forces.” Read More ›
July 8, 2011
Pay to Play
In a post Citizens United world we are seeing more and more cash infect the political process. CREW is digging deeper to uncover the scandals. In Pay to Play we highlight the not-so-subtle relationship between money, influence and political results. Read More ›
April 28, 2011
The Missing John Yoo Emails – What Did CREW Learn?
The public likely will never learn the full truth behind the controversial torture memos authored by John Yoo, former Deputy Assistant Attorney General for the Office of Legal Counsel (OLC) in the Department of Justice (DOJ). CREW released a report revealing how few of Mr. Yoo’s emails are in DOJ’s possession, despite a federal law mandating preservation of all federal records, including email. Read More ›
March 9, 2011
Payday Lenders Pay More
Today, as millions of Americans receive paychecks, they remain vulnerable to the abusive practices of payday lenders. New research released by Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) shows the industry has continued to ramp up spending on lobbying and campaign contributions to prevent federal regulation of payday loans. Read More ›
Blog
May 18, 2012
Thanks for the Notice, House Ethics
In outrageous fashion, the House Ethics Committee noticed a public meeting to consider proposed amendments to the Committee…
Media Center
May 08, 2012
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May 15, 2012 | Politico
John Edwards defense: Justice Department flip-flopped
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May 16, 2012 | Bradenton Herald
Watchdog group calls for Buchanan to resign
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May 3, 2012 | The Telegraph
US Senate asks Leveson for any evidence of illegal activity by News Corp
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May 2, 2012 | The Hill
Ethics watchdog asks FCC to revoke Fox's broadcast licenses
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May 1, 2012 | The Guardian
Rupert Murdoch's Fox broadcast licences targeted by US ethics group