CREW Calls Independent Ethics Office Simply a Paper Tiger

WASHINGTON--(Business Wire)--
In response to the ethics bill passed late tonight by the House of
Representatives, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington
(CREW) executive director Melanie Sloan released the following
statement:

"We are skeptical of the latest so-called ethics reform measure.
Given the pathetic performance of the Ethics Committee over the past
decade we have advocated for the creation of a new, independent ethics
office. Nevertheless, without subpoena power or the ability to
consider complaints filed by anyone other than members of Congress,
this new office, like the Ethics Committee itself, promises to be
nothing more than a paper tiger. Rather than providing for the
vigorous enforcement of ethics rules, the House merely has created a
new layer of bureaucracy to insulate members from the consequences of
their unethical activities. When the American public realizes there
are no teeth behind this latest reform effort, confidence in Congress
will be further eroded, the cynics will claim victory and we will be
no closer to the goal of a cleaner Congress than we were at the
beginning of the 'cleanest Congress in history.' "

Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) is a
non-profit legal watchdog group dedicated to holding public officials
accountable for their actions. For more information, please
visit www.citizensforethics.org or contact Naomi Seligman Steiner at
202.408.5565/ nseligman@citizensforethics.org.

For CREW
Naomi Seligman Steiner, 202-408-5565

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