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The Progressive

NewsWire

A project of Common Dreams

For Immediate Release
Contact: David Vance,,dvance@commoncause.org

Conservative & Taxpayer Groups Join Reformers in Push to Save Office of Congressional Ethics

A coalition of 10 groups, including Judicial Watch, Taxpayers for
Common Sense, National Taxpayers Union and a number of reform groups
will hold a press conference Thursday at 10:30 a.m. to urge the incoming
House leadership of the 112th Congress to continue the Office of Congressional Ethics (OCE) and to oppose any efforts to weaken or undermine the office.

The Office of Congressional Ethics is an independent non-partisan
investigative office in the House credited with pressuring the
notoriously inactive House Ethics Committee to do its job.

WASHINGTON

A coalition of 10 groups, including Judicial Watch, Taxpayers for
Common Sense, National Taxpayers Union and a number of reform groups
will hold a press conference Thursday at 10:30 a.m. to urge the incoming
House leadership of the 112th Congress to continue the Office of Congressional Ethics (OCE) and to oppose any efforts to weaken or undermine the office.

The Office of Congressional Ethics is an independent non-partisan
investigative office in the House credited with pressuring the
notoriously inactive House Ethics Committee to do its job.

The groups will release research showing an increase in activity this
Congress by the House Ethics Committee, which appears prompted by the
work of the Office of Congressional Ethics. The OCE undertook 69
preliminary reviews in 2009 and 2010, while the House ethics committee
doled out 11 disciplinary actions in that same time, more than twice its
activity level during the Jack Abramoff scandal years of 2006 to
2008. The Ethics Committee took no action around the Abramoff scandals
during that period.

Press Conference Details

What:Press conference in support of maintaining the Office of Congressional Ethics
When:Thursday, Dec. 2,10:30 a.m. EST
Where:Rayburn House Office Building, Room 2203
Who:Campaign Legal Center - Policy Director Meredith McGehee
Common Cause - President Bob Edgar
Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington - Policy Director Jeremy Miller
Democracy 21 - President Fred Wertheimer
Judicial Watch - President Tom Fitton
League of Women Voters - Executive Director Nancy Tate
National Taxpayers Union - Executive Vice President Pete Sepp
PIRG - Director of Federal Office Gary Kalman
Public Citizen - Government Affairs Lobbyist Craig Holman
Taxpayers for Common Sense - President Ryan Alexander

Contact: Campaign Legal Center, David G. Vance,
(202) 736-2200; Common Cause, Mary Boyle (202) 736-5770; CREW, Garrett
Russo, (202) 408-5565; Democracy 21, Erin Kesler, (202) 355-9600;
Judicial Watch, Tom Fitton (202) 646-5172; League of Women Voters, Kelly
Ceballos, (202) 263-1331; National Taxpayers Union, Pete Sepp, (703)
683-5700; Judicial Watch, Tom Fitton, (202) 646-5172; Public Citizen,
Angela Bradbery (202) 588-7741; Taxpayers for Common Sense, Steve Ellis
(202) 546-8500.

Common Cause is a nonpartisan, grassroots organization dedicated to upholding the core values of American democracy. We work to create open, honest, and accountable government that serves the public interest; promote equal rights, opportunity, and representation for all; and empower all people to make their voices heard in the political process.

(202) 833-1200