I live in Chicago where politicians and ethics go together like chocolate chip cookies and ketchup. After living here for a few years, I’m constantly noticing problems (like gang fights at the beach and 3 foot deep potholes) that are clearly the result of many years of inadequate and often corrupt politicians. I actually find it shocking that anyone under 30 (or over 30 for that matter) has any faith in or hope for politicians anymore. There have been way too many scandals. I guess that’s why Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington was started in 2003. They’re a Washington, DC based non-profit that is “dedicated to promoting ethics and accountability in government and public life by targeting government officials — regardless of party affiliation — who sacrifice the common good to special interests.” Oddly enough, the Wikipedia entry for CREW mentions that many of their donors are liberal groups and that most of the members of Congress whom they target are Republicans or conservative Democrats. Since corruption and unethical activity don’t follow party lines, it seems as though CREW might not be living up to its mission of acting “regardless of party affiliation” (which, in my opinion, isn’t the ethical and responsible thing to do).

Will You Join the CREW?

Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington is very much a legal organization, as they use the following tools to “force officials to act ethically and lawfully and to bring unethical conduct to the public’s attention”: Litigation, Freedom of Information Requests, Ethics Complaints, IRS Complaints, Federal Election Commission Complaints, and Requests for Investigations. If CREW finds politicians behaving badly, they will find a way to make them pay. Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington’s current projects include identifying the country’s worst governors, identifying the most corrupt members in Congress (we have 2 of the top 15 in Illinois), and a state by state ethics breakdown. The thing that I really like about Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington is that they’re not only good and finding and acting information, but they also do an excellent job of presenting it. They don’t issue boring reports—they build engaging websites that make consuming their research enjoyable. If you like what you see at CREW, then you should check out their Jobs page. Right now they’re looking for a Communications Associate, and it seems like the position could be a good fit for a new or recent grad. You can find the full description on their Jobs page.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

• CitizensForEthics.org
• Jobs at Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington
• About Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington
• Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington’s Actions
• Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington News
• Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington’s Blog

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