Conservative and taxpayer groups join reformers in push to save Office of Congressional Ethics

Media Advisory: 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.

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.

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.