Logo for InfluenceWatch InfluenceWatch

Donate
Non-profit

Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW)

Website:

www.citizensforethics.org/
Location:

WASHINGTON, DC
Tax ID:

03-0445391
Tax-Exempt Status:

501(c)(3)

Budget (2020):

Revenue: $9,064,794
Expenses: $5,928,736
Assets: $8,350,032
Formation:

2002

Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) is a David Brock-aligned 501(c)(3) advocacy group that markets itself  as  a “nonpartisan” watchdog directing litigation against government corruption in an effort to advance the public interest. The group is part of Brock’s network of organizations including Democratic-aligned opposition research Super PAC American Bridge and media criticism organization Media Matters for America that form Brock’s campaign to oppose Republican officeholders.1

The organization has been recognized as having “played instrumental roles in building a stronger, more integrated progressive infrastructure” by the Democracy Alliance.2 CREW has received funding from left-of-center foundations, including financier George Soros’ Open Society Foundations and singer Barbra Streisand’s Streisand Foundation.3

CREW has been criticized for the appearance of pay-for-play advocacy on behalf of for-profit universities.4

History and Founding

In 2001, prominent Democratic Party operatives founded CREW as a rejoinder to right-leaning legal advocacy groups such as Judicial Watch, the Rutherford Institute and the National Legal and Policy Center. The organization’s founding directors were: Louis Mayberg, a Democratic party donor, and co-founder of the Maryland-based ProFund Advisors LLC; Daniel Berger, another Democratic party donor who in 2004 made a $100,000 contribution to America Coming Together; and Mark Penn, a fellow at the New Politics Institute, and a Democratic strategist who worked on President Bill Clinton’s 1996 re-election campaign and on Hillary Clinton’s 2000 U.S. Senate campaign. Norm Eisen, another Democratic Party operative, played a role in the group’s 2001 founding, although, he was not listed as a director.5

When they initially conceived of CREW, both Eisen and Mayberg said that the organization was intended to even the playing field against conservative legal groups that had weakened the political position of President Bill Clinton during the 1990s.6 Melanie Sloan, another longtime Democratic operative, was listed as the executive director on the 2013 990 form with an annual salary of $260,699. She is no longer with the organization.

Prior to joining CREW, Sloan served as the nominations counsel for the Senate Judiciary Committee, chaired by then-Sen. Joe Biden (D-Delaware), in 1993. She was also counsel for the crime subcommittee of the House Judiciary Committee under then-U.S. Representative Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) in 1994 and served as minority counsel for the House Judiciary Committee under Rep. John Conyers (D-Michigan) from 1995 to 1998.7

Leadership and Financial Support

As of the end of 2015, CREW reported assets of about $820,000 and total annual revenue of about $2.3 million.8

In August 2014, liberal political operative David Brock, founder of the liberal media watchdog group Media Matters, was elected as CREW’s board chairman. Sloan then announced that she would resign as a soon as a new executive director was named.9 Noah Bookbinder, who previously served as a U.S. Department of Justice prosecutor and a chief counsel for the U.S. Senate’s Judiciary Committee, was tapped to become the new executive director in March 2015.10

In December 2016, Brock announced that he would be stepping away from CREW’s board after serving for two years. Eisen, the Democratic attorney who helped co-found CREW in 2001, returned to the organization as the new board chairman after serving as a legal counsel in the Obama White House and as U.S. Ambassador to the Czech Republic. Richard Painter, formerly an ethics lawyer for President George W. Bush, is now the vice chairman.11

Since its inception, CREW has received financial support from several left-leaning foundations and organizations including the Arca Foundation, the David Geffen Foundation, Democracy Alliance, the Mayberg Family Charitable Foundation,  George Soros’s Open Society Institute, the Sheller Family Foundation, the Streisand Foundation, the Tides Foundation, the Wallace Global Fund, and the Woodbury Fund.12

CREW’s ties to late progressive funder John Sperling, founder of the University of Phoenix, led to criticism in the early 2010s. CREW had engaged in aggressive attacks on critics of for-profit universities during debates on Obama administration student-aid rules that would hurt for-profit colleges like the University of Phoenix, leading some to speculate that they might be receiving funding from Sperling to engage in the hostile campaign.13 A subsequent analysis of tax returns found that Sperling’s Aurora Foundation had routed money into pass-through nonprofits associated with a Sacramento Democratic political consultancy that subsequently funded CREW.14

CREW does not reveal its donors, so the money trail cannot be decisively confirmed. CREW faced additional criticism when then-executive director Melanie Sloan announced her intention to join the public affairs firm of controversial lawyer and consigliere to the Clinton family Lanny Davis. Davis conducted advocacy on behalf of for-profit universities during the period CREW attacked the industry’s critics while allegedly receiving funds from Sperling.15

CREW Primarily Targets Republicans

CREW’s efforts at “accountability” and “ethics” have been criticized as a partisan vendetta against conservatives and Republicans.16  An attorney who represents nonprofit groups said in an interview with the Hill that obvious one-sided slant of CREW’s IRS complaints could potentially jeopardize the group’s standing. 17

In 2004, CREW circulated a letter to House members in an effort to identify someone willing to pursue ethics allegations against then Majority Leader Rep. Tom Delay (R-Texas). CREW soon joined forces with former U.S. Representative Chris Bell (D-Texas), who had lost an election in the Democratic primary. Sloan worked in concert with Bell to fill an ethics complaint against Delay with the House Committee on Standards of Official Conduct. CREW’s role in this effort was in violation with House rules that said non-members could not file ethics complaints. The committee dismissed Bell’s accusations against Delay.18

CREW’s and progressives’ vendetta against Delay ultimately ended in criminal charges filed by the highly partisan Travis County District Attorney’s Office. After several years of trials, the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals reversed Delay’s lower-court conviction, and one legal commentator called the charges “politically motivated.”19

An analysis by the Center for Organizational Research and Education suggests CREW claimed impartiality was contrary to the facts through at least the first 18 months of the Obama administration. CREW filed 29 complaints with the Federal Election Commission in the period between March 2004 and September 2010. Breaking down these complaints, 76 percent were trained on Republicans and right-leaning groups, but a list of cases from the FEC shows only 40 percent of the civil penalties of $50,000 the agency levied since 1980 were actually against Republicans or Republican Party supporters. Additionally, all of CREW’s complaints to the IRS concerning 501(c) statuses  as of 2010 targeted conservative groups. The IRS itself was much more even handed: Between 2005 and 2009 only half of the charitable organizations that had their tax-exempt status revoked by the IRS were connected with the right.20

Increased Partisanship under Brock

While CREW’s alleged impartiality was always overstated, it took a hit when Brock assumed a leadership in CREW. CREW’s “Most Corrupt” and “Worst Governors” lists, which occasionally mentioned the misdeeds of Democrats, were discontinued during his watch.21

Clinton Family Ties

Brock’s close ties with the Clintons and his own personal political agenda ultimately worked to undermine CREW’s ability to objectively investigate certain organizations. Bloomberg reported that “Some former staffers say that Brock, who has moved into the vice chairman role, has pulled the watchdog into a partisan agenda and, in doing so, weakened its impact.”22

Bloomberg News reported that this affected CREW’s interactions with Brock’s sponsors and allies in the Clinton family: “[CREW] walked away from a spat over Hillary Clinton’s treatment of e-mails as secretary of state, even after an U.S. State Department Inspector General found that CREW’s public records request had been improperly denied.”23 CREW’s December 2012 Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request to the State Department inquiring about the former secretary of state’s email records was discussed at length and the Inspector General determined that department staff members did not conduct a search for these records.24

Anti-Trump Administration Efforts

In keeping with the agenda of its former board chairman David Brock, CREW has been an aggressive opponent of the Trump administration. The so-called “Brocktopus,” which includes CREW, declared an intention to spend upwards of $40 million to oppose the Trump administration in 2017. CREW was reported to be “a particular locus of activity.”25

Just a few weeks into President Trump’s administration, CREW filed an “open records request of all communication between White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus and FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe and/or FBI Director James Comey concerning improper communication about the pending criminal investigation of Russia’s attempts to influence the 2016 election and links between Russian officials and associates of Donald Trump.”26

CREW has also called for investigations of Trump’s business and interests and potential conflicts of interest. The watchdog group claims Trump’s business interest may violate the Emoluments Clause of the U.S. Constitution.27 CREW claims that Trump is operating in violation of the Foreign Emoluments Clause because he continues to maintain ownership in business ventures such as hotels where foreign governments and businesses are customers.

CREW also filed complaints against Kellyanne Conway, counselor to the president. Conway’s apparent endorsement of Ivanka Trump’s products violated federal ethics regulations, according to a complaint CREW filed with the Office of Government Ethics and White House Counsel’s Office.

In 2020, CREW co-signed a letter addressed to president Donald Trump which advocated for hiring Federal Election Commission (FEC) Commissioners to reach quorum and to enforce election laws.

Support of H.R.1

In 2019, Norman Eisen, current chair of Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) and former US ambassador to the Czech Republic, and Fred Wertheimer, founder and president of Democracy 21, wrote an op-ed for Politico together entitled “How to Fix America’s Broken Political System.” 28

The article discusses the introduction the H.R.1 bill in the House of Representatives in 2019. The bill consists of a package of democracy reforms introduced by Rep. John Sarbanes on behalf of the Democratic House majority. The bill addresses election security reforms, establishing standards for election vendors, providing assistance to states to protect their election systems, and enhancing federal initiatives to respond to threats to election systems.

The legislation addresses Russian President Vladimir Putin’s violations of United States campaign finance laws. In 2016, when Russian agents spent money on campaign advertisements in the United States, they violated a U.S. ban on foreign governments making expenditures to influence local elections. H.R.1 includes disclosure provisions that would allow American citizens to know which advertisements are sponsored by foreign governments.

The H.R.1. bill also seeks to expand the access of voters in the United States to ballots. Voting reforms include requiring states to register voters automatically, to offer online and same-day voter registration options, to expand voting rights to ex-criminals that are no longer serving a sentence, and to establish Election Day as a national holiday.

The H.R.1 bill seeks to create financing systems for congressional and presidential campaigns that allow for candidates to run for office without becoming financially dependent on large campaign donors. It creates a financing system that matches contributions to campaigns of up to $200 with public funds at a 6-1 ratio. 29

People

CREW staff members typically have close ties with the Democratic Party, Democratic politicians, or other progressive organizations. Noah Bookbinder, the group’s executive director, was a staff member in the Obama administration and also served on the Senate Judiciary Committee under Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vermont). 30 Matt Corley, the group’s chief investigator, has a history with the Center for American Progress, and Jordan Libowitz, the communications director, worked as an organizer for the Alaska Democratic Party. 31 32

Melanie Sloan, CREW’s founding executive director, left CREW in 2014. She formed a public affairs firm, Triumph Strategy.33 She partnered in that endeavor with ProgressNow founder Michael Huttner.34

References

  1. Debenedetti, Gabriel. “Brock groups set $40 million budget to fight Trump.” POLITICO. January 21, 2017. Accessed March 21, 2017. http://www.politico.com/story/2017/01/david-brock-fundraising-trump-233974
  2. Democracy Alliance. “Spring 2014 Democracy Alliance Investment Recommendations.” Pp 54-55. Spring 2014. Accessed March 21, 2017. https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/1202744-da-portfolio2012-2014-042714.html#document/p1 
  3. “Citizens for Responsiblity and Ethics in Washington.” Discover the Networks. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Mar. 2017. http://www.discoverthenetworks.org/printgroupProfile.asp?grpid=7309
  4. Elk, Mike. “Why Are Progressives Fighting Student-Loan Reform?” The American Prospect. October 5, 2010. Accessed March 29, 2017. http://prospect.org/article/why-are-progressives-fighting-student-loan-reform-0#note
  5. “Citizens for Responsiblity and Ethics in Washington.” Discover the Networks. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Mar. 2017.
  6. “Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington | Funding sources, staff profiles, and political agenda | Activist FactsActivist Facts.” Activist Facts. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Mar. 2017.
  7. “Citizens for Responsiblity and Ethics in Washington.” Discover the Networks. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Mar. 2017
  8. Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990), 2015, Part I Line 12 and Part X Line 16(B)
  9. Gerth, Jeff . “Her Way.” Her Way: The Hopes and Ambitions of Hillary Rodham Clinton. Google Books, n.d. Web. 12 Mar. 2017.
  10. “CREW Names Noah Bookbinder Executive Director.” CREW. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Mar. 2017.
  11. Ross, Chuck. “David Brock Leaves Executive Spot At Liberal Watchdog Group.” The Daily Caller, 8 Dec. 2016. Web. 13 Mar. 2017.
  12. Citizens for Responsiblity and Ethics in Washington.” Discover the Networks. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Mar. 2017.
  13. Elk, Mike. “Why Are Progressives Fighting Student-Loan Reform?” The American Prospect. October 5, 2010. Accessed March 29, 2017. http://prospect.org/article/why-are-progressives-fighting-student-loan-reform-0#note
  14. Carney, Timothy P. “Money trail connects watchdog group CREW to the for-profit colleges it defended.” Washington Examiner. September 02, 2014. Accessed March 29, 2017. http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/money-trail-connects-watchdog-group-crew-to-the-for-profit-colleges-it-defended/article/2552605
  15. Downie, James. “Why Do Ethics Stories Still Quote CREW’s Melanie Sloan?” The New Republic. March 04, 2011. Accessed March 29, 2017. https://newrepublic.com/article/84629/melanie-sloan-crew-ethics-for-profit
  16. Knight, Robert. “KNIGHT: Time to disarm partisan CREW.” The Washington Times. July 29, 2011. Accessed March 29, 2017. http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2011/jul/29/time-to-disarm-partisan-crew/
  17. https://web.archive.org/web/20060325004035/http://www.thehill.com/thehill/export/TheHill/News/Frontpage/031406/news2.html
  18. “Citizens for Responsiblity and Ethics in Washington.” Discover the Networks. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Mar. 2017
  19. Fund, John. “Tom DeLay Saga Ends-Conviction Reversed.” National Review. October 01, 2014. Accessed March 29, 2017. http://www.nationalreview.com/corner/389305/tom-delay-saga-ends-conviction-reversed-john-fund
  20. “CREW’s Disproportionate Attacks on Republicans.” CREW Exposed. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 Mar. 2017.
  21. Allison, Bill. “CREW’s Watchdog Status Fades After Arrival of Democrat David Brock.” Bloomberg.com. April 11, 2016. Accessed March 29, 2017. https://www.bloomberg.com/politics/articles/2016-04-11/washington-watchdog-adjusts-to-life-with-partisan-roommates  .
  22. Allison, Bill. “CREW’s Watchdog Status Fades After Arrival of Democrat David Brock.” Bloomberg.com. Bloomberg, 11 Apr. 2016. Web. 13 Mar. 2017.
  23. Allison, Bill. “CREW’s Watchdog Status Fades After Arrival of Democrat David Brock.” Bloomberg.com. April 11, 2016. Accessed March 29, 2017. https://www.bloomberg.com/politics/articles/2016-04-11/washington-watchdog-adjusts-to-life-with-partisan-roommates  .
  24. U.S. State Department Inspector General Report . Digital image. OIG Evaluation of State Department FOIA Process . N.p., Jan. 2016. Web. 28 Mar. 2017.
  25. Debenedetti, Gabriel. “Brock groups set $40 million budget to fight Trump.” POLITICO. January 21, 2017. Accessed March 29, 2017. http://www.politico.com/story/2017/01/david-brock-fundraising-trump-233974
  26. “CREW Files Open Records Request Seeking Communication Records Between Chief of Staff Reince Priebus and FBI.” CREW. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Mar. 2017.
  27. “Non-Profit Lawsuit Alleges Trump Violates The Constitution.” NPR. NPR, 23 Jan. 2017. Web. 12 Mar. 2017.
  28. Eisen , Norman, and Fred Wertheimer. “How to Fix America’s Broken Political System.” In The Arena. Politico Magazine. 9 Jan. 2019. https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2019/01/07/election-security-campaign-finance-bill-223758
  29. Eisen , Norman, and Fred Wertheimer. “How to Fix America’s Broken Political System.” In The Arena. Politico Magazine. 9 Jan. 2019. https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2019/01/07/election-security-campaign-finance-bill-223758
  30. “Noah Bookbinder.” CREW. Accessed July 31, 2019. https://www.citizensforethics.org/team-member/team-member-4/
  31. “Matt Corley.” CREW. Accessed July 31, 2019. https://www.citizensforethics.org/team-member/team-member-2/
  32. “Jordan Libowitz.” CREW. Accessed July 31, 2019. https://www.citizensforethics.org/team-member/jordan-libowitz/
  33. Gale, Rebecca. “Melanie Sloan Settles in With New Crew: Triumph Strategy.” Roll Call. February 03, 2015. Accessed March 29, 2017. http://www.rollcall.com/news/home/melanie-sloan-triumph-strategy
  34. Wilson, Megan R. “CREW founder Sloan starts new venture.” TheHill. January 07, 2015. Accessed March 29, 2017. http://thehill.com/business-a-lobbying/lobbying-hires/228752-crew-founder-starts-new-venture

Directors, Employees & Supporters

  1. Evan McMullin
    Board Member
  2. Melanie Sloan
    Former Executive Director
  3. David Brock
    Supporter
  4. Richard Painter
  5. Noah Bookbinder
  See an error? Let us know!

Nonprofit Information

  • Accounting Period: December - November
  • Tax Exemption Received: October 1, 2002

    • Available Filings

    Period Form Type Total revenue Total functional expenses Total assets (EOY) Total liabilities (EOY) Unrelated business income? Total contributions Program service revenue Investment income Comp. of current officers, directors, etc. Form 990
    2020 Dec Form 990 $9,064,794 $5,928,736 $8,350,032 $884,204 N $9,014,035 $34,700 $12,373 $521,404 PDF
    2019 Dec Form 990 $6,033,707 $6,085,062 $4,739,494 $409,755 N $5,989,080 $400 $43,947 $500,789 PDF
    2018 Dec Form 990 $5,425,826 $4,689,142 $5,307,855 $926,761 Y $5,304,030 $97,878 $24,717 $463,645 PDF
    2017 Dec Form 990 $7,777,858 $4,689,183 $4,053,473 $409,063 N $7,773,524 $800 $3,098 $310,347 PDF
    2016 Dec Form 990 $1,928,131 $1,995,677 $735,315 $179,580 N $1,853,672 $73,797 $662 $254,025 PDF
    2015 Dec Form 990 $2,360,040 $2,386,040 $823,380 $200,099 N $2,150,980 $208,878 $182 $206,275 PDF
    2014 Dec Form 990 $2,167,229 $2,834,943 $1,120,909 $471,628 N $1,891,525 $275,443 $261 $530,100 PDF
    2013 Dec Form 990 $2,657,927 $2,650,369 $1,593,123 $152,753 N $2,627,467 $30,250 $210 $463,162 PDF
    2012 Dec Form 990 $2,264,596 $2,734,018 $1,659,512 $226,700 N $2,234,998 $29,158 $440 $427,513 PDF
    2011 Dec Form 990 $1,946,221 $2,771,232 $2,083,202 $180,968 N $1,868,162 $77,207 $852 $435,893 PDF

    Additional Filings (PDFs)

    Map image for Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW)

    Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW)

    455 MASSACHUSETTS AVE NW 6TH FLOOR
    WASHINGTON, DC 20001-2621