The Congressional Accountability Project is an advocacy group [1] "which is affiliated with Ralph Nader." [2]
In 1997 they accused a member of congress of staying at the home of "a lobbyist ... who had formerly been his chief of staff for 22 years" ("which could constitute free lodging") and thereby "violated the House gift ban." [2]
Directed 1993-2007 [3] by Gary Ruskin, [4] [5] the "self-styled Congressional reform organization" [6] was "founded by" Nader, [7] was described by The New York Times as "nonpartisan;" [8] The Washington Post used the description "public watchdog." [9]
The acronym CAP has been used. [10]
A 1991 issue of an Oklahoma newspaper mentioned "Claire Riley of the group" regarding selling "mantel clocks, clock radios, crystal goblets and ice buckets, brass candlesticks ... all priced below retail to varying degrees." [11] These and "wrapping paper .. half the retail price" are described by the organization as "the congressional good life subsidized by taxpayers" fit Nader's claim of "corruption in the U. S. Congress." [3]
Riley was described as "director of the Congressional Accountability Project" in a 1991 UPI story. [12] and as "Lehigh Valley project director for the Congressional Accountability Project" in 1990. [13] and worked on projects with Nader earlier. [14]
The words "Congressional Accountability Project" have been used generically:
Although The New York Times used the label "nonpartisan," [8] some have disagreed. [19]
Ralph Nader is an American perennial presidential candidate, political activist, author, lecturer, and attorney noted for his involvement in consumer protection, environmentalism, and government reform causes. He became famous in the 1960s and 1970s for his book Unsafe at Any Speed, which criticized the automotive industry for its safety record and helped lead to the passage of the National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act in 1966.
Public Citizen is an American non-profit, progressive consumer rights advocacy group, and think tank based in Washington, D.C. with a branch in Austin, Texas.
Public Interest Research Groups (PIRGs) are a federation of U.S. and Canadian non-profit organizations that employ grassroots organizing and direct advocacy on issues such as consumer protection, public health and transportation. The PIRGs are closely affiliated with the Fund for the Public Interest, which conducts fundraising and canvassing on their behalf.
The Congressional Research Service (CRS) is a public policy research institute of the United States Congress. Operating within the Library of Congress, it works primarily and directly for members of Congress and their committees and staff on a confidential, nonpartisan basis. CRS is sometimes known as Congress' think tank due to its broad mandate of providing research and analysis on all matters relevant to national policymaking.
Melvin Luther Watt is an American politician who served as director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency from 2014 to 2019. He was appointed by President Barack Obama. He is a former United States Representative for North Carolina's 12th congressional district, from 1993 to 2014. He is a member of the Democratic Party.
Common Cause is a watchdog group based in Washington, D.C., with chapters in 35 states. It was founded in 1970 by John W. Gardner, a Republican, who was the Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare in the administration of President Lyndon Johnson as well as chair of the National Urban Coalition, an advocacy group for minorities and the working poor in urban areas. In its early days, Common Cause focused its efforts on ending the Vietnam War and lowering the voting age from 21 to 18.
John Edward Sweeney is an American politician from the U.S. state of New York. A Republican, he represented New York's 20th congressional district in the United States House of Representatives from January 1999 to January 2007. He was dubbed "Congressman Kick-Ass" by President George W. Bush for his take-no-prisoners style. He was defeated for reelection in 2006 by Democrat Kirsten Gillibrand.
The Project On Government Oversight (POGO) is a nonpartisan non-profit organization based in Washington, DC, that investigates and works to expose waste, fraud, abuse, and conflicts of interest in the U.S. federal government. According to its website, POGO works with whistleblowers and government insiders to identify wrongdoing in the federal government, and works with government officials to implement policy changes based on its investigations. POGO is led by executive director Danielle Brian.
Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) U.S. government ethics and accountability watchdog organization. Founded in 2003 as a counterweight to conservative government watchdog groups such as Judicial Watch, CREW works to expose ethics violations and corruption by government officials and institutions and to reduce the role of money in politics.
Jack Allan Abramoff is an American lobbyist, businessman, film producer, writer, and convicted felon. He was at the center of an extensive corruption investigation led by Earl Devaney that resulted in his conviction and 21 other people either pleading guilty or being found guilty, including White House officials J. Steven Griles and David Safavian, U.S. Representative Bob Ney, and nine other lobbyists and congressional aides.
The Congressional Institute is a nonprofit organization based in Alexandria, Virginia. The organization is best known for sponsoring an annual January retreat for Republican members of Congress. The organization also sponsors the Congressional Art Competition and publishes nonpartisan educational resources such as the House Floor Procedures Manual. It was founded in 1987 by Jerry Climer. The Institute's current president is Mark Strand.
The Jack Abramoff CNMI scandal involved the efforts of Jack Abramoff, other lobbyists, and government officials to change or prevent, or both, Congressional action regarding the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) and businesses on Saipan, its capital, commercial center, and one of its three principal islands.
Anthony John Moffett, Jr. is an American former politician from the state of Connecticut. A Democrat, he served in the United States House of Representatives as the member from Connecticut's 6th congressional district from 1975 to 1983. Moffett is currently Senior Advisor at Mayer Brown LLP.
The Honest Leadership and Open Government Act of 2007 is a law of the United States federal government that amended parts of the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995. It strengthens public disclosure requirements concerning lobbying activity and funding, places more restrictions on gifts for members of Congress and their staff, and provides for mandatory disclosure of earmarks in expenditure bills. The bill was signed into law by President George W. Bush on September 14, 2007.
Fredric Michael "Fred" Wertheimer is an American attorney, lobbyist, and activist notable for his work on campaign finance reform and other government integrity, transparency, and accountability issues.
Claire Nader is an American social scientist and a sister of Ralph, Laura, and Shafeek Nader.
The Office of Congressional Ethics (OCE), established by the U.S. House of Representatives in March 2008, is a nonpartisan, independent entity charged with reviewing allegations of misconduct against members of the House of Representatives and their staff and, when appropriate, referring matters to the United States House Committee on Ethics.
John Michael "Mick" Mulvaney is an American politician who served as director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) from February 2017 until March 2020, and as acting White House Chief of Staff from January 2019 until March 2020. Prior to his appointments to the Trump administration, he served in the U.S. House of Representatives.
Walter Michael Shaub Jr. is an American attorney specializing in government ethics who, from January 9, 2013 to July 19, 2017, was the director of the United States Office of Government Ethics. As of July 19, 2017, he joined the Washington D.C.-based election law organization the Campaign Legal Center (CLC) as Senior Director, Ethics.
Mike McCabe is a political reform activist in Wisconsin. He worked for 15 years as executive director of the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign and founded Blue Jean Nation, a nonpartisan group that describes itself as "commoners working to house the politically homeless and transform parties that are failing America."
Ruskin was the director of the Congressional Accountability Project
Gary Ruskin, 33, director at Mr. Nader's Congressional Accountability Project, will
of the Congressional Accountability Project, a nonprofit group affiliated with Ralph Nader (http://www.essential.org/orgs/CAP/CAP.html).
to repeat the $29,000 pay raise
Ralph Nader and Claire Riley
Ruskin ran the partisan Congressional Accountability Project and ...