Watchdog Names Most Corrupt Lawmakers

By Michael Beckel , OpenSecrets

September 18, 2009

The nonprofit ethics watchdog Citizens for Ethics and Responsibility in Washington (CREW) has released their fifth annual report on members of Congress who they deem have engaged in unethical -- and sometimes illegal -- behavior. Sen. Roland Burris (D-Ill.) and Rep. Jesse Jackson, Jr. (D-Ill.) both make the list for issues stemming from former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich's filling of the U.S. Senate seat vacated by President Barack Obama. Sen. John Ensign (R-Nev.) makes their list for an extramarital affair with a former staffer. The staffer and her husband, who also worked for Ensign, were both discharged and paid $96,000 by Ensign's parents as a "gift," according to Ensign's office. Furthermore, Reps. John Murtha (D-Penn.), Pete Visclosky (D-Ind.) and Don Young (R-Alaska) all make the list for directing armarks to campaign contributors. As Capital Eye has previously noted, Murtha and Visclosky were the top two recipients of the now-defunct lobby shop and its clients, which is under federal investigation, and Murtha was the top recipient of campaign cash from employees of Kuchera Industries, a defense contractor under federal investigation. Young is also under federal investigations for his role in steering a $10 million earmark for a bridge in Florida and his ties to lobbyists, including convicted lobbyist Jack Abramhoff.