
News Stories
- Hive of Scum and Villainy
November 14, 2009 - LOU GOMEZ: Higher bar needed on ethics issues
November 2, 2009 - GOP seizing on the leak of ethics probe details
October 30, 2009 - Lingering House Ethics Cases Test Claim Of Reform
October 21, 2009 - N.Y. Dems & House GOP Both Have Rangel-Related Dilemmas
October 19, 2009 - The GOP's Rangel dilemma
October 19, 2009 - Democrats' ethics investigations spark GOP election hopes
October 18, 2009 - A Rare Earth Mine, Goldman Sachs and a $3m Grant
October 8, 2009 - Capital Eye Opener: Wednesday, October 7
October 7, 2009 - Why Did Goldman Get A $3 Million Gov't Gift For "National Security" (GS)
October 7, 2009 - Why'd Goldman Get an Earmark?
October 6, 2009 - Goldman Sachs earmark denounced
October 6, 2009 - Critics blast $3M mining handout
October 6, 2009 - Watchdog group names Lewis, Calvert among '15 worst'
September 27, 2009 - Burris, Jackson Are Among "Most Corrupt"
September 17, 2009 - Mr. and Mrs. Lewis Are a Bit Opaque in Filings
September 16, 2009 - CREW Cut: Rangel on "Most Corrupt List," Again
September 16, 2009 - Californians represented on most corrupt members of Congress list
September 15, 2009 - California Congress members get most money far from home
September 9, 2009 - Dirty Money Watch: Rep. Jerry Lewis
August 18, 2009 - A few questions
August 17, 2009 - Charles Rangel Is a Congressional Leader . . . in Legal Bills
August 4, 2009 - Guess How Many Lawmakers Are Being Investigated for Alleged Ethics Violations
August 4, 2009 - 13 Democrats Facing Probes As Recess Begins
August 3, 2009 - Rep. Jerry Lewis backs defense bill's Inland earmarks as worthwhile
July 30, 2009 - Bill Shows Earmarks Are Alive and Well
July 25, 2009 - Jim Hightower: Special-interest money pours into politicos' pockets
July 24, 2009 - Rangel Reports Big ’09 Legal Expenses
July 21, 2009 - PMA’s Fallout Shines Spotlight on Revolving Door of Lobbyists
June 23, 2009 - PMA’s fallout shines spotlight on revolving door of lobbyists
June 22, 2009 - Special-Interest Money Helped Pay for Lawmakers' Portraits
June 8, 2009 - Flake Won’t Give Up on PMA
March 18, 2009 - GOP Says Ethics Turnabout is Fair Play
March 10, 2009 - Firm with Murtha Ties Got Earmarks From Nearly One-Fourth of House
February 19, 2009 - FEC Fines Jerry Lewis
January 22, 2009 - Golden State House Members Make Watchdog Group List
December 9, 2008 - A K Street Murtha Connection
November 18, 2008 - Republicans maintain Inland Congressional majority
November 5, 2008 - Legislators Using Law As Shield In Probes
November 1, 2008 - Scandals dog incumbents in both parties
October 29, 2008 - Congressional challenger wants debate
October 16, 2008 - Inland Empire's biggest booster still owes answers to his constituents
October 16, 2008 - Evening with 'Bush's Brain'
October 15, 2008 - "Meet the Candidates Night" fun for all
October 9, 2008 - Congress turns government by the people into a rule of thieves
September 29, 2008 - Embattled Alaska Sen. Stevens Tops List for Earmarks
September 25, 2008 - The Buzz: California by the numbers
September 12, 2008 - Five from CA make 'most corrupt' in Congress list
September 10, 2008 - House aide subpoenaed in lobbying probe
October 12, 2007 - Members’ Legal Bills Continued to Mount in ’06
February 1, 2007 - Under FBI Scrutiny, Mollohan Runs up $160K Legal Bill
January 31, 2007 - Jerry Lewis Pays His Lawyers Another $45K
January 31, 2007 - Congressman recuses himself
January 10, 2007 - Election shows corruption still matters
December 6, 2006 - Group: Mollohan should not oversee Justice Dept. budget
December 1, 2006 - Focus of FBI Probe, Mollohan May Oversee FBI Budget
November 30, 2006 - All in the Family: Fathers, Daughters and Political Investigations
November 3, 2006 - Lewis’ Legal Bills Soar Past $800K
October 31, 2006 - The 10 Worst Congressmen
October 20, 2006 - Legal Fees Are Drain on Lewis' War Chest
October 18, 2006 - 3 Southland Congressional Seats Safe, Despite Ethics Issues
October 14, 2006
The 15 most corrupt members of Congress
- Rep. Vern Buchanan (R-FL)
- Sen. Roland Burris (D-IL)
- Rep. Ken Calvert (R-CA)
- Rep. Nathan Deal (R-GA)
- Sen. John Ensign (R-NV)
- Rep. Jesse Jackson, Jr. (D-IL)
- Rep. Jerry Lewis (R-CA)
- Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY)
- Rep. Alan B. Mollohan (D-WV)
- Rep. John P. Murtha (D-PA)
- Rep. Charles B. Rangel (D-NY)
- Rep. Laura Richardson (D-CA)
- Rep. Pete Visclosky (D-IN)
- Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA)
- Rep. Don Young (R-AK)
Dishonorable mentions
Rep. Jerry Lewis (R-CA)

Representative Jerry Lewis (R-CA) is a sixteen-term member of Congress, representing the 41st district of California. Currently the ranking member of the Appropriations Committee, his ethics issues stem primarily from the misuse of his position as chairman of the committee to steer hundreds of millions of dollars in earmarks to family and friends in direct exchange for contributions to his campaign committee and political action committee. Rep. Lewis was included in CREW’s 2006, 2007, and 2008 reports on congressional corruption.
Relationship with Bill Lowery and Copeland Lowery Jacquez Denton & White
Rep. Lewis has a close relationship with lobbyist and former Congressman Bill Lowery, and his lobbying firm, formerly known as Copeland Lowery Jacquez Denton & White (“Copeland Lowery”). As then-chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, Rep. Lewis approved hundreds of millions of dollars in federal projects for Mr. Lowery’s clients. In exchange, Mr. Lowery, his partners and their spouses contributed $480,000 to Rep. Lewis’ campaign committee and Future Leaders PAC between 2000 and 2005, often giving the maximum contribution allowed under law.
Federal officials had been investigating lobbyists Letitia White and Jeffrey Shockey and the cozy relationship between Rep. Lewis and Copeland Lowery, now known as Innovative Federal Strategies (IFS).
Despite the continued scrutiny of his earmarking activities, Rep. Lewis has continued to request earmarks for Mr. Copeland and Ms. White’s clients at IFS. In 2008, Rep. Lewis sponsored $55 million in earmarks for IFS clients. In 2009, he requested more than $218 million in earmarks, nearly half of which – $102 million – was designated for projects of IFS clients.
Brent Wilkes Investigation
Rep. Lewis is also under investigation because of his dealings with Brent Wilkes, the same contractor who went to jail for bribing former Rep. Randy “Duke” Cunningham (R-CA). After Rep. Cunningham pleaded guilty, Rep. Lewis resisted an independent investigation of Rep. Cunningham’s activities on the Appropriations Committee, stating that his own personal informal review of Rep. Cunningham’s earmarks was satisfactory and that the earmarks Rep. Cunningham doled out were legitimate.
In total, Rep. Lewis has received $88,252 from Mr. Wilkes and his associates, making him the third-highest recipient of campaign contributions from Mr. Wilkes, after former Reps. Cunningham and John Doolittle (R-CA).
Environmental Systems Research Institute Inc. (ESRI)
In 2007, Environmental Systems Research Institute Inc. (ESRI), a former client of Rep. Lewis’ deputy staff director Jeffrey Shockey, was awarded a federal contract worth over $55 million. In 2008, ESRI received contracts worth over $4 million dollars and the company’s founders, Mr. and Mrs. Dangermond donated $7,200 to Rep. Lewis’ campaign in 2008. In 2009, Rep. Lewis requested $12 million in earmarks for ESRI.
Legal Fees
Since the release of CREW’s 2008 Most Corrupt report, Rep. Lewis has paid $68,000 in legal fees from his campaign account.
Federal Investigation
By trading campaign contributions for earmarks, Rep. Lewis may have committed bribery and honest services fraud and violated House rules.
