John,

It’s been a busy few weeks—every day news breaks of conflicts of interest and ethical violations, and we’re always ready to mount legal actions to hold those in power accountable. Here’s some of what we’ve been up to recently:

• CREW Chief Counsel Donald K. Sherman testified on April 7th before the House Committee on Administration about the need for a comprehensive ban on Congressional stock trading—one that includes spouses and dependent children and has an effective enforcement mechanism. Donald told the committee that Congress must act quickly to pass legislation banning members and close family from trading stocks or similar financial instruments while in office. A comprehensive ban would help rebuild public trust in Congress and hold members accountable. You can help build momentum for a ban by emailing your members of Congress now.
• Ginni Thomas, wife of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, must be removed from her role on the Library of Congress Trust Fund Board, which Trump appointed her to in 2020. Following reporting that shows Thomas actively encouraged former White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows to work to overturn the 2020 election, Thomas has proved that she is unfit to hold a position of public trust.
• CREW President Noah Bookbinder called on Attorney General Merrick Garland to seriously consider whether to prosecute Donald Trump. We've identified 48 credible allegations of criminal violations by Trump while campaigning or serving as president. These possible violations must not be dismissed merely because a prosecution might be considered “politically motivated.” No one is above the law, and Trump should be held accountable for his abuses.
• Couy Griffin, a New Mexico County commissioner, must be held accountable for his role in the January 6th insurrection, Donald wrote in the Santa Fe New Mexican. Griffin traveled to attend the “Stop the Steal” rally, illegally breached security barriers at the Capitol, and incited others on social media and at the rally. Griffin must be removed from office after violating Section 3 of the 14th Amendment, which bars any person from holding office who took an oath to uphold the Constitution and then participated in insurrection. Known as the Disqualification Clause, this section of the Constitution was added after the Civil War, and it now provides an important tool to hold insurrectionists accountable and protect our democracy.

As always, we’re continuing to work towards a more transparent, accountable and ethical government—and we couldn’t do it without you!

Thank you,

The CREW Team

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