September 1, 2007

Contact: Naomi Seligman Steiner 202.408.5565 nseligman@citizensforethics.org

1 Sep 2007 // Washington, DC - Melanie Sloan, executive director of Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, said today:

“In light of the public uproar that forced Senator Larry Craig (R-ID) to resign today over a guilty plea to disorderly conduct in connection with an attempted sexual encounter with an undercover officer in a Minneapolis airport restroom, the Senate should immediately begin an examination of two other Senators whose past conduct is both illegal and in violation of Senate ethics rules.”

“First, Senator Ted Stevens (R-AK) continues to maintain his position on the Appropriations Committee, and has avoided a Senate investigation, despite being the subject of a major criminal investigation, including an FBI raid on his Alaska home. Second, Senator David Vitter (R-LA), who has not been charged, has admitted to the crime of soliciting for prostitution. Senator Vitter remains not only unscathed by his actions, but was greeted with a standing ovation at a Republican conference luncheon shortly after his scandal hit the airwaves.”

“Both Senators Stevens and Vitter have committed crimes that reflect poorly upon the Senate and should be subject to the same scrutiny as Sen. Craig.”

“The only possible interpretation of the Republicans’ differing reaction to the two other Senators is that Sen. Craig’s case involves gay sex.”

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Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) is a non-profit legal watchdog group dedicated to holding public officials accountable for their actions.

For more information, please visit www.citizensforethics.org or contact Naomi Seligman Steiner at 202.408.5565/nseligman@citizensforethics.org.

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