Legal Actions - CREW | Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington

Legal Complaints

Money in Politics

CREW files SCOTUS amicus brief in support of coordinated expenditure limits for political party donations

Earmarking rules and disclosure laws cannot prevent all quid pro quo corruption that could occur through coordinated expenditures.

Lawsuits

Ethics & Reform

Class action lawsuit challenges Trump-Vance administration’s unlawful “National Data Banks”

The Trump-Vance administration’s creation of massive government databases consolidating legally protected personal information is unlawful.

Letters

Transparency

CREW and partner groups demand transparency around shutdown plans

As America faces the increasing possibility of a government shutdown, CREW and partner groups sent an open letter to the Director of the OMB and the heads of executive departments and agencies urging each agency to ensure full transparency to American taxpayers during any impending lapse in appropriations.

Legal Complaints

Democracy

CREW files amicus brief urging SCOTUS to reject GEO Group’s claim to sovereign immunity

The Supreme Court should reject GEO Group’s call to expand sovereign immunity to all government contractors, according to an amicus brief filed by CREW.

Testimony

Corruption

Congress must take seriously the threats posed by Trump’s D.C. takeover

Congress must stand up to Trump’s authoritarian power grab for the sake of democracy, protecting D.C.’s autonomy and giving the American public the answers they deserve.

Letters

Ethics & Reform

CREW urges the Judicial Conference to address the independence of the U.S. Marshals Service

The Judicial Conference should use its September 2025 meeting to address the role of the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS) in preserving judicial independence.

img:is([sizes="auto" i],[sizes^="auto," i]){contain-intrinsic-size:3000px 1500px;}.wp-block-button__link{color:#fff;background-color:#32373c;border-radius:9999px;box-shadow:none;text-decoration:none;padding:calc(.667em + 2px) calc(1.333em + 2px);font-size:1.125em;}.wp-block-file__button{background:#32373c;color:#fff;text-decoration:none;}.safe-svg-cover{text-align:center;}.safe-svg-cover .safe-svg-inside{display:inline-block;max-width:100%;}.safe-svg-cover svg{fill:currentColor;height:100%;max-height:100%;max-width:100%;width:100%;}:root{--wp--preset--aspect-ratio--square:1;--wp--preset--aspect-ratio--4-3:4/3;--wp--preset--aspect-ratio--3-4:3/4;--wp--preset--aspect-ratio--3-2:3/2;--wp--preset--aspect-ratio--2-3:2/3;--wp--preset--aspect-ratio--16-9:16/9;--wp--preset--aspect-ratio--9-16:9/16;--wp--preset--color--black:#000;--wp--preset--color--cyan-bluish-gray:#abb8c3;--wp--preset--color--white:#fff;--wp--preset--color--pale-pink:#f78da7;--wp--preset--color--vivid-red:#cf2e2e;--wp--preset--color--luminous-vivid-orange:#ff6900;--wp--preset--color--luminous-vivid-amber:#fcb900;--wp--preset--color--light-green-cyan:#7bdcb5;--wp--preset--color--vivid-green-cyan:#00d084;--wp--preset--color--pale-cyan-blue:#8ed1fc;--wp--preset--color--vivid-cyan-blue:#0693e3;--wp--preset--color--vivid-purple:#9b51e0;--wp--preset--gradient--vivid-cyan-blue-to-vivid-purple:linear-gradient(135deg,rgba(6,147,227,1) 0%,#9b51e0 100%);--wp--preset--gradient--light-green-cyan-to-vivid-green-cyan:linear-gradient(135deg,#7adcb4 0%,#00d082 100%);--wp--preset--gradient--luminous-vivid-amber-to-luminous-vivid-orange:linear-gradient(135deg,rgba(252,185,0,1) 0%,rgba(255,105,0,1) 100%);--wp--preset--gradient--luminous-vivid-orange-to-vivid-red:linear-gradient(135deg,rgba(255,105,0,1) 0%,#cf2e2e 100%);--wp--preset--gradient--very-light-gray-to-cyan-bluish-gray:linear-gradient(135deg,#eee 0%,#a9b8c3 100%);--wp--preset--gradient--cool-to-warm-spectrum:linear-gradient(135deg,#4aeadc 0%,#9778d1 20%,#cf2aba 40%,#ee2c82 60%,#fb6962 80%,#fef84c 100%);--wp--preset--gradient--blush-light-purple:linear-gradient(135deg,#ffceec 0%,#9896f0 100%);--wp--preset--gradient--blush-bordeaux:linear-gradient(135deg,#fecda5 0%,#fe2d2d 50%,#6b003e 100%);--wp--preset--gradient--luminous-dusk:linear-gradient(135deg,#ffcb70 0%,#c751c0 50%,#4158d0 100%);--wp--preset--gradient--pale-ocean:linear-gradient(135deg,#fff5cb 0%,#b6e3d4 50%,#33a7b5 100%);--wp--preset--gradient--electric-grass:linear-gradient(135deg,#caf880 0%,#71ce7e 100%);--wp--preset--gradient--midnight:linear-gradient(135deg,#020381 0%,#2874fc 100%);--wp--preset--font-size--small:13px;--wp--preset--font-size--medium:20px;--wp--preset--font-size--large:36px;--wp--preset--font-size--x-large:42px;--wp--preset--spacing--20:.44rem;--wp--preset--spacing--30:.67rem;--wp--preset--spacing--40:1rem;--wp--preset--spacing--50:1.5rem;--wp--preset--spacing--60:2.25rem;--wp--preset--spacing--70:3.38rem;--wp--preset--spacing--80:5.06rem;--wp--preset--shadow--natural:6px 6px 9px rgba(0,0,0,.2);--wp--preset--shadow--deep:12px 12px 50px rgba(0,0,0,.4);--wp--preset--shadow--sharp:6px 6px 0px rgba(0,0,0,.2);--wp--preset--shadow--outlined:6px 6px 0px -3px rgba(255,255,255,1),6px 6px rgba(0,0,0,1);--wp--preset--shadow--crisp:6px 6px 0px rgba(0,0,0,1);}:where(.is-layout-flex){gap:.5em;}:where(.is-layout-grid){gap:.5em;}body .is-layout-flex{display:flex;}.is-layout-flex{flex-wrap:wrap;align-items:center;}.is-layout-flex > :is(*,div){margin:0;}body .is-layout-grid{display:grid;}.is-layout-grid > :is(*,div){margin:0;}:where(.wp-block-columns.is-layout-flex){gap:2em;}:where(.wp-block-columns.is-layout-grid){gap:2em;}:where(.wp-block-post-template.is-layout-flex){gap:1.25em;}:where(.wp-block-post-template.is-layout-grid){gap:1.25em;}.has-black-color{color:var(--wp--preset--color--black) !important;}.has-cyan-bluish-gray-color{color:var(--wp--preset--color--cyan-bluish-gray) !important;}.has-white-color{color:var(--wp--preset--color--white) !important;}.has-pale-pink-color{color:var(--wp--preset--color--pale-pink) !important;}.has-vivid-red-color{color:var(--wp--preset--color--vivid-red) !important;}.has-luminous-vivid-orange-color{color:var(--wp--preset--color--luminous-vivid-orange) !important;}.has-luminous-vivid-amber-color{color:var(--wp--preset--color--luminous-vivid-amber) !important;}.has-light-green-cyan-color{color:var(--wp--preset--color--light-green-cyan) !important;}.has-vivid-green-cyan-color{color:var(--wp--preset--color--vivid-green-cyan) !important;}.has-pale-cyan-blue-color{color:var(--wp--preset--color--pale-cyan-blue) !important;}.has-vivid-cyan-blue-color{color:var(--wp--preset--color--vivid-cyan-blue) !important;}.has-vivid-purple-color{color:var(--wp--preset--color--vivid-purple) !important;}.has-black-background-color{background-color:var(--wp--preset--color--black) !important;}.has-cyan-bluish-gray-background-color{background-color:var(--wp--preset--color--cyan-bluish-gray) !important;}.has-white-background-color{background-color:var(--wp--preset--color--white) !important;}.has-pale-pink-background-color{background-color:var(--wp--preset--color--pale-pink) !important;}.has-vivid-red-background-color{background-color:var(--wp--preset--color--vivid-red) !important;}.has-luminous-vivid-orange-background-color{background-color:var(--wp--preset--color--luminous-vivid-orange) !important;}.has-luminous-vivid-amber-background-color{background-color:var(--wp--preset--color--luminous-vivid-amber) !important;}.has-light-green-cyan-background-color{background-color:var(--wp--preset--color--light-green-cyan) !important;}.has-vivid-green-cyan-background-color{background-color:var(--wp--preset--color--vivid-green-cyan) !important;}.has-pale-cyan-blue-background-color{background-color:var(--wp--preset--color--pale-cyan-blue) !important;}.has-vivid-cyan-blue-background-color{background-color:var(--wp--preset--color--vivid-cyan-blue) !important;}.has-vivid-purple-background-color{background-color:var(--wp--preset--color--vivid-purple) !important;}.has-black-border-color{border-color:var(--wp--preset--color--black) !important;}.has-cyan-bluish-gray-border-color{border-color:var(--wp--preset--color--cyan-bluish-gray) !important;}.has-white-border-color{border-color:var(--wp--preset--color--white) !important;}.has-pale-pink-border-color{border-color:var(--wp--preset--color--pale-pink) !important;}.has-vivid-red-border-color{border-color:var(--wp--preset--color--vivid-red) !important;}.has-luminous-vivid-orange-border-color{border-color:var(--wp--preset--color--luminous-vivid-orange) !important;}.has-luminous-vivid-amber-border-color{border-color:var(--wp--preset--color--luminous-vivid-amber) !important;}.has-light-green-cyan-border-color{border-color:var(--wp--preset--color--light-green-cyan) !important;}.has-vivid-green-cyan-border-color{border-color:var(--wp--preset--color--vivid-green-cyan) !important;}.has-pale-cyan-blue-border-color{border-color:var(--wp--preset--color--pale-cyan-blue) !important;}.has-vivid-cyan-blue-border-color{border-color:var(--wp--preset--color--vivid-cyan-blue) !important;}.has-vivid-purple-border-color{border-color:var(--wp--preset--color--vivid-purple) !important;}.has-vivid-cyan-blue-to-vivid-purple-gradient-background{background:var(--wp--preset--gradient--vivid-cyan-blue-to-vivid-purple) !important;}.has-light-green-cyan-to-vivid-green-cyan-gradient-background{background:var(--wp--preset--gradient--light-green-cyan-to-vivid-green-cyan) !important;}.has-luminous-vivid-amber-to-luminous-vivid-orange-gradient-background{background:var(--wp--preset--gradient--luminous-vivid-amber-to-luminous-vivid-orange) !important;}.has-luminous-vivid-orange-to-vivid-red-gradient-background{background:var(--wp--preset--gradient--luminous-vivid-orange-to-vivid-red) !important;}.has-very-light-gray-to-cyan-bluish-gray-gradient-background{background:var(--wp--preset--gradient--very-light-gray-to-cyan-bluish-gray) !important;}.has-cool-to-warm-spectrum-gradient-background{background:var(--wp--preset--gradient--cool-to-warm-spectrum) !important;}.has-blush-light-purple-gradient-background{background:var(--wp--preset--gradient--blush-light-purple) !important;}.has-blush-bordeaux-gradient-background{background:var(--wp--preset--gradient--blush-bordeaux) !important;}.has-luminous-dusk-gradient-background{background:var(--wp--preset--gradient--luminous-dusk) !important;}.has-pale-ocean-gradient-background{background:var(--wp--preset--gradient--pale-ocean) !important;}.has-electric-grass-gradient-background{background:var(--wp--preset--gradient--electric-grass) !important;}.has-midnight-gradient-background{background:var(--wp--preset--gradient--midnight) !important;}.has-small-font-size{font-size:var(--wp--preset--font-size--small) !important;}.has-medium-font-size{font-size:var(--wp--preset--font-size--medium) !important;}.has-large-font-size{font-size:var(--wp--preset--font-size--large) !important;}.has-x-large-font-size{font-size:var(--wp--preset--font-size--x-large) !important;}:where(.wp-block-post-template.is-layout-flex){gap:1.25em;}:where(.wp-block-post-template.is-layout-grid){gap:1.25em;}:where(.wp-block-columns.is-layout-flex){gap:2em;}:where(.wp-block-columns.is-layout-grid){gap:2em;}:root :where(.wp-block-pullquote){font-size:1.5em;line-height:1.6;}.latest-update__container .overlay-link{display:none;}.topper__downloadshare-column{z-index:3;}