Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) Executive Director Noah Bookbinder released the following statement on budget riders meant to fight transparency:

“It’s disgraceful that Congressional leaders inserted into a must-pass bill to fund the government provisions that actually prevent key federal agencies from doing their jobs and working to fight the influence of secret money in politics.  This is a step in the wrong direction, and the fact that these provisions were inserted into an unrelated bill in back-room negotiations and dumped in the dead of night is the opposite of the kind of transparency we need to reverse the ever-growing influence of powerful interests on our political system.  President Obama retains the power to issue an executive order requiring federal contractors to disclose all their political contributions.  It is vital that the President act now to take this important step to shine a light on the political giving of many of our largest and most influential companies.  This may be his last best chance to make real progress in combating the influence of money in politics.”