Congress Watch Welcomes New Director

We are happy to introduce the new director of Public Citizen's Congress Watch division, David Arkush.

Previously, David was a staff attorney at Public Justice. He has also taught in the Appellate Litigation Program at Georgetown University Law Center, served as Fuchsberg Fellow at Public Citizen Litigation Group, and clerked for the Honorable R. Lanier Anderson, III, on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit.

Since joining Public Citizen just over a week ago, he hasn't wasted time in holding Congress accountable.  In the Washington Post column, "In the Loop: On K Street," Jeffrey H. Birnbaum covered our cry of foul against the Motion Picture Association of America for hosting movie-night parties for lawmakers and their staffs in violation of new gift rules for lobbyists that Congress passed in September:

"Voters are fed up with lobbyists giving our lawmakers gifts, free dinners, lavish parties and golfing trips -- and Congress finally responded by banning these things," said David Arkush, director of Public Citizen's Congress Watch division. "But that hasn't stopped the motion picture industry from hosting free movie nights for officials and their staffs."

There's no such thing as a free lunch. Or a free dinner. Or free drinks. Or a free movie.