Melanie Sloan, executive director of the Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, has responded to Sen. Mary Landrieu’s harsh release today regarding CREW’s bribery accusation.

“The frivolous CREW complaint is wholly without merit and is readily dismissed by the facts,” Adam Sharp, Communications Director for Sen. Landrieu, had said earlier in the day. “Senator Landrieu strongly believes that we should not stop seeking new, innovative approaches to educating our young. She is also proud of her record of integrity in public service.”

Sloan responded as such: “Sen. Landrieu’s response to CREW’s Department of Justice and Ethics Committee complaints fails to address the key allegation: that she inserted an earmark in return for campaign contributions. According to a document just provided by Sen. Landrieu, the District of Columbia apparently asked the senator on April 25, 2001 to include an earmark for Voyager in the D.C. appropriations bill. Nevertheless, by September 24, 2001, when a House committee included a $1 million earmark for Voyager, the company still had not attracted a Senate sponsor. Sen. Landrieu has not explained why she didn’t follow through on the District’s request until November 6, 2001, four days after Mr. Best and his associates contributed $30,000 to the senator’s campaign.”