Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington launched a new online site to promote state and local-based good government groups hailing from all 50 states and the District of Columbia on Oct. 19. 

CREW said they created the directory because state and local officials who are exposed abusing the public trust are less likely to reach higher office, where they would have greater opportunities to engage in misconduct. 

CREW admits that the 213 groups involved have different missions, but that each strives for the common goals of campaign finance reform, election reform, transparency and civic education. The directory is organized by state and includes profiles of each watchdog group’s mission and contact information, along with state-wide pages containing links to news and blogs. CREW said the directory “should prove to be a vital resource to activists, journalists and citizens seeking to ensure public officials are held accountable for their actions.”

The full list can be seen at www.StateWatchdogGroups.org.

Read the Associated Press story here.