Melanie Sloan (born December 16, 1965) is an American attorney, former counsel for the House Judiciary Committee, and the former executive director of Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, a nonprofit government ethics and accountability watchdog group. In March 2017, Sloan joined a new government ethics watchdog group, American Oversight, as senior adviser.

Early life and education Sloan was born in Washington, D.C., to parents Leonard S. Togman, who then worked at the U.S. Department of Justice, and Barbara A. Togman. She grew up in Wilmington, Delaware, where she attended Wilmington Friends School. Her father, who still resides in Delaware, is a lawyer "of counsel" (retired) with the law firm Potter Anderson & Corroon LLP.Potter Anderson & Corroon LLP, Leonard Togman

Sloan received her B.A. and J.D. from the University of Chicago.Burstyn, Linda. "The Most Feared Woman on Capital Hill?". Ms. Magazine, Winter 2007 Issue.

Career Before founding Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) in 2003, Sloan served as an Assistant United States Attorney in the District of Columbia from 1998 to 2003. Before becoming a prosecutor, Sloan served as Minority Counsel for the House Judiciary Committee, working on criminal justice issues for then-Ranking Member John Conyers (D-MI). Sloan also served as counsel for the Crime Subcommittee of the House Judiciary Committee, chaired by then-Representative Charles Schumer (D-NY). There, she drafted portions of the 1994 Crime Bill, including the Violence Against Women Act. In 1993, Sloan served as Nominations Counsel to the Senate Judiciary Committee, under then-Chairman Joseph Biden (D-DE)."Q&A with Melanie Sloan", C-SPAN, May 13, 2009

Sloan has published in the Yale Law & Policy Review and other publications.Senate Democratic Policy Committee Hearing, "Contracting Abuses in Iraq" 562 Dirksen Senate Office Building, November 3, 2003.

In November 2017 Sloan publicly accused Conyers of harassment and verbal abuse during her tenure working for the House Judiciary Committee. On one occasion, she was summoned to his office and found him sitting in his underwear, and quickly left.

Media appearances

Sloan frequently appears on national media to provide analysis and commentary. She has appeared on shows including Pacifica Radio's Democracy Now! show, Air America's Al Franken Show, NPR's All Things Considered"Law Firm Linked to McCain PAC, Campaign Loan". NPR, March 21, 2008 and Morning Edition,"Millions of Bush-Era E-Mails Discovered". NPR, December 15, 2009 CNN's The Situation Room,Transcript from "The Situation Room". CNN, January 13, 2009 Larry King LiveTranscript from "Larry King Live". CNN, October 3, 2009 and Lou Dobbs Tonight,Transcript from "Lou Dobbs Tonight". CNN, September 8, 2008 MSNBC's Hardball,Transcript from "Hardball with Chris Matthews". NBC News, July 5, 2007 Countdown with Keith OlbermannTranscript from "Countdown with Keith Olbermann". NBC News, September 21, 2006. and The Rachel Maddow Show,Transcript from "The Rachel Maddow Show". MSNBC, December 7, 2009 NBC Nightly News,"South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford says he will stay ". NBC Nightly News, June 19, 2009 CBS Evening News,"Dubious Accounting Shadows Top Democrat". CBS Evening News, September 22, 2009. and ABC World News Tonight.World News Tonight with Charles Gibson . ABC, December 8, 2006 Sloan has been profiled in a number of publications including Ms. Magazine, Time MagazineTumulty, Karen. "The Hill Monitor" Time Magazine, October 23, 2006 and Mother Jones.Schulman, Daniel. "House Wrecker" Mother Jones Magazine, January/February 2007 Issue. In 2009, Sloan was featured in O Magazine's first-ever "O Power List""The O Power List". O: The Oprah Magazine, September 2009 Issue and was declared one of the "100 People Who Are Changing America""The RS 100 Agents of Change". Rolling Stone, April 2, 2009 in Rolling Stone. She also appeared in the documentary Casino Jack and the United States of Money.

Plame Wilson leak case

Sloan serves as legal counsel for former Ambassador Joseph C. Wilson and his wife, retired CIA officer Valerie Plame Wilson,The Joe and Valerie Wilson Legal Support Trust whose then-classified covert identity was disclosed, leading to the CIA leak grand jury investigation and the trial of I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby in United States v. Libby (see Plame affair). Sloan is one of the attorneys representing the Wilsons in their civil lawsuit against former and current officials of the George W. Bush administration (Plame v. Cheney).

Agreeing with the Bush administration, the Obama Justice Department has argued the Wilsons have no legitimate grounds to sue.Conery, Ben. "Administration opposed Plame appeal". Washington Times, May 21, 2009. On the current Justice Department position, Sloan, stated: "We are deeply disappointed that the Obama administration has failed to recognize the grievous harm top Bush White House officials inflicted on Joe and Valerie Wilson. The government’s position cannot be reconciled with President Obama’s oft-stated commitment to once again make government officials accountable for their actions."

When Sloan was a guest on Hardball with Chris Matthews in December 2006, she spoke openly about many details in the Libby trial. Following her appearance on the show, she drew a strong warning from Judge Reggie Walton: "the Court would not tolerate this case being tried in the media."Joel Seidman, "Attorney Admonished for Statements on Libby: Wilson Lawyer Predicted Jury Could Find V.P.'s Former Chief of Staff Guilty", NBC News, December 21, 2006. Retrieved July 27, 2007.

Student lending reform controversy

In October 2010, The American Prospect reporter Mike Elk raised allegations that Sloan was working in conjunction with for-profit college lobbyists to attack the credibility of student lending reform advocates. Elk alleged that while Sloan was criticizing the student lending reforms advocates, she was also talking about potential jobs with lobbyists, including Lanny Davis, who worked for the for-profit college industry. In the summer of 2010, Sloan and CREW were highly critical of famed short-seller Steve Eisman, writing letters to the congressional subcommittee, denouncing the fact that he had an adverse financial interest. CREW published a rebuttal of the article's claims, noting the ethics concern about individuals manipulating the regulatory process for personal benefit. In 2021, NPR reported that after two federal investigations, none of the allegations lodged against those individuals were proven.

Departure from CREW In the fall of 2010, Sloan announced she would be leaving CREW and joining with Lanny Davis in a legal practice. "CREW's Melanie Sloan departing"; Ed Okeefe; "Washington Post", November 19, 2010. Sloan subsequently decided against joining Davis' firm and remained as the executive director of CREW.Ethics Watchdog Sloan Decides Not to Leave; Roll Call; January 21, 2011 She left CREW in 2014 when David Brock became the chairman of CREW's board of directors.

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