Another D.C. watchdog, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, has joined the call for Sen. Ted Stevens (R-AK) to relinquish his committee seats, this time focusing on Stevens' seat on the committee that funds the Justice Department. Says CREW director Melanie Sloan:

"Senators should follow the lead of their House colleagues and require anyone whose property has been searched in connection with a criminal probe to relinquish his plum committee post. Senator Stevens, who sits on the subcommittee responsible for funding the Justice Department, which is conducting a probe into his potentially criminal activities, should immediately resign his position on the Appropriations committee."

A similar situation occurred in the House earlier this year, where Rep. Alan Mollohan (D-WV), who's been under federal investigation since last April, did not step down from his chairmanship of the panel that oversees the Justice Department's budget. Mollohan, however, recused himself from Department matters. That recusal has been called into question, however. Roll Call reported (sub. req.) yesterday that Mollohan nevertheless voted against an amendment last week that would have increased the FBI's budget by $6 million.