Washington—Former Congressman Mondaire Jones and former top Department of Justice official Stephen D. Kelly joined the board of Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington on Friday. 

Jones made history when in 2021, he became one of the first two openly gay, Black members of Congress. Prior to his election to Congress, Jones was a litigator in the Westchester County Attorney’s Office and worked at the Department of Justice during the Obama Administration.

“As a member of Congress in the aftermath of the 2020 election, I saw firsthand the need for the bold, innovative leadership of organizations like CREW to protect the future of our democracy,” Jones said. “I’m proud to join the board and look forward to working with CREW’s team to continue the fight for a government that’s open, accountable, and truly representative of our country.”

In a legal career spanning more than three decades of public service, Kelly was a former top official at the DOJ and Federal Bureau of Investigation. He served as Senior Counsel to Special Counsel Robert S. Mueller during Mueller’s investigation of Russian interference in the 2016 Presidential election. He also served at the FBI as a Section Chief responsible for the legal oversight of all FBI criminal and domestic terrorism investigations and programs and as the FBI’s Assistant Director for Congressional Affairs.

“Today, our democracy is threatened by corruption, compromised ethics, and a lack of transparency in government. We must all commit ourselves to demanding higher ethical standards and greater transparency from our leaders, as well as insisting on full accountability for their conduct under the law,” Kelly said. “CREW’s commitment to these principles has proven essential to protecting and strengthening our democracy in these difficult times. I am honored to support CREW and its essential mission to ensure our government truly serves the American people.”