There was tough competition for government watchdog Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) and its inaugural list of the year's top 10 ethics scandals. The list, at www.citizensforethics.org, paid attention to scandals that appear likely to spin into something bigger next year, said Melanie Sloan, CREW's executive director. "If a scandal seemed to conclude this year, it's not on the list." Here's at look at the group's top 10, in no particular order:

1. No new enforcement mechanisms for congressional ethics: A House panel convened by Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., has yet to come up with recommendations -- due in May -- on establishing an independent ethics oversight panel.

2. Ted Stevens still sitting on the Senate Appropriations Committee: The Republican senator from Alaska and his son Ben are embroiled in a federal corruption inquiry.

3. Senate Ethics Committee is looking into Sen. Larry Craig, but not Sen. David Vitter: Craig, R-Idaho, is defending himself against charges that he solicited sex from an undercover male law-enforcement officer in a restroom at the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport. Vitter, R-La., was outed as a client of an alleged prostitution ring.

4. Millions of missing White House e-mails are still unaccounted for: CREW and the National Security Archive are seeking information and backup copies of more than 5 million e-mails deleted from White House computer servers from 2003 to 2005.

5. Rep. John Murtha's abuse of the earmarking process remains unchecked: Murtha, D-Pa., has drawn scrutiny for channeling millions of federal dollars, much of it in defense contracts, to his district.

6. Lurita Doan remains chief of the General Services Administration (GSA) despite potentially illegal conduct: Doan denies allegations that she gave a contract to a longtime friend and was involved in illegal Republican politicking inside the GSA.

7. White House possibly covering up its role in the firings of U.S. attorneys: Congressional investigations of the firing of nine U.S. attorneys have been stymied as the White House keeps key players from testifying.

8. No Child Left Behind funds directed to Bush fundraisers who provide inadequate reading materials for kids: A Department of Education inspector general's inquiry found that Bush-connected companies and donors got contracts for providing reading materials found to be of questionable value.

9. A court decision regarding a search of Rep. William Jefferson's office limits the ability of the Justice Department to investigate corrupt lawmakers: The federal corruption inquiry of the Louisiana Democrat experienced a setback this year when an appellate judge ruled that "legislative material" seized in a search of his office cannot be used to prosecute members of Congress.

10. FEMA knowingly let Katrina victims live in hazardous trailers: Records indicate that the Federal Emergency Management Agency had cautioned its workers about trailers contaminated with formaldehyde. But it has been accused of delaying testing in hurricane victims' trailers.

WASHINGTON POST