Passing of an Advocate

By Robert Brodsky

Sad news for the good government movement: On Sunday, Beth Daley, who worked for 10 years at the Project on Government Oversight, a key federal watchdog group, died in her sleep.

Daley was POGO's first director of development and director of communication, where she guided reporters--including this one--on many of the top issues of the day. She ended her career as POGO's director of investigations.

Her work included major investigations involving the Interior Department's Minerals Management Service and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission's use of the same private security contractors to both test and secure commercial nuclear power plants.

"Beth's death is a crushing loss for the POGO family," said POGO Executive Director Danielle Brian. "Both as a colleague and as a friend, Beth's fierce passion for POGO's work inspired all of us to demand more from ourselves. The good government community has lost a star, but her voice will still echo down our halls, her exacting eye will be peering over our shoulders, and her expectations of excellence will propel us to try just a little bit harder."

Friends, family and colleagues will celebrate Daley's life on Saturday, Sept. 4 at 122 Maryland Ave. NE in Washington at 4 p.m. In lieu of flowers, the family has asked that contributions be made to POGO, which has created the Beth Daley Memorial Impact Fund.