Ethics

Citizens Union Calls on Charter Revision Commissions to Implement Bold Reforms to Strengthen Democracy and Government Accountability

February 24, 2025 - Citizens Union today released a new report urging both New York City Charter Revision Commissions to take decisive action to strengthen democracy and enhance government accountability. The report, published ahead of Citizens Union’s testimony before the Mayoral Commission this evening, calls for comprehensive reforms, including establishing a process to remove mayors for misconduct, implementing top-two open primary elections, moving city elections to even-numbered years, and expanding the powers and independence of the Conflicts of Interest Board (COIB).

Citizens Union: Eric Adams Should No Longer Be Mayor of New York City

February 19, 2025) - Mayor Eric Adams should resign from his office. His choices and actions over a sustained period of time have led to levels of ethical misconduct in City Hall unseen in decades. This has created a crisis of confidence in his ability to lead the government of our nation’s largest city and has led to the resignation of more than half of his current deputy mayors. Serious ethical lapses by the Mayor, and an absence of stability in any one of these roles, let alone all of them, threaten to undermine policymaking and the delivery of essential public services citywide.

Groups Applaud Court of Appeals Decision Upholding State Ethics Commission

February 18, 2025 - Watchdog and legal groups applauded today’s thoroughly-researched and argued decision by the NYS Court of Appeals that solidifies the constitutionality of the Commission on Ethics and Lobbying in Government (COELIG). This victory for state ethics oversight will help ensure that the governor does not have undue control over the very body that ensures their conduct is ethical

Testimony for the 2025 Joint Legislative Budget Hearing

Feburary 4, 2025 - Citizens Union appreciates the opportunity to submit testimony regarding Governor Kathy Hochul’s proposed Executive Budget for State Fiscal Year 2026. We will focus on the proposed funding for the Public Campaign Finance Board, the Commission on Ethics and Lobbying, and the State Board of Elections.

Memo of Support, Intro 77-A (Restler) Post-employment ban expansion

January 22, 2025 - Citizens Union submitted a memo in support of proposed legislation that would strengthen the City’s revolving door restrictions, preventing high-ranking government officials from leveraging their power, knowledge, and relationships after leaving public office to unfairly benefit private interests.

Group Statement on NYC Campaign Finance Following the Indictment of Mayor Eric Adams

October 8, 2024 - Today, Citizens Union and seven other groups issued the following statement in response to numerous questions about the New York City public matching program since Mayor Eric Adams was indicted by the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District. According to the U.S. Attorney, foreign nationals used straw donors to make illegal campaign contributions to Eric Adams.

Watchdog Groups Call on Court of Appeals to Hear Ethics Commission Case

May 13, 2024 - Our groups, united in our belief that the law creating New York’s Commission on Ethics and Lobbying in Government (COELIG) is constitutional, are concerned that the alarming logic of the recent Appellate Court decision would create an imperial Governor who cannot be held accountable for defying the law – short of impeachment or the ballot box.

Testimony for the 2024 Joint Legislative Budget Hearing

February 6, 2024 - Citizens Union appreciates the opportunity to submit testimony regarding Governor Kathy Hochul’s proposed Executive Budget for State Fiscal Year 2025. We will focus on the proposed funding for the  Public Campaign Finance Board, the Commission on Ethics and Lobbying, and the State Board of  Elections.  

State Ethics Commission Is Constitutional Say Civic and Watchdog Groups in Amicus Brief 

December 18, 2023 - Citizens Union joins six other groups in an amicus brief for consideration to the Third Department, Appellate Division of the NYS Supreme Court in Cuomo v. NYS Commission on Ethics and Lobbying in Government. In sum, the brief underscores the compelling need for an independent statewide ethics commission in New York; identifies the failures of the Joint Commission on Public Ethics (JCOPE); and supports the constitutionality of the Commission on Ethics and Lobbying in Government (COELIG) appointment process. 

Memo of Support: S995B/A3484A, LLC Transparency Act

December 15, 2023 - Citizens Union urges he Governor to sign the bill that would requirements for foreign and domestic limited liability companies (LLCs) in New York State to publicly disclose their “beneficial owners."

Citizens Union, Other Good Government Groups Call on City Council to Protect Funding for Oversight Agencies

March 29, 2023 - Citizens Union and other groups sent a letter to Council Speaker Adams and several committee chairs expressing concerns over the preliminary budget proposed by Mayor Eric Adams for Fiscal Year 2024, which includes significant budgetary reductions to key oversight agencies of New York City government. The groups believe that reducing agencies' resources and personnel will severely hinder their ability to ensure accountability, ethics, and good governance across the municipal workforce, and prevent waste and corruption.

Testimony for the 2023 Joint Legislative Budget Hearing

February 15, 2023 - Testimony for the 2023 Joint Legislative Budget Hearing, Local Government and General Government, regarding the the proposed funding for the Public Campaign Finance Board and the Commission on Ethics and Lobbying

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