March 29, 2023 – Citizens Union’s testimony before the new state ethics commission focused on several measures that would improve independence, transparency, and public confidence in COELIG, as well as needed changes to the lobbying law.
February 23, 2023 - Eight government watchdogs sent a letter today urging Majority Leader Stewart-Cousins and Speaker Heastie to pass the same transparency bills for this year’s Sunshine Week, March 12-18.
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
January 25, 2023 - Comments from several watchdog groups regarding emergency regulations, Part 941 on Adjudicatory Proceedings, of the NYS Commission on Ethics and Lobbying in Government
December 20, 2022 - Legislative leaders introduced a bill late last night giving hefty raises to the next state legislature. The leaders are proposing base salaries of $142,000 starting January 1, 2023, with a limit on outside income of $35,000 beginning in 2025 (about 25% of the increased salary).
December 15, 2022 - Yesterday, in response to news about a possible pay raise for lawmakers, Citizens Union joined Common Cause/NY, League of Women Voters of NYS, NY Public Interest Research Group, and Reinvent Albany penned a letter to legislative leaders in Albany demanding any raise come with a ban on income earned through certain professions and a cap of up to 15% on certain permissible outside incomes. This request follows the same guidelines Congressional members use.
November 21, 2022 - Watchdog groups ask Governor Kathy Hochul and Attorney General Letitia James to announce their final nominations to New York’s Commission on Ethics and Lobbying in Government (the “Commission”). Four seats on the new ethics commission still remain unfilled.
November 11, 2022 - Citizens Union, Common Cause/NY, N.Y. Public Interest Research Group, and Reinvent Albany sent a letter to the members of the Commission on Ethics and Lobbying in Government, requesting they investigate JCOPE’s approval of former Governor Cuomo’s book deal as well as compliance with and enforcement of the terms of that approval. The letter also requested the Commission revise its rules to require Commission approval for outside income requests of agency heads statewide officials.
September 26, 2022 - In a letter to the new members of the NYS State Commission on Ethics and Lobbying in Government, watchdog groups said that the creation of the new Commission provides the opportunity to “reset” public and state officers and employees’ expectations about state ethics oversight.
September 8, 2022 - Now that the New York State Independent Review Committee composed of the State’s law school deans has approved seven out of eleven commissioners, we urge New York’s Commission on Ethics and Lobbying in Government (CELG) to begin its work immediately. There are now enough commissioners appointed for a quorum – the legal minimum required to conduct business.
June 22, 2022 - Our groups welcome the review procedures developed by New York’s law school deans (who by law compose the Independent Review Committee or “IRC”) to review candidates submitted to them by the state’s elected officials.
June 8, 2022 - We write knowing that the adopting legislation in the budget sets a short time frame for appointing members to the new Commission on Ethics and Lobbying in Government (“CELG”). We urge you, as you consider the statutory requirements of “background and expertise,” to abide by the following principles
April 8, 2022 - Citizens Union releases the following statement from Executive Director Betsy Gotbaum on the details of the New York State budget deal: “Governor Hochul’s first state budget presented a rare opportunity to push for meaningful ethics reform in Albany. Unfortunately, the governor and the legislature failed to create an independent ethics oversight body. The new commission designed to replace JCOPE is fatally flawed, will not have the public’s confidence and will not be able to oversee the state’s most powerful elected officials without fear or favor.
April 9, 2022 - After careful review, we believe the Commission on Ethics and Lobbying in Government created in the state budget is fatally flawed, will not have the public’s confidence and will not be able to oversee the state’s most powerful elected officials without fear or favor.
March 29, 2022 - Citizens Union releases the following statement from Executive Director Betsy Gotbaum in response to news that the Governor and Legislature have reached a deal to replace JCOPE with a new commission charged with enforcing ethics and lobbying laws
February 9, 2022 - Groups back Governor Hochul’s basic “framework” of law school deans appointing ethics commissioners if there is a transparent selection process and specific measures increasing independence.
January 25, 2022 - Testimony for the 2022 Joint Legislative Budget Hearing regarding the Public Protection and General Government Article VII Legislation, and specifically the Independent Ethics Commission Reform Act of 2022
January 5, 2022 - Citizens Union releases the following statement from Executive Director Betsy Gotbaum in response to Governor Kathy Hochul’s State of the State address:
December 9, 2021 - Citizen Union testifies on measures that could improve the system of ethics oversight in New York. JCOPE is not the only agency tasked with keeping our government clean, related to relevant enforcement agencies like the Attorney General, the Legislative Ethics Commission, the Inspector General, as well as the Board of Elections, including its Chief Enforcement Officer.
August 15, 2021 - Citizen Union testifies on the need to overhaul the system of ethics oversight in New York, and specifically to replace the ethics watchdog JCOPE with an independent agency.
Citizens Union Charter Revision Commission Letter COIB - 'agents of the city' inquiryEthics One-Pager_2016_Web Group Letter to Leaders Calling for…
October 7, 2019 - Good Government Group Supports Ranked Choice Voting, Increasing Oversight of NYPD, Modifications to the City Budget, and Changes to Land Use Review; Opposes Proposed Changes to Ethics Rule.
October 4, 2019 - For the past 125 years, Citizens Union has sounded a clarion call for good government in New York, holding state and local officials accountable for their actions. But of late, we have also had to speak up for the first time in our history about events unfolding in Washington that are so troubling they compel people of conscience to call them out. Sadly, now is once again such a time.
March 12, 2019 - Ed Mangano betrayed voters by using the office of the County Executive for personal financial gain.
December 11, 2018 - In order to attract the best, brightest, and most independent to public service, elected officials need to be compensated fairly for the work they do.