January 15, 2018 - A series of major government corruption trials begin today with former executive deputy secretary to Governor Cuomo, Joseph Percoco and top political contributors to the governor facing bribery and extortion charges.
October 26, 2017 - This week, Randy Mastro, Chair of Citizens Union, sent letters to the District Attorneys of New York City, on behalf of the board.
March 16, 2017 - Charges will not be filed against the Mayor or his associates related to the various investigations into his fundraising activities is a double edged sword.
March 16, 2017 - Nonprofit and political fundraising activity conducted so close to city hall decisions still not ethical.
November 16, 2016 - Action, Not Words, Are Needed to Prevent the Corruption in our State Capitol.
July 6, 2016 - Good government organization calls upon mayor de blasio and council speaker mark-viverito to enact legislation requiring such nonprofits be subject to the jurisdiction of the city’s campaign finance board. Law would require groups to register, disclose activity, limit contribution size from those with business before the city, and forbid fundraising by elected official. Law needed to curb return of “pay-to-play” culture of corruption at city hall where big money poses threat to honest government decision-making. Good government group also releases letter sent to conflicts of interest board asking if recent declaration that certain specific mayoral consultants are “agents of the city” should they be required to file financial disclosure statements.
February 29, 2016 - Legislature expected to add its own discretionary pots as it did last year when it added 30 pots totalling $300 million.
December 11, 2015 - UUID no longer functions
July 24, 2015 - With state senators Thomas Libous and John Sampson convicted of corruption, the number forced from office crosses 31 since 1999.
June 26, 2015 - Urge governor, legislative leaders, to convene special session.
May 20, 2015 - New York's leading reform organizations today urged Governor Cuomo and the legislative leaders to make ethics reform a top end-of-session priority.
May 5, 2015 - Good Government Group believes Senate Leader Skelos has violated trust of the public.
March 31, 2015 - A NY state ethics deal may have been reached, but no one has yet seen a bill. Only 15 hours remain before the deadline of the state budget’s required passage is reached.
March 31, 2015 - New York needs a much stronger response than the ethics bill finally presented mid-afternoon today by the governor and the legislature to solve Albany’s crime wave of political corruption.
March 18, 2015 - Good government groups see agreement that still leaves much unfinished reform on the table.
March 12, 2015 - Good government group wants to cap and disclose all outside income, boost legislative salaries, increase JCOPE role and budget, expand disclosure of executive and legislative lump sum funds, and end use of budget for policy changes.
February 5, 2015 - Citizens Union’s corruption tracker shows Albany’s crime wave continues to rise.
February 2, 2015 - Urge lawmakers to seize opportunity to restore public's faith in state government.
February 2, 2015 - Citizens Union finds promise in Governor Cuomo’s call today for comprehensive ethics reform to end the culture of secrecy in Albany that has fed the crime wave of corruption.
January 26, 2015 - Good government group believes speaker Sheldon Silver no longer has the trust of the public to govern effectively.
January 22, 2015 - Calls for improvements in ethics enforcement and in addressing outside income.
December 2, 2014 - Citizens Union today sent a letter to the Conflicts of Interest Board (the “Board”) requesting an investigation into whether a meeting on July 14, 2014, attended by Mayor Bill de Blasio and sponsored by Local 1182 of the Communications Workers of America (“CWA”) at P.S. 66 in Brooklyn may have violated the conflicts of interest provisions of the New York City Charter.
July 23, 2014 - Citizens Union calls upon the Governor to hold news conference to explain administration’s reported interference with Moreland commission whose members were appointed deputy state attorneys general and told to investigate all matters of corruption. Commission was formed to fight corruption and restore public trust, but NY Times account helps Erode the Public’s Trust in government.
July 1, 2014 - Ten unethical legislators in 2013-14 is double the previous record of 5 in 2007-2008.
May 7, 2014 - With the news that Councilmember Ruben Wills has been charged with twelve counts of criminal misconduct, the “drip drip” of political corruption continues unfortunately to flow in New York.