Ethics

Decision Not To Prosecute Does Not Give Green Light To Mayor To Conduct Business as Usual

March 16, 2017 - Nonprofit and political fundraising activity conducted so close to city hall decisions still not ethical.

Governor’s Words On Ethics Reform Again Welcomed

November 16, 2016 - Action, Not Words, Are Needed to Prevent the Corruption in our State Capitol.

Citizens Union Proposes City Law To Regulate New Breed Of Elected Official Formed And Affiliated Nonprofit Organizations

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.

Citizens Union’s “State Spending in the Shadows” Report Finds $2.4 Billion In Opaque Funds In Nearly 80 Lump Sum Pots In State Budget

February 29, 2016 - Legislature expected to add its own discretionary pots as it did last year when it added 30 pots totalling $300 million.

Albany Corruption Tracker

December 11, 2015 - UUID no longer functions

Two More Corruption Convictions Confirm Need for Ethics Reforms in Albany

July 24, 2015 - With state senators Thomas Libous and John Sampson convicted of corruption, the number forced from office crosses 31 since 1999.

Civics Groups Decry Albany’s Unfinished Ethics Agenda

June 26, 2015 - Urge governor, legislative leaders, to convene special session.

Reformers Urge Governor Cuomo, Legislative Leaders, Don’t Let Session End without Moving Meaningful Ethics Forward

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.

Citizens Union: Dean Skelos Must Step Down

May 5, 2015 - Good Government Group believes Senate Leader Skelos has violated trust of the public.

Good Government Groups Question Why Ethics Disclosure Bill Not Yet Publicly Disclosed

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.

Albany Ethics Reform is Inadequate More Comprehensive Plan is Still Needed

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.

Ethics Proposal by Governor and Speaker is an Improvement Over Status Quo

March 18, 2015 - Good government groups see agreement that still leaves much unfinished reform on the table.

Citizens Union Urges Comprehensive Action on Ethics Reform to Address Full Scope of Corruption and Restore New Yorkers’ Trust in Albany

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.

Malcolm Smith’s Conviction First of the Year, With 4 More Possible

February 5, 2015 - Citizens Union’s corruption tracker shows Albany’s crime wave continues to rise.

Good Government Groups Call for Ethics and Rules Changes as Assembly Picks New Speaker

February 2, 2015 - Urge lawmakers to seize opportunity to restore public's faith in state government.

Citizens Union Supports Governor Cuomo’s Call for Ethics Reform

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.

Citizens Union: The Speaker Must Go

January 26, 2015 - Good government group believes speaker Sheldon Silver no longer has the trust of the public to govern effectively.

Citizens Union Statement on Disturbing Arrest of Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver

January 22, 2015 - Calls for improvements in ethics enforcement and in addressing outside income.

Citizens Union Requests Conflicts of Interest Board to Investigate Mayor de Blasio Appearance at A CWA Local 1182 Meeting in a Public School

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.

Governor Cuomo Has A Lot Of Explaining To Do

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.