Ethics – Page 5 – Citizens Union

Citizens Union Calls For Reforms To The City’s Lobbying Laws

May 11, 2011 - Reforms would limit disproportionate influence of lobbyists also involved in political campaigns and money raising. Good Government Group urges restrictions on public funds for political candidates connected to lobbyists. Fourteen recommendations to be formally presented at city lobbying commission tonight also include moving oversight and enforcement from the city clerk's office to the campaign finance board.

Citizens Union Supports Pension Forfeiture Option For State Officials

March 23, 2011 - Urges judges be given discretion to deny automatic pension benefits to those officials convicted of public corruption. Calls upon state legislature and Governor to make pension forfeiture part of ethics reform package.

Citizens Union Issues 2nd Report On Turnover In The State Legislature

February 14, 2011 - Crime wave is accelerating: number of legislators who left in the past six years because of ethical and criminal misconduct has tripled over the previous six years.

Government Watchdog Groups Call On Legislative Ethics Commission To Investigate Monserrate Legal Defense Fund

October 29, 2009 - Allegedly a fund was created to pay Senator Monserrate’s legal bills related to his recent criminal case, as well as the pending review by a special Senate committee regarding his fitness for office in light of his conviction on misdemeanor assault charges.

Good Government Groups Support State Senate Effort to Pass Real Ethics Reform

September 11, 2009 - See Senate amendment as necessary since it adds needed teeth to enforcement. Original bill a modest but incomplete step forward.

Improving the State Senate’s Legislative Process by Reforming its Rules and Administration

February 26, 2009 - Citizens Union commends Senate Majority Leader Malcolm Smith for taking some important first steps towards greater legislative rules reform through measures such as allowing debate for motions to discharge to be considered more quickly after the request is initiated and allowing for more open sponsorship of bills.

Testimony on the Public Authorities II Accountability Act’s Impact on Local Public Authorities

December 11, 2008 - Testimony to the Assembly Standing Committees on Corporations, Authorities & Commissions and Cities On Application of the Public Authorities Accountability Act of 2005 to local authorities

Testimony on the Public Authorities Accountability Act’s Impact on Local Public Authorities

December 11, 2008 - Testimony to the Assembly Standing Committees on Corporations, Authorities & Commissions and Cities On Application of the Public Authorities Accountability Act of 2005 to local authorities

Citizens Union Urges Governor Spitzer To Resign

March 11, 2008 - Citizens Union is deeply saddened and extremely troubled by yesterday's news involving Governor Eliot Spitzer.

Testimony on Elected Official Compensation

December 5, 2007 - Citizens Union provided testimony on this subject last year at both hearings in June and November. Since then, significant pay raises were enacted for the Mayor, Comptroller, Public Advocate, Council Members, Borough Presidents, and District Attorneys in line with the commission’s recommendations.

On Introduction 502: in Relation to the Contents of a Lobbyist’s Statement of Registration

February 20, 2007 - CITIZENS UNION WRITTEN TESTIMONY TO THE COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENTAL OPERATIONS INTRODUCTION 502: A LOCAL LAW TO…

Amicus Brief in support of the Class Size Coalition regarding the right of citizens to petition their government

February 20, 2007 - Citizens Union supports positive steps taken in 2006 to increase disclosure requirements and we commend the work of the Governmental Operations Committee and the City Council in this area.

Testimony to the Campaign Finance Board on “Pay-to-Play”

April 18, 2006 - CITIZENS UNION TESTIMONY TO THE NEW YORK CITY CAMPAIGN FINANCE BOARD On “Pay to Play” DELIVERED…

Archived City Council Reform

Citizens Union has advanced reforms to create a more responsive, transparent, and accountable City Council that allow it to better…

Archived Ethics Reform

October 2015 - Testimony to the New York Ethics Review Commission April 2015 - Scorecard of the Ethics Reform Provisions…

Oversight, Effectiveness, and Accountability Issues (City)

For more than a century, Citizens Union has served as a watchdog for the public interest and an advocate for…

Oversight, Effectiveness, and Accountability Issues (State)

For more than a century, Citizens Union has served as a watchdog for the public interest and an advocate for…