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.
November 1, 2022 - Citizens Union releases the following statement from Executive Director Betsy Gotbaum as New York City’s redistricting process reaches its conclusion
October 28, 2022 - Citizens Union announced its endorsement of Kathy Hochul for New York State Governor. Hochul received overwhelming support among Citizens Union's board members.
October 25, 2022 - Citizens Union announced its preferences in 3 contested seats in the general elections for State Senate and Assembly. After a rigorous evaluation of 6 candidates running for office in Brooklyn and Queens, Citizens Union has endorsed Mathylde Frontus for Assembly (AD 46, Brooklyn), and Iwen Chu (SD 17, Brooklyn) and Toby Ann Stavisky (SD 11, Queens) for State Senate.
October 24, 2022 - Citizens Union today announced Citizens Union’s recommendations on proposals on the ballot for this fall’s general election. The first proposal will be posed to all New York State voters, and the additional three proposals will only be on the ballots of New York City voters.
October 6, 2022 - Citizens Union releases the following statement from Executive Director Betsy Gotbaum after New York City Districting Commission released and voted on their latest draft of district maps, as part of the redistricting process for New York City’s 51 council districts
October 5, 2022 - Eight unions and 27 organizations sent a memo of support today urging Governor Hochul to sign S6809-A/A7925-A (Reichlin-Melnick/Zebrowski), which restores many of the State Comptroller’s contract oversight powers. District Council 37, CWA District 1, AFSCME, and NYSUT were among those calling on the Governor to sign the bill, which the legislature passed in June.
September 30, 2022 - Citizens Union releases the following statement from Executive Director Betsy Gotbaum after the New York City Districting Commission completed their two day process for drawing maps for New York City’s 51 council districts, which was open to the public
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 22, 2022 - Citizens Union releases the following statement from Executive Director Betsy Gotbaum after New York City Districting Commission voted down the second draft of the district maps as part of the redistricting process for New York City’s 51 council districts
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.
September 1, 2022 - Watchdog and civic technology groups asked Governor Hochul to issue an Executive Order mandating annual updates to the state agency transparency plans she first required in September 2021.
August 10, 2022 - Citizens Union was joined by dozens of good government and community groups in urging the New York City Districting Commission to hold mapping deliberations on the new City Council district plan as part of an open public meeting, and to provide the public with a detailed explanation of how and why new lines are drawn.
August 9, 2022 - Citizens Union announced its preferences in 8 contested primary elections for State Senate. Citizens Union undertook a rigorous evaluation of 19 candidates running for office in all five boroughs.
July 15, 2022 - Citizens Union releases the following statement from Executive Director Betsy Gotbaum after New York City Districting Commission released the first draft of the district maps for New York City’s 51 City Council districts
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 17, 2022 - Today, Citizens Union announced its preferences of Kathy Hochul in the upcoming Democratic Primary for New York State Governor and Harry Wilson in the upcoming Republican Primary for New York State Governor.
June 13, 2022 - Today, Citizens Union announced its preferences in 3 contested primary elections for State Assembly.
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
June 6, 2022 - Citizens Union releases the following statement from Executive Director Betsy Gotbaum after New York City Districting Commission Chair Dennis Walcott that draft district maps would be delayed and drawn after additional public hearings
June 1, 2022 - Citizens Union releases the following statement from Executive Director Betsy Gotbaum after the NYS Assembly passed S2951A/A8858A which would reduce the time for mailing and receipt of voter registration applications to the Constitutional minimum of 10 days before election
May 19, 2022 - Citizens Union releases the following statement from Executive Director Betsy Gotbaum applauding the State Senate for passing a set of bills that will reform Boards of Elections throughout New York State
May 2nd, 2022 - Today, Citizens Union and the League of Women Voters of NYS sent a letter to Governor Hochul and legislative leaders urging the postponement of all elections scheduled to take place in June to August 23.
April 27, 2022 - Citizens Union releases the following statement from Executive Director Betsy Gotbaum in response to the NYS Court of Appeals ruling on the state's redistricting maps