Citizens Union Releases Spending in the Shadows Report
March 21, 2017 - There is little, if any, public disclosures in reporting on how these funds are eventually spent, involving whom, and what elected officials are involved.
Decision Not To Prosecute Does Not Give Green Light To Mayor To Conduct Business as Usual
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.
2016 Press Releases
Citizens Union Files Historic Federal Lawsuit Against State of New York and Governor, December 13, 2016 Citizens Union Calls on…
Citizens Union Files Historic Federal Lawsuit Against State Of New York And Governor
December 13, 2016 - Will fight a law designed to chill free speech and silence government critics by limiting contributions To charitable nonprofits working to educate the public.
Governor’s Words On Ethics Reform Again Welcomed
November 16, 2016 - Action, Not Words, Are Needed to Prevent the Corruption in our State Capitol.
Commission Failed In Not Increasing State Lawmakers Compensation
November 15, 2016 - Measures are needed to prevent corruption but salary should not be part of a quid pro quo negotiation.
Citizens Union Report Finds Nonspecific Discretionary “Lump Sum Funds” Persist & Grow In State Budget
September 29, 2016 - Citizens Union released the latest edition of the budget report "Spending in the Shadows."
Citizens Union Announces Candidate Preferences In September 2016 Primary Elections
September 1, 2016 - Issues preference for 4 incumbents, 2 challengers, 5 open seat candidates and 4 no preferences.
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.
Transparency Failure
City Clerk's office fails to create lobbying transparency database required by 2013 law. Clerk misses December 17, 2015, deadline by 1…
Citizens Union Issues Brief and Policy Position Statement on Police Accountability
August 2016 - Citizens Union (CU) urges the enactment of laws and adoption of new rules and regulations that will strengthen the accountability of the New York Police Department to the public and consequently improve the relationship between the New York Police Department (NYPD) and the public.
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.
Applauds Campaign Finance Board Action Against Illegal Campaign Spending By The Advance Group
October 9, 2015 - Increased Regulation of Independent Spending Needed at State Level.
Citizens Union Condemns Bronx DA’s Crass Political Move to Run for Judge
September 18, 2015 - Johnson empowers the Bronx democratic party to anoint next DA and ignore voters.
Watchdog Groups Urge Gov. Cuomo to Sign Two Bills Strengthening NY Freedom of Information Law
July 27, 2015 - We urge Governor Cuomo to sign two commonsense bills that strengthen the state’s Freedom of Information Law. The State Department of State’s Committee on Open Government recommended both bills.
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.
Civic Groups React To Port Authority Agreement
June 18, 2015 - Substance represents an appealing and significant reform step.
Citizens Union Applauds State Senate Passage Of Legislation To Eliminate NYC Runoff
June 17, 2015 - Instant runoff system will increase participation and save NYC at least $13 million.
Transparency Groups Praise Senate’s Passage of “Faster FOIL” Bill
June 15, 2015 - Urge Governor Cuomo to sign S.1531 (Ranzenhofer) & A. 114 (Buchwald)
Citizens Union Calls for Permanent Extension of Mayoral Control of NYC Public Schools
June 3, 2015 - Argues Lasting Mayoral Authority Needed to End Permanently the Cyclical Political Fight Over NYC Control of Its Own Schools.
Coalition of Groups Applaud NYC Board of Elections for New Level of Data Access
May 27, 2015 - Special Election Results Released Online in Machine-Readable Form for First Time.
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 Affirms Support for Mayoral Control of New York City Schools
May 18, 2015 - Also Advocates for Changes to Make System More Accountable, Transparent, and Participatory.
Student Voter Registration Day Coalition Encourages NYC Department of Education to Establish Student Voter Registration Day as a Permanent Citywide Program
May 14, 2015 - As the City Council acknowledges the success of the first Student Voter Registration Day (SVRD) pilot program today, the SVRD Coalition calls on the New York City Department of Education to make the initiative a permanent citywide program in New York.