FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 17, 2019
Contact: Jake Oliver, jake@anatgerstein.com, (347) 361-9983
Visit Citizens Union’s Online Voters Directory for the Primary Election Here
New York, N.Y. (June 17, 2019)– After undertaking a rigorous evaluation of candidates running in the upcoming Democratic Primary for Queens District Attorney Citizens Union, New York’s preeminent nonpartisan good government groups today announced its preference of Gregory Lasak.
“Later this month, voters in Queens will have the opportunity to cast their ballot in a crucial election,” said Betsy Gotbaum, Executive Director of Citizens Union. “We encourage all voters to take a long, hard look at all of the candidates in this race. Citizens Union is pleased to issue its preference for Gregory Lasak for Queens District Attorney.”
As a nonpartisan government watchdog organization dedicated to improving democratic institutions in New York City and State, Citizens Union evaluates candidates based on their commitment to a reform agenda and their potential to advance these issues, as well as their ability to effectively carry out the responsibilities of the office they seek.
Citizens Union’s nonpartisan candidate evaluations are among the most extensive and methodical in the state. Each candidate is given a comprehensive questionnaire asking their positions on key issues, and is interviewed by a nonpartisan team of the organization’s members. In addition to information gathered through the questionnaires and interviews, hundreds of hours of research contribute to the final preference decisions.
In the race for Queens District Attorney, Citizens Union interviewed seven candidates running in the Democratic Primary. Lasak is a former New York State Supreme Court Justice from New York’s 11th judicial district and prosecutor in the Queens District Attorney’s office who listed creating a Conviction Integrity Unit, ending cash bail, and ending prosecution of certain low-level non-violent offenses as his top campaign priorities.
“Gregory Lasak’s impressive track record as a prosecutor and judge make him the best candidate to lead the Queens County District Attorney’s office. Judge Lasak has proposed bold ideas to make the office more transparent and fair,” Gotbaum added.
The Democratic Primary will take place on Tuesday, June 25. You can learn more about the candidates running in this race and access information about voting in New York City by reading the Voters Directory on Citizens Union’s website.
About Citizens Union
Citizens Union (CU) is committed to reforming New York City and State government to foster accountability, accessibility, transparency, honesty, and the highest ethical standards. For the past 120 years, we at Citizens Union have devoted ourselves to holding our local governments accountable to do better in all of these areas, and we remain committed to enfranchising all New Yorkers. The many initiatives that we are currently advancing include ethics reform, increased voter participation and civic engagement, greater policy accountability, and a truly accurate 2020 census. In all of these efforts, we have been—and will remain—nonpartisan. Learn more at www.citizensunion.org.