Substantial Basis Report Submission to Legislative Ethics Commission
February 13, 2013 - Good Government Watchdog Group Will Continue to Closely Monitor Process as First-Ever "Test-case" Unfolds.
Citizens Union Commends Governor Cuomo for Expansive Reform and Transparency Agenda in State of the State Address
January 9, 2013 - Citizens Union commends Governor Cuomo for again making the case for campaign finance reform in his annual State of the State address.
Good Government Groups React To Announcement Of JCOPE Investigation
September 10, 2012 - New York good government groups comprised of Brennan Center for Justice, Citizens Union of the City of New York, League of Women Voters - New York State, and New York Public Interest Research Group, this afternoon released the following joint statement in response to the New York State Joint Commission on Public Ethics (JCOPE) announcement that they will be conducting a “substantial basis” investigation.
Citizens Union Urges JCOPE to Perform Full Investigation of Lopez Matter
September 7, 2012 - Lopez Investigation is a Test of JCOPE & Future of Ethics Reform in Albany.
Citizens Union Files JCOPE Complaint Regarding Assembly Handling of Lopez Sexual Harassment Charges and Settlement
August 31, 2012 - Good Government Group calls for investigations to determine facts and whether public officers law was violated.
Citizens Union Responds To Ethics Commission’s Draft Guidelines On Disclosure Of Business Relationships
August 24, 2012 - Good Government Group supports guidelines that prioritize transparency.
Citizens Union Calls on Vito Lopez to Resign
August 24, 2012 - Citizens Union is alarmed to read the detailed and sordid findings of the bipartisan Standing Committee of Ethics and Guidance that Assemblymember Vito Lopez of Brooklyn verbally, physically, and repeatedly harassed two Assembly employees, but is pleased by the swift and strong action taken today by the Assembly to censure him and remove him from his leadership post and benefits of seniority.
Citizens Union Calls For Strong And Full Disclosure Of Funders To Organizations That Lobby In Testimony Before The Joint Commission On Public Ethics (JCOPE)
June 7, 2012 - Citizens Union testified today before the Joint Commission on Public Ethics (JCOPE), calling on the state’s ethics body to promulgate rules that will robustly disclose donors to lobbyists and clients.
Citizens Union Commends Appointment Of Ellen N. Biben To Head JCOPE
February 2, 2012 - Experienced prosecutor has the needed integrity to head new ethics body charged with enforcing state's new ethics law.
Citizens Union Commends Governor And Legislative Leaders For Agreeing On Far-reaching Ethics Reform
June 6, 2011 - With the crime wave of public corruption in our state government having tripled in the past six years, the formal announcement today by Governor Cuomo, Speaker Silver and Majority Leader Skelos that an agreement exists on a broad ethics package is welcomed news.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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…