Statements and Letters – Citizens Union

Citizens Union Applauds Charter Revision Commission for Advancing Open Primaries and Even Year Elections

April 30, 2025 - Citizens Union has issued the following statement from Board Chair John Avlon applauding the Charter Revision Commission for including two transformative reforms in their report issued today: moving New York City elections to even-numbered years and implementing a top-two open primary system. These long-standing priorities of Citizens Union represent important steps toward a more inclusive, participatory, and representative local democracy:

Citizens Union Statement on Dismissal of Charges Against Mayor Adams

April 2, 2025 - Citizens Union today released the following statement from Chairman John Avlon in response to dismissal of corruption charges against Mayor Eric Adams

Citizens Union Applauds Passage of City Council Resolution Urging State to Reform Charter Revision Process

March 12, 2025 - Citizens Union issued the following statement on the City Council’s passage of Reso. 740-2025 (Restler), which urges the State Legislature to pass S590 (Krueger)/A3665 (Simone), state legislation that would prevent mayors from blocking ballot questions by establishing their own charter revision commission and requiring minimum timeframes for charter commissions

Citizens Union: Eric Adams Should No Longer Be Mayor of New York City

February 19, 2025) - Mayor Eric Adams should resign from his office. His choices and actions over a sustained period of time have led to levels of ethical misconduct in City Hall unseen in decades. This has created a crisis of confidence in his ability to lead the government of our nation’s largest city and has led to the resignation of more than half of his current deputy mayors. Serious ethical lapses by the Mayor, and an absence of stability in any one of these roles, let alone all of them, threaten to undermine policymaking and the delivery of essential public services citywide.

Groups Applaud Court of Appeals Decision Upholding State Ethics Commission

February 18, 2025 - Watchdog and legal groups applauded today’s thoroughly-researched and argued decision by the NYS Court of Appeals that solidifies the constitutionality of the Commission on Ethics and Lobbying in Government (COELIG). This victory for state ethics oversight will help ensure that the governor does not have undue control over the very body that ensures their conduct is ethical

Statement from Citizens Union on Former Acting U.S. Attorney Danielle Sassoon’s Resignation and Allegations Against Mayor Adams

February 14, 2025 - Citizens Union issues the following statement from Board Chair John Avlon in response to the resignation of former Acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York Danielle Sassoon and her letter detailing allegations against Mayor Eric Adams

Statement from Citizens Union on FEMA’s Seizure of NYC Funds

Feburary 12, 2025 - Citizens Union issues the following statement from Board Chair John Avlon in response to the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) unilateral seizure of $80.5 million from New York City’s bank accounts

Statement from Citizens Union on DOJ Directive Dropping Charges Against Mayor Adams

February 10, 2025 - Citizens Union issues the following statement from Executive Director Betsy Gotbaum and Board Chair John Avlon in response to the directive from the Acting Deputy Attorney General to the Acting US Attorney for the Southern District of New York to dismiss the charges against Mayor Eric Adams

Citizens Union and Reinvent Albany Call for a Real Reform in How Special Elections Are Run in New York

February 7, 2025 - Citizens Union and Reinvent Albany sent a letter to Governor Kathy Hochul, Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie, and Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins in response to the efforts to change the special election calendar in New York.

Statement from Citizens Union in Response to Department of Investigation Report Revealing Harassment and Hostile Work Environment at the NYC Board of Elections

January 8, 2025 - Citizens Union issues the following statement from Executive Director Betsy Gotbaum in response to the report released today by the Department of Investigations revealing that NYC Board of Elections Executive Director Mike Ryan harassed employees and created a hostile work environment

Statement from Citizens Union in Response to Resignation of NYPD Chief of Department Jeffrey Maddrey

December 21, 2024 - Citizens Union issues the following statement from Executive Director Betsy Gotbaum in response to the resignation of NYPD Chief of Department Jeffrey Maddrey

Statement from Citizens Union on Mayor Adams’ Announcement of a New Charter Revision Commission

New York, N.Y. (December 12, 2024) - Citizens Union has issued the following statement from Executive Director Betsy Gotbaum in response to Mayor Eric Adams’s announcement of the appointment of a Charter Revision Commission

Voting Rights Groups Call for City Council to Reconsider Seddio BOE Nomination

December 9, 2024 - Several good government groups and political club sent a letter to the New York City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams and top Council officials expressing concern over the possible appointment of Frank Seddio, former chair of the Brooklyn Democratic Party, for Commissioner of Elections. Seddio has been nominated by the Brooklyn Democratic Party for a term that begins on January 1, 2025. A date for the confirmation has not been set.

CU Joins Coalition to Push for State Amendment to Boost NYC Voter Turnout

December 4th - In considering the resolution, the City Council can send a clear message to Albany lawmakers that New York City prioritizes an inclusive local democracy that encourages, rather than discourages, New Yorkers to vote.

Statement from Citizens Union on New York Voters Passing Proposition 1, Citywide Ballot Questions 2-5 and Rejecting Proposition 6

November 6, 2024 - Citizens Union has released the following statement from Executive Director Betsy Gotbaum in response to the results of Tuesday evening’s election

Citizens Union Response to Council Speaker Adrienne Adams’s Proposed Legislation Creating a New Charter Revision Commission

October 21, 2024 - Citizens Union has released the following statement in response to Council Speaker Adrienne Adams’s announcement that she will propose legislation creating a new Charter Revision Commission

Citizens Union Announces Positions on 2024 Ballot Questions

October 10, 2024 - Today, Citizens Union announced its official positions on the six ballot questions that New York City voters will consider in the upcoming November 2024 general election. These questions include a statewide constitutional amendment and five proposed amendments to the New York City Charter

Citizens Union Responds to Onondaga Supreme Court Ruling Striking Down Law Aligning Local Elections with Even-Numbered Years

October 9, 2024 - Citizens Union has issued the following statement from Executive Director Betsy Gotbaum in response to a New York state Supreme Court judge’s ruling that the new state law that will move many local elections in line with state and federal elections in even-numbered years violates the state Constitution

Group Statement on NYC Campaign Finance Following the Indictment of Mayor Eric Adams

October 8, 2024 - Today, Citizens Union and seven other groups issued the following statement in response to numerous questions about the New York City public matching program since Mayor Eric Adams was indicted by the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District. According to the U.S. Attorney, foreign nationals used straw donors to make illegal campaign contributions to Eric Adams.

Citizens Union Responds to the Resignation of NYPD Commissioner Edward Caban

September 12, 2024 - Citizens Union has issued the following statement from Executive Director Betsy Gotbaum in response to the resignation of NYPD Commissioner Edward Caban

Citizens Union Applauds Court of Appeals Ruling Upholding Early Mail Ballot Law

August 20, 2024 - Citizens Union has released the following statement from Executive Director Betsy Gotbaum applauding the Court of Appeals ruling upholding the law allowing any registered voter to request an early mail ballot:

Citizens Union Responds to Independent Budget Office Findings on Fiscal Savings of Moving Local Elections to Even-Numbered Years in NYC

August 15, 2024 - the City of New York Independent Budget Office (IBO), released a letter outlining how moving local elections on-cycle with state and federal elections would result in approximately $42 million in savings every other year. Citizens Union welcomes the findings, which highlight yet another benefit of consolidating New York City’s municipal elections with presidential or gubernatorial elections.

Statement from Betsy Gotbaum, Executive Director of Citizens Union, in Response to the New York Times’ Decision to Discontinue Endorsements in Local NYC Races

August 13th, 2024 - Citizens Union has issued the following statement from Executive Director Betsy Gotbaum in response to The New York Times' Decision to Discontinue Endorsements in Local NYC Races

Citizens Union Responds to ProPublica and The New York Times Report Outlining a Misuse of Disciplinary Rules by NYPD Leadership

June 28, 2024 - Citizens Union has released the following statement from Executive Director Betsy Gotbaum in response to the ProPublica and The New York Times joint report on NYPD disciplinary practices

Citizens Union and Common Cause Say Charter Review Commission Must Delay Ballot Proposals Due to Rushed Process

June 25, 204 - Yesterday, the New York City Charter Review Commission issued its preliminary report on potential changes to the City's charter. In response, Susan Lerner, Executive Director of Common Cause New York and Betsy Gotbaum, Executive Director of Citizens Union, issued the following statement about the Commission's process and need to provide greater opportunity for public input

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