New York Judicial Integrity
We're empowering New Yorkers with essential knowledge about our justice system, and working to protect the integrity and independence of our courts.
Ethics & Accountability
Public officials should act in all of our interest, not to line their own pockets. Common Cause is fighting to ensure that all of our leaders are held to high ethical standards.
From city councils to the U.S. Congress and the Supreme Court, the people making decisions that affect our lives and our families need to be held to the highest ethical standards. Common Cause works to ensure that those empowered to act on everyone’s behalf disclose their personal finances, uphold the rule of law, and cannot turn their public service into a personal profit scheme.
What We’re Doing
Framework for Ethics Reform in New York
Our democracy depends on clear guidelines provided by laws fairly and reliably enforced that are meant to protect it—and us.
Clean Contracting in New York
We must hold politicians accountable to strong ethical standards, so they serve the people instead of partisan or wealthy special interests.
Your financial support helps us make an impact by holding power accountable and strengthening democracy.
Related Resources
Press
Press Release
Elected officials, Common Cause/NY Rally in Support of Santos Inspired Campaign Bill
"Voters expect – at the very least – the people running to represent them are who they say they are. That's why Senator Liu and Assembly Member Sillitti's newly revised bill is important: it raises the accountability bar for candidates and makes it harder for candidates who lack integrity– like Mr. Santos – to defraud New York voters. We're hopeful lawmakers will pass this bill swiftly come January so no future candidate bamboozles the public again," said Susan Lerner, Executive Director of Common Cause/NY.
Press Release
Common Cause/NY on Santos Expulsion: “Good!”
"Today's decision to expel Mr. Santos is a win for voters and democracy. Mr. Santos' deception and likely violation of federal law has been clear for a long time. Voters did not deserve a representative that lied and defrauded his way into Congress. The House Ethics Committee's diligent bi-partisan report made crystal clear that Mr. Santos is plainly unfit to serve in public office any longer. We commend the New York delegation's overwhelming bi-partisan vote in favor of expelling Mr. Santos, and all other Representatives who voted to protect...
Press Release
Common Cause/NY Statement on Additional Rep. Santos Indictment: He Still Must Resign
"As we said after the Eastern District of New York appropriately indicted Mr. Santos in May: he must resign. It's been clear for a long time that the voters have been defrauded, and Mr. Santos' seat in Congress is tantamount to an ill gotten gain: he should not be allowed to profit from the fruits of his deception. Voters deserve a representative who doesn't lie and deceive their way into power, and unfortunately they have waited too long for Mr. Santos to do the right thing and resign."