Press Release
Charter Review Commission Must Delay Ballot Proposals Due to Rushed Process
Given historically quick timeline, expansive scope of Commission's work, and lack of public input, Commission's proposals must wait until next year's ballot
Press
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“I was hoping that I would be proven wrong,” said Susan Lerner, Common Cause’s executive director. “And instead, I was repeatedly proven right. There’s no satisfaction in that. The process was flawed from the start and indeed has played out as we thought it would.”
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“It looks like it is technically legal but it is not what taxpayer money should be spent for. These ads look and sound like campaign ads,” Common Cause New York’s Executive Director Susan Lerner told the Daily News. “Public money should be used to provide the public with information that will assist the public in accessing public services and informing people, not for political gain.”
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Calls for Malatras’ resignation grow
The good government advocacy group Common Cause/New York declared Malatras is "unfit" to continue as chancellor, and questioned his qualifications for the prestigious post, after spending just three years in higher education management positions.
Susan Lerner, director of Common Cause, said Malatras "smeared the reputation of a former (state government) employee who had the courage to come forward after being sexually harassed." She said he also had a role in the undercount of COVID fatalities at nursing homes and assisting...
Susan Lerner, director of Common Cause, said Malatras "smeared the reputation of a former (state government) employee who had the courage to come forward after being sexually harassed." She said he also had a role in the undercount of COVID fatalities at nursing homes and assisting...
News Clip
“I think we’re going to see a lot of angry voters next year when they find out that the ease of getting an absentee ballot has disappeared,” said Susan Lerner, executive director of the good-government group Common Cause New York.
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The proposals address several areas that include making alterations to the redistricting process, giving state residents a right to environmental protections, and increasing the amount of money people can sue for in New York City civil courts. But it’s the third and fourth provisions — intended to make voting easier — that would most clearly accomplish the long-time goals of good government groups like Common Cause New York and the Let NY Vote coalition.
“They are long-standing priorities of ours,” said Common...
“They are long-standing priorities of ours,” said Common...
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“It was a hallmark of the Cuomo administration to introduce bold measures to make great headlines that have little to no substance. The redistricting deal is that kind of deal,” said Susan Lerner, executive director of Common Cause New York, which did not support the referendum, declaring it inadequate. “Clearly the desperate desire for a deal overcame good governance.”
Press Release
Common Cause/NY Statement Regarding Holding Andrew Cuomo Accountable
Common Cause NY Statement Regarding Holding Andrew Cuomo Accountable
Earlier this week, Andrew Cuomo announced his intent to resign in two weeks after an investigation by the State Attorney General James brought his rampant sexual misconduct to light. Given the severity of the findings, Common Cause NY urges the Assembly to proceed with impeachment regardless of Andrew Cuomo’s intention to step down and calls on Andrew Cuomo to resign immediately, not in two weeks.
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Susan Lerner, the executive director of watchdog Common Cause/New York, told CNBC in a phone interview on Friday that after she and her group initially called on Melissa DeRosa to be more transparent, she got a phone call from the secretary to the governor.
“She refuses to provide a list of the matters that she has recused herself from. When she was first appointed we raised this issue and she said she was going to recuse herself,” Lerner said. “We said, ‘OK, let the public know which of those clients you will not be...
“She refuses to provide a list of the matters that she has recused herself from. When she was first appointed we raised this issue and she said she was going to recuse herself,” Lerner said. “We said, ‘OK, let the public know which of those clients you will not be...
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Susan Lerner, executive director of New York Common Cause, said the bill will bring New York more in line with other states where ballots can be qualified to be counted in advance.
“It makes a lot of sense,” Lerner said. “And is yet another step towards bringing our election administration fully into the 21st Century.”
“It makes a lot of sense,” Lerner said. “And is yet another step towards bringing our election administration fully into the 21st Century.”
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“There’s no excuse for the Speaker’s office colluding with the [governor’s office] to clean up its mess,” said Susan Lerner of the nonpartisan group Common Cause New York.
“The Legislature is a co-equal branch of government, not a laundering service for the Governor.”
“The Legislature is a co-equal branch of government, not a laundering service for the Governor.”
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"People begging the state to engage in census outreach, nothing happened - 89 people. If there had been state outreach which began even in November or December of 2019, it's easy to see that we would've had hundreds of more people,” said Executive Director Susan Lerner.