Press Release
High Scores for New York on Common Cause’s 2024 Democracy Scorecard
“The 2024 Democracy Scorecard empowers voters with information to hold their leaders in Washington accountable for a government that works for all.”
Press
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"It's all about what's best for the two political parties," said Susan Lerner, executive director of the watchdog group Common Cause New York. "They have no concern for the voter."
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But perhaps the most illuminating moment of the night came when moderator Brian Lehrer handed the mic to Common Cause Executive Director Susan Lerner, who asked how the future attorney general should use the powers of the office to protect voting rights in the state. None of the candidates seemed ready with a coherent response (Teachout, who referenced the state's lawsuit over the voter purge in Brooklyn last year, got closest.)
"I'm afraid not all the candidates answered the question that was asked," lamented Lerner.
"I'm afraid not all the candidates answered the question that was asked," lamented Lerner.
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How would Cynthia Nixon handle over $3 billion in discretionary economic development funds?
"If Cynthia Nixon were governor and she followed the Cuomo mold, she would basically have complete control over about $3 billion in economic development money," says Susan Lerner, the executive director of the good government group Common Cause New York. "It's not 20 percent of the budget, but it's still a lot of money."
"It's easy to say this is wrong, and we should have some accountability. Well, lay out the right way to...
"If Cynthia Nixon were governor and she followed the Cuomo mold, she would basically have complete control over about $3 billion in economic development money," says Susan Lerner, the executive director of the good government group Common Cause New York. "It's not 20 percent of the budget, but it's still a lot of money."
"It's easy to say this is wrong, and we should have some accountability. Well, lay out the right way to...
Press Release
An Opportunity to Offer Real Election Reform in New York City
Last Tuesday during the Ohio-12 special election, Americans found themselves angry at third party voters – again – for “wasting” their votes.
This problem is not unique to Ohio: in multi-candidate competitive races, we see upset voters of one party or candidate hold others accountable for their loss.
The blame should not be placed on voters -- it should be on the broken election system. Just look at New York City.
New York City primaries are crowded fields, with sometimes with as many as...
This problem is not unique to Ohio: in multi-candidate competitive races, we see upset voters of one party or candidate hold others accountable for their loss.
The blame should not be placed on voters -- it should be on the broken election system. Just look at New York City.
New York City primaries are crowded fields, with sometimes with as many as...
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“In the United States, we have codified and legalized what in other countries would be considered corruption,” said Sarah Goff, associate director of Common Cause, a government watchdog group that has long called for the closing of the LLC loophole.
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Susan Lerner, executive director of Common Cause-New York, said it's the public that loses out the most when candidates won't debate.
"It is unacceptable that Gov. Cuomo has yet to agree to public debates with his primary opponent, Cynthia Nixon," she said. "Debating is an essential part of democracy that can't be replaced by 30 second television ads."
"It is unacceptable that Gov. Cuomo has yet to agree to public debates with his primary opponent, Cynthia Nixon," she said. "Debating is an essential part of democracy that can't be replaced by 30 second television ads."
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Susan Lerner, with the government reform group Common Cause, says the commissioners have a legitimate point that the chief enforcement officer has not done enough to go after the non-filers, as well as other potential violations of the campaign rules, but she says it’s a separate issue from limiting Sugarman’s investigative procedures.
“The kind of detail that this newly adopted rule requires is an invitation for partisan gamesmanship,” Lerner said.
Lerner says the larger problem with the Board of Elections is its makeup...
“The kind of detail that this newly adopted rule requires is an invitation for partisan gamesmanship,” Lerner said.
Lerner says the larger problem with the Board of Elections is its makeup...
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But the digital divide between rural and more developed areas is real, said Susan Lerner, executive director of Common Cause New York, a statewide nonprofit watchdog for good government.
“The resulting entity (from the Charter merger) is so large that they can just laugh at the state, and that’s exactly why the state has had to take the extreme position of revoking the merger,” said Lerner, who called on New York to regulate telecommunications companies as utilities.
“Any new company that took over from...
“The resulting entity (from the Charter merger) is so large that they can just laugh at the state, and that’s exactly why the state has had to take the extreme position of revoking the merger,” said Lerner, who called on New York to regulate telecommunications companies as utilities.
“Any new company that took over from...
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Susan Learner, executive director of the government watchdog group Common Cause, slammed the Cuomo-friendly mailer as “misleading” and inappropriate.
“How can Governor Cuomo say that it’s easier to vote in New York when he and the legislature have failed, year after year, to pass common sense election reforms like early voting, and automatic voter registration? Not only is this mailer misleading, it’s a questionable use of tax dollars to promote the Governor’s re-election,” Lerner said.
“How can Governor Cuomo say that it’s easier to vote in New York when he and the legislature have failed, year after year, to pass common sense election reforms like early voting, and automatic voter registration? Not only is this mailer misleading, it’s a questionable use of tax dollars to promote the Governor’s re-election,” Lerner said.
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“Two juries have now twice convicted Dean Skelos of using his position in government to extort favors for his family in return for taxpayer funded resources. Case closed,” said Associate Director of Common Cause/NY Sarah Goff in statement.
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Common Cause Executive Director Susan Lerner cited Crain's findings that, according to campaign finance documents and other official records, Hamilton has used a residential building at 284 New York Ave. in Brooklyn belonging to the block association as the base of his political operations for more than a decade, in violation of zoning and occupancy rules.
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Good-government types have targeted this kind of thing since — well, forever: “There are no guidelines, and it really is a pretty obvious conflict of interest,” says Common Cause chief Susan Lerner.