Empire Center, Government Justice Center File Amicus Brief with SCOTUS in Student Debt Cancellation Case
The Empire Center and the Government Justice Center filed an amicus brief yesterday with the Supreme Court of the United States
Government Justice Center Argues Against Unconstitutional Pay Raises at Court of Appeals
Government Justice Center Executive Director Cam Macdonald argued last week before the New York State Court of Appeals in the case Delgado v. State of New York. The case challenges the constitutionality of a 2018 law that allows an unelected committee to set executive and legislative compensation by re-writing existing laws.
NYC Health’s Bungled FOIL Response is a Symptom of a Larger Problem
The Government Justice Center filed a lawsuit against the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (NYC Health) with the New York State Supreme Court in effort to reveal information pertaining to a controversial decision on distribution of COVID oral antivirals.
Challenging the constitutionality of pay raises
When an unelected committee approved pay raises for the state’s legislators, GJC filed a lawsuit alleging the raises were unconstitutional.
Stopping Unconstitutional Executive Pay Raises
In the flurry of budget bill voting during the early hours of the morning of April 1, 2019, the Legislature introduced and passed a compensation resolution increasing the Governor and Lieutenant Governor salaries effective January 1, 2019, the date their new elective terms began.
Defending a rape survivor’s right to free speech
In a blatant misuse of political power, New York’s Joint Commission on Public Ethics (JCOPE), which is tasked with regulating lobbying in New York, went after Kat Sullivan—a rape survivor who was pushing for the passage of the Child Victims Act.
Challenging Illegal Fees
For several years, Long Island’s Suffolk County has avoided raising general fund taxes by imposing new or increased fees on certain residents. In October 2017, the Government Justice Center, an Albany-based public interest legal center, filed a lawsuit in the state Supreme Court to put an end to the illegal practice of raising general revenue through such fees.
Where Did the Cash Go? The Rye City School District Won’t Say
In the Rye City School District, officials forked over more than $31,000 to a third-party vendor that conducts “equity audits.” But the school district is refusing to say any more.
GJC Sues Long Island Power Authority and South Fork Wind
The Government Justice Center (GJC) has filed a complaint on behalf of Long Island ratepayers against the Long Island Power Authority and South Fork Wind, formally known as Deepwater Wind South Fork, for violating New York State’s procurement laws.
Challenging Nassau County’s Secret Assessments
Like many others in Nassau County, Diane Eckel grieves her real property assessments. The stakes are high. Taxpayers can save tens of thousands of dollars in successful challenges. But knowing how the County determines values is critical to making a challenge.
Looking Under the Hood at the SUNY Board of Trustees
Jim Malatras resigned as chancellor of the State University of New York (SUNY) in December 2021. The terms of SUNY’s separation agreement with Malatras surfaced just over a month later. SUNY agreed to give Malatras a $450,000 paid year of “study leave” and a tenured faculty position at SUNY Empire College. The year of study leave was remarkable and widely covered by the media, so GJC looked further into it.
Uncovering a deadly nursing home cover-up
GJC obtained a court order compelling the Cuomo Department of Health to disclose to Empire Center data on Covid nursing home deaths that had been kept from the public to hide underreported fatalities.