Common Cause/NY Statement re Campaign Finance Indictments on Staten Island

NEW YORK, NY (02/26/2015)(readMedia)-- Common Cause/NY Executive Director Susan Lerner issued the following statement in response to yesterday's indictment in Staten Island of two individuals and two entities for alleged campaign finance improprieties arising from a 2009 City Council race:

"Common Cause/NY believes that strong and timely enforcement of campaign finance laws is essential, particularly for public financing of elections systems. While there are substantial issues regarding lax enforcement of campaign finance laws at the state level, the New York City Campaign Finance Board has shown itself to be a fierce and capable watchdog of the City's much-admired campaign finance system," said Susan Lerner. "We are troubled by the indictments issued yesterday which try to pre-empt the Campaign Finance Board's thorough audit process, creating uncertainty and the possibility of disparate county-based standards for enforcement of the City's campaign finance laws."?