Sentences with phrase «government watchdog»
A "government watchdog" refers to an organization or group that keeps a close eye on the actions of the government to ensure transparency, accountability, and adherence to laws and regulations. They act as a check and balance, working to prevent corruption, waste, and abuse of power by the government. Basically, they keep an eye on the government to make sure it is doing its job correctly and ethically. Full definition
A researcher for government watchdog groups said the district should have done more to reduce expenses.
articles.chicagotribune.com
They did not take into account the residences of incumbent lawmakers, and their proposal drew praise from government watchdog groups for its compact, common - sense districts.
But the gesture wasn't sitting well with government watchdog groups.
Several government watchdog groups responded to the arrest by calling for passage of new ethics measures.
It also has been a source of concern among government watchdog groups because of the potential for conflicts of interest.
He also described how an API would let government watchdog groups track legislative issues and see when bills or resolutions are coming before a committee.
In all, a large and diverse group of more than 24 children's organizations, foundations, government watchdog entities, and lobbyists worked together to move the bill towards passage.
Before the jury reached its verdict, government watchdog groups said the trial showed the need for major changes in state government.
State election law requires candidates to disclose who they pay to avoid the potential for conflicts of interest or personal enrichment, among other possible abuses, said Susan Lerner, executive director of government watchdog group Common Cause.
«The move comes after Dr. Billington, who turned 86 on June 1, presided over a series of management and technology failures at the library that were documented in more than a dozen reports by government watchdog agencies.»
asked David Grandeau, the state's former chief lobbying investigator and widely seen by government watchdogs as one of Albany best gumshoes.
Representatives from other government watchdog organizations — including New York Public Interest Group (NYPIRG), Reinvent Albany, Common Cause, and Citizens Budget Commission — told Gotham Gazette that they have not taken a position on the ballot question, but that the issue is being debated vigorously internally.
The county is struggling to close its $ 160 million budget deficit, and the Government Justice Center, which includes members of conservative government watchdog groups, says these fees are being raised for the general fund.
With budget negotiations down to the final days before the April 1st deadline, state government watchdogs in Albany say the process has been too opaque — especially after high - profile corruption convictions of the legislature's former leaders.
«Our view is that the government should, as the normal course of business, put contracts out to bid,» said Blair Horner, executive director of the New York Public Interest Research Group, a nonprofit government watchdog organization.
Florida TaxWatch, the nonpartisan government watchdog organization, served up its annual list of «Budget Turkeys,» naming almost $ 178 million in line - item projects part of the $ 82.4 billion budget passed May 8 by the Florida House and Senate.
«Billion - dollar personnel costs in both counties should not only push officials to make some tough decisions here, but get citizens to demand action and realize this problem is one of the big reasons Long Island is so unaffordable,» said Doug Kellogg, communications director for Reclaim New York, a Manhattan - based government watchdog group chaired by Rebekah Mercer, a prominent supporter of President Donald Trump.
Florida TaxWatch, the nonpartisan government watchdog group, released its annual «Budget Turkey List,» of almost $ 178 million in line - item projects that are part of the $ 82.4 billion budget passed May 8 by the Florida House and Senate.
Common Cause New York and other good government watchdogs say that while these entities perhaps help streamline projects, they also can legally avoid public bidding and public disclosure laws intended to serve as checks and balances of potential conflicts.
A good - government watchdog on Monday called for a halt to economic development spending until transparency measures and other new controls are put in place as a safeguard against corruption.
«What we know now that we didn't know a year ago is, that Silver is on the payroll of a large real estate interest, and was not just the defender of the common man and of rent stabilization,» said John Kaehny, executive director of government watchdog Reinvent Albany.
A leading government watchdog called Thursday for the Brooklyn District Attorney's Office to reveal who was calling the shots while DA Ken Thompson battled cancer before his death.
(June 22, 2017, Albany) A coalition of prominent government watchdog groups say Governor Cuomo, Senate Leader Flanagan and Speaker Heastie have completely failed to address the huge problems revealed by last year's alleged rigging of $ 800m in state economic development contracts and that... (read more)
As Mayor, Sarah Palin employed a lobbying firm to secure almost $ 27 million in federal earmarks for a town of 6,700 residents while she was its mayor, according to an analysis by an independent government watchdog group.
GAO SCHOOL DISCIPLINE REPORT NYT: Government Watchdog Finds Racial Bias in School Discipline Vox: Black kids are way more likely to be punished in school than white kids, study finds
Government watchdogs slammed state lawmakers for passing watered - down ethics reforms during a legislative session that saw two of the three most powerful people in Albany sentenced to prison for corruption.
While we all appreciate the need to cut the city budget, we should not balance our books by weakening important city government watchdogs like the public advocate.
Doug Kellogg, spokesman for government watchdog group Reclaim New York, said, «There should be consequences here.
But government watchdogs immediately warned the changes didn't go far enough and were merely «partial solutions» to combat pervasive corruption.
Public Citizen is the fourth government watchdog group to sue the Trump administration over White House visitor logs.
Government watchdogs do warn that Wright must tread carefully in his new role on the other side of the fence.
But major victories for good - government watchdogs such as public financing of political campaigns and ending the practice of donating unlimited funds to political campaigns through a web of limited liability companies has alluded passage so far.
What government watchdog groups viewed as the centerpiece of the governor's proposals was also whittled down: The state would set up a public financing system for one office, state comptroller, as a test case in the 2014 election.
Quinn, Brewer and government watchdogs pressed the Board to collect data on voters» experiences at the polls and to publish them and share with city agencies.
Nursing homes are unnecessarily administering powerful antipsychotic drugs to many elderly residents, including those with dementia who could suffer life - threatening side effects, according to a new government watchdog report.
The Democratic governor's policy concerned government watchdogs and some lawmakers who said it was an affront to government transparency.
Sherman and his pharmaceutical company, Apotex, were registered to lobby the Prime Minister's Office months after Trudeau took over the role, according to government watchdog Democracy Watch, which filed the complaint against the billionaire.
This is something that's played out time and time again in other countries where government watchdogs determine which therapies are eligible for funding and which aren't.
The strength of the Afghan security forces has declined sharply over the past 12 months, a US government watchdog has said, amid reports of desertions and high casualty rates.
Government watchdogs ripped Cuomo's decision.
A statewide government watchdog agency and the Lieutenant Governor have also offered differing points of view.
Government watchdogs expressed concern that the budget added more than $ 700 million in new agency spending since January despite reduced tax - revenue projections from real - estate transactions and personal income taxes.
ALBANY — A probe swirling around Mayor Bill de Blasio has cast a harsh light on some of the nation's most lax campaign finance laws, with contribution limits so easy to get around that even government watchdogs acknowledge a ring of truth to the familiar excuse: Hey, everybody's doing it.
The non-partisan government watchdog group picked the 25 - year - old real estate business owner, who is challenging incumbent state Sen. Shirley Huntley (D - Jamaica) for being «active in the community to address the fallout from the foreclosure crisis,» according to the candidate.
He made a packed audience of government watchdog supporters «weak - kneed,» as one spectator posted on Twitter.
It is that level of access that alarms government watchdogs.