The New York State
Constitutional Convention Clearinghouse


Information Related to New York's Nov. 7, 2017 Constitutional Convention Referendum

 

Organizational Endorsements and Advocacy

on the November 7, 2017 Referendum

(Note: much more detail can be found at the organization communications page)

Vote Yes

Umbrella Group

None


Other Groups

  • *Citizens Union. Principal: Dick Dadey.  Bio: Executive Direct of Citizens Union.  Dedicated convention website: New Yorkers for a Better New York; press release announcing the launch of this website sent on June 27, 2017.
  • ChangeNYS.org.  Principal: James Coll.  Bio: Adjunct professor of American and Constitutional history at Hofstra University.
  • Committee for a Constitutional Convention.  Principal: Evan Davis.  Bio: Senior Counsel Cleary Gottlieb, former Counsel to Governor Mario Cuomo, President of the Association of the Bar of the City of New York and Vice Chair of Columbia University Board.
  • *Forward March New York.  Principal: Claire Chapman, President.
  • *League of Women Voters of New York State. Principal: Ms. Dare Thompson, President..
  • NewAmsterdamNY.org. Principal: John Bergener.
  • New Kings Democrats. Principal: Anusha Venkataraman. “New Kings Democrats is a progressive, grassroots political organization committed to bringing trans­parency, accountability, and inclusionary democracy to the Kings County Democratic Party.”
  • LegalWeed4NY. See also Cannabis4ny.org.  Principal: Jerome W. Dewald.  Bio: Partner in the marketing research firm, Awesomepova Research, which studies marketing and social media in the cannabis space; and Executive Director of Tax and Regulate NY State 2019, which seeks to place a constitutional amendment legalizing adult-use cannabis before the New York voters through a state constitutional convention.
  • Long Island Association. Principal: Kevin Law, President.
  • *New York State Bar Association. Principal: Sharon Stern Gerstman, President.
  • *New York City Bar Association. Principal: John S. Kiernan, President.
  • *People’s Convention.  Principal: Bill Samuels.  Bio: Host of “Effective Radio with Bill Samuels”, which airs live for two hours every month on AM970.  Samuels has also put together a New York People’s Convention PAC and the New York Says Yes website.
  • Sanctuary State Project. Principal: Art Chang.

Vote No

Umbrella Group

  • New Yorkers Against Corruption.  On June 19, 2017, NYSUT issued a press release listing the coalition members supporting the website.  The Facebook page linked to New Yorkers Against Corruption was published around May 27, 2017. The website was published anonymously around April 12, 2017.

Other Groups

More About New Yorkers Against Corruption

NYSUT, the organization that led the development of New Yorkers Against Corruption, is itself a combination of organizations. From Article 3 of NYSUT’s Constitution: “This organization shall affiliate with the American Federation of Teachers, those organizations mandated by the AFT’s constitution/bylaws, and the National Education Association.”  The following list includes those mandated by AFT’s constitution:

Here is CSEA/AFSCME’s explanation of the origins of New Yorkers Against Corruption: “If you see the logo ‘New Yorkers Against Corruption’ this is the union’s movement. We can’t use the CSEA logo or any other union logo so this is what the movement to vote no will be called. If you see this logo, know that your union is hard at work getting the message out to vote “NO” to the constitutional convention in an effort to protect our pensions and other rights.” Constitutional Convention Update, CSEA, May 17, 2017.   Note that “New Yorkers Against Corruption” is also the attribute line for nonewyorkconvention.org. The specific line reads in the footer reads: “PAID FOR BY NEW YORKERS AGAINST CORRUPTION.”  Accessed August 21, 2017.