NEW YORK – New York Attorney General Letitia James today released the following statement after the state Court of Appeals upheld the constitutionality of the state’s Commission on Ethics and Lobbying in Government (COELIG):

“The public deserves to have faith in their elected officials, and that requires a strong, independent, ethics watchdog. In New York, we value the rule of law, and my office will always work to ensure our laws are defended, no matter who attempts to sidestep or ignore them. I was proud to help defend the constitutionality of the Commission on Ethics and Lobbying in Government, and I commend my team for securing this decision that maintains the state’s ethics watchdog. New Yorkers can trust that my office will always faithfully defend the public’s interest.”