named programs · 5 · from sources
What they call their work
Challenging Illegal Fees
Filed lawsuit against Suffolk County for raising general revenue through fees without proper authority
Challenging Nassau County’s Secret Assessments
Advocates for transparency in property assessment practices to ensure fair treatment for taxpayers
Defending Free Speech Rights
Represented Kat Sullivan in challenge to JCOPE’s investigation of her advocacy for the Child Victims Act
Government Transparency and FOIL Enforcement
Filed lawsuit against NYC Health to compel compliance with FOIL requests regarding distribution of COVID antivirals
Stopping Unconstitutional Executive Pay Raises
Challenged legislative salary increases for the Governor and Lieutenant Governor during their elected terms as unconstitutional
activities · 1 group
What they do
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Constitutional and Government Accountability Litigation 2 activities
- Files lawsuits and legal challenges to promote government accountability and transparencyConducts targeted litigation to challenge unconstitutional practices, enforce transparency laws, and ensure proper use of public authority. Activities include suing for disclosure of public health data, challenging improper revenue generation by local governments, and contesting unconstitutional salary increases for state officials.
- Provides pro-bono legal representation to protect New Yorkers' rights against improper government actionsOffers direct legal services and representation to individuals affected by misconduct or overreach by state or local governments, including cases involving constitutional rights and government accountability. For example, filed a case on behalf of a rape survivor facing investigation for advocacy related to the Child Victims Act, which led to the dropping of the investigation by JCOPE.
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financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$101K
Contributions & grants$94K94%
Program service revenue$00%
Investment income$00%
Other revenue$7K
expenses
Total expenses$81K
Program expenses97%
Admin / overhead3%
Fundraising0%
Salaries & benefits$70K
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$20K
Cash$20K
Investments$0
Liabilities$5K
Net assets$15K
Liquid reserves2.9 mo
4 years on record · 2021–2024 · YoY revenue +22.9%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024
Who runs it
paid leadership · 4
| Name | Title | Hours/wk | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| CAMERON J MACDONALD | TREASURER | 30 | $119K |
| MARK WALSH | SECRETARY | 5 | $87K |
| ZILVINAS SILENAS | PRESIDENT | 5 | $77K |
| TIMOTHY P HOEFER | FORMER DIRECTOR | 1 | $35K |
board members · 4
- ANITA MACDOUGALL — DIRECTOR
- JULIE KILLIAN — DIRECTOR
- LUKE JACOBS — DIRECTOR
- PETER HEIN — DIRECTOR
relationships · 7
Who they work with
- Empire Center Partner — Co-filed an amicus brief with the Supreme Court of the United States in the student debt cancellation case.
- Empire Center Partner — Jointly filed an amicus brief with the Supreme Court of the United States.
- Joint Commission on Public Ethics Government — State ethics commission against which GJC filed a legal challenge regarding its investigation of a rape survivor's advocacy.
- New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene Partner — Entity against which the Government Justice Center filed a lawsuit regarding transparency in distribution of COVID oral antivirals.
- New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene Partner — Subject of a lawsuit filed by the Government Justice Center over transparency in the distribution of COVID oral antivirals.
- Third Department Appellate Division Government — Judicial body currently reviewing the case on appeal.
- lawmakers Partner — Collaborates with lawmakers to improve government practices.
strategies · 4
How they approach the work
Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.
- Coalition-Based Advocacy for Systemic Reformmethodology: coalition-buildingBy engaging a broad coalition of attorneys, citizens, and lawmakers, we amplify accountability efforts because inclusive participation strengthens legitimacy, expands reach, and sustains pressure for reform across branches of government.
- Constitutional Enforcement Against Political Abusemethodology: constitutional_litigationBy challenging executive and legislative actions through constitutional litigation, we prevent abuses of power such as unelected bodies setting compensation or legislative overreach during elected terms, because adherence to constitutional limits ensures separation of powers and protects democratic integrity.
- Free Speech Defense in Advocacy Contextsmethodology: free-speech-defenseBy litigating against overly broad laws that restrict grassroots advocacy, we protect First Amendment rights because such laws chill civic participation and disproportionately impact efforts to seek legislative change.
- Strategic Litigation for Government Accountabilitymethodology: strategic_litigationBy using targeted legal action, we expose and challenge systemic government noncompliance, because courts can enforce transparency and due process in ways that public pressure alone cannot. This approach focuses on practices that generate revenue through fees rather than taxes, shifting financial burdens onto residents without democratic accountability.