Housing Court judges hold immense power over the lives of New Yorkers, yet they are not subject to the same disciplinary standards as other New York state judges. Complaints are submitted to the Supervising Judge of the accused judge's relevant Housing Court, which is often like tossing a complaint into a black hole; there can be no feedback given whatsoever, which leads the public to assume that Housing Court judges are protected by their fellow judges, and there is no investigation done, let alone disciplinary action. On the other hand, most New York State judges, when accused of ethical misconduct, are investigated by the Commission on Judicial Conduct, which releases annual reports that detailing its various determinations, and at least appears to strive for some kind of transparency. According to the Commission's annual reports, legislation that would have given the Commission jurisdiction over NYC housing court judges was vetoed in the 1980s. With the newly-elected Democratic legislature having recently passed new rent laws that are fairer to New York's tenants, it is time to revisit this issue, and hold housing court judges accountable, to the same standard as other judges in New York State. Housing Court Judges should be placed under the jurisdiction of the NYS Commission on Judicial Conduct. When they are accused of unethical conduct, they can be investigated, prosecuted and sanctioned by an 11-member body composed of judges, lawyers, and non-lawyer citizens, who serve on a Commission expressly created to insure compliance with established standards of ethical judicial behavior.

Hi, I am a 73 year old retired, disabled, veteran who lives on Social Security and if you haven't guessed already, I live in an Affordable Housing Project owned by the County of Kauai. I have done everything requested of me from the first notice of violation as I cherish my home and can't afford to lose it. I requested a Grievance Hearing with the local Public Housing Authority (PHA - HCV Program) for my Section 8 housing. The Federal Register lists The Kauai County Housing Agency as the local PHA. The hearing was approved and I waited for a date and time. Then it was canceled saying that I had done nothing wrong within the program to warrant a hearing. I was referred to the Agency of Elderly Affairs who referred me to the Legal Aid Society. After providing everything asked for I was told it was believed I had a case and awaited an appointment with the managing director. Then I was told that the managing director was leaving to accept another job and the only other lawyer in the office doesn't believe these types of cases are winnable because the County makes out the contracts as month to month rentals rather than the HUD mandated year to year lease and you can't introduce the federal law in court because the HUD mandated Tenancy Addendum is not attached to your contract. Therefore HRS 521-71 applies, that basically says management can evict a tenant for no reason. A few days later I got a call from the legal assistant who was originally helping me, saying she had forwarded all my paperwork to a lawyer in Honolulu who specializes in this type of case. After spending several hours telling him the details, he kept saying that I wasn't giving him anything to work with. In his words it always ends in a he said she said even with witnesses or so called proof where the judge couldn't decide the truth, until I mentioned management cheating on the House Rules. The next day I got a call telling me that after an hour on the phone with EAH Housings lawyer he had convinced him that management could not win this case in court. Now I'm a bit vague as to what happened next even though I asked questions, but the next thing that happened was the new best way out was a Mutual Termination Agreement sent by EAH Housing's lawyer. When I asked what happened I was told, we work in teams using local lawyers, we do not have the budget to island hop for court appearances. All the members of the team must agree on a course of action. The only thing that makes sense here is the local lawyer refused to litigate the case in court. I read the agreement and refused to sign it because of all the illegal things it contained. We then spent time rewording the agreement and sending it back. Basically they were to dismiss the case and I must move in 60 days. The next hearing was on Aug 19 and the local lawyer presented the agreement to the judge. EAH Housing's lawyer was a no show and the judge refused to dismiss the case. He asked for a stipulation from EAH Housing's lawyer to dismiss. I knew at this point they were not going to live up to their agreement. I was assured that this would not happen until the time ran out on Oct 31, 2019 and it did not happen. I didn't move because they broke the agreement the day they were a no show in court. Next I get a summons to appear because they were suing me for breaking the agreement. That summons broke the state law for not giving me time to prepare. So the next summons was dated Dec 2, 2019 the same day they dismissed the original case. EHA Housing's lawyer flew in from Honolulu specifically for this hearing. The judge puts us in mediation because I do not have representation. EAH Housing's lawyer proceeds to tell me I can not win this case and he is very good at what he does. If we do not reach an agreement you will lose your HCV (Section 8 voucher) for five years and become homeless. I'm EMR Sensitive and the first problem I have in Lihue because of all the cell towers and free Wi-Fi is organizing my thoughts. Doctors do not recognize this problem yet. While the mediator was asking good questions he could not see a good end result for me. The fair housing Act gives up to 60 days for disabled people and I caved to that. The agreement was signed and the judge agreed. I have all along been looking for a place to live, desperately wanting to get away from this manager. Affordable Housing directly from the state or HUD (through the Hawaii Housing Agency) is 3 years out after you fill out the paperwork and approved you are put on a waiting list. Looking for other affordable housing, the waiting lists are not open and there are no vacancies. Looking on the retail rental market, no one accepts the HCV Program. So on Jan 31, 2020 at 4PM I will become homeless. The cost of moving into storage and out of storage and the deposit and my portion of the first month rent will put me in debt. I had a blowout on the way to a doctor's appointment and while I could get the spare out of the trunk I could no longer change the tire. I passed out on the front seat of the car and a kind woman stopped to help and found me. This made me realize that my desire to move out wade my physical ability to move. So I am here asking for help. If you think this was a long story you should hear the long version. If you agree this is wrong on multiple levels please sign my petition. Or better yet call (808) 241-4440 and ask to speak with Steven Franco and express the fact that management broke the house rules when getting a lawyer to serve a 45 day notice. When I was a kid this was called cheating, but she is also a habitual liar. This is why she hates me because I call her out. I'm not the only one here. According to the chair of Health and Human Services for the County she has had at least 4 complaints against her. She evicts people because their kids are out playing without supervision and making too much noise.

I feel like this is very important to the whole community. Wearing uniforms makes us feel plan and also very uncomfortable. Like for example in central, when we walk around with hoodies were hounded for them to get taken off. But if you don’t take it off that exact minute the admin will confiscate it. But see if we didn’t have to worry about uniform policy’s we wouldn’t have to worry about teacher calling admin to have student remove hoodies, Or students be given unreasonable consequences

Many of us have watched while on the state and the national stage public discourse has devolved into very public attacks against any individuals who cross Trump's path or oppose him or his followers. The state of New Hampshire has a sad history of harassment, especially from the right and within the walls of the state legislature. The current national climate has only given license to those parties who engage in harassing women, people of color and others who do not fit the "conservative" social narrative. We have noticed in particular, in the state house, a particular vitriol reserved for women members of the state legislature. From the current harassment and belittlement (calling her princess, telling her she is stupid, weak, receiving death threats, harassment directed at her being a woman, etc.) of Debra Stevens, to the the constant harassment and demands for censure of Representative Sherry Frost (Strafford, 18) that have occurred during her terms. The type of vicious harassment that women experience resembles the type of harassment many women experienced thirty years ago when they entered non-traditional employment. Today, nearly every place of employment has a sexual harassment policy in place. Today, nearly all workers and professionals everywhere have no problem working with women as colleagues and professional partners. The number of women in the state legislature has increased profoundly this past session, reflecting the increased participation across the board of women in public life. Yet only this session was a sexual harassment policy finally put in place; after solid repeated resistance when the House was GOP controlled. Those same members who voted against a sexual harassment policy now not only associate with those who regularly harass female members of the house, but these same members make a plea to Steve Shurtleff, claiming they feel harassed and misrepresented when a member shares her a story about the behavior of anti-gun control activists. They make this plea after they all deliberately assembled on Representative Steven's Facebook political page with the sole purpose of harassing her. They make this plea after the first vote of the Democratic controlled house which banned handguns on the state house floor caused a few state representatives to call a press conference claiming that they feel unsafe at the state house without a gun by their side. Yet they have had no problem associating with those who issue death threats, harass, cajole, bully and abuse their opponents, in particular women. Women who do not carry guns anywhere and yet have plenty of reason to feel unsafe everyday; just for their duty as state representatives and representing the issues the way the majority of their constituents who sent them there wish them to do. We feel that speaking up to these bullies is important and Steven Shurtleff showing leadership on this issue is absolutely essential. No state legislator or American citizen should ever feel their life might be in danger or their dignity or social good standing be jeopardized, simply for having a certain point of view. In particular, we ask that Speaker Shurtleff speak specifically as well to the harassment that the women on the Democratic side of the aisle have received for speaking their minds.

This action is important because in recent weeks, the majority party in the senate including its leadership, Senator McConnell, have stated and implied they do not intend to honor their required oath of impartiality. This trial is the only recourse that the citizens of the United States have in an effort to determine if a president of the United States has committed high crimes or misdemeanors worthy of removal from office. This is not a political sideshow; rather it is a basic expression of our democratic power and will as citizens of the United States. It must not become a mockery of justice or our Constitution.

The House of Representatives impeaching a sitting president is historic and needs to be taken seriously by the Senate. Unfortunately, however, Mitch McConnell and Senate Republicans are falling into their political lines and staying complicit with the greed and corruption of this administration. Mitch McConnell is protecting an administration rife with bribery, obstruction of justice, and corruption. McConnell must remember he is accountable to the American public, not this administration. As such, he must allow witnesses to publicly testify. If this administration has done no wrongdoing, then these direct witnesses will be able to provide President Trump some very much needed exculpatory evidence. If there was no wrongdoing, Republicans, McConnell, and this administration should have nothing to fear from the questioning of first-hand witnesses. First-hand, direct witnesses should be required to testify in front of the Senate for a fair impeachment trial. The American people have a right to hear the truth.

Republicans are making their case against impeachment with bold simple pronouncements to the American public. It's time for democrats to RAISE THEIR VOICES too with the TRUTH!

Help three Bellingham High School juniors raise awareness and bring about a change in the ineffective and unethical American prison system.

To glean more serious law enforcement investigations and more attention from the national media to end the disappearances and recover these missing women and girls.

Kelly is a 23-year-old transgender asylum seeker who has been locked up in immigration jail for nearly three years. Kelly is suffering medical neglect and was put in solitary confinement for four months solely because of her gender identity. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has the power to release her immediately but refuses to let her go. Kelly is suffering tremendously, both physically and mentally. Additionally, her unnecessarily prolonged detention is exacerbating the trauma she has experienced as a domestic violence and human trafficking survivor. During her nearly three years in detention, Kelly has never been given a bond hearing. All Kelly wants is to live safely and without fear. Unfortunately, there are many more transgender individuals like Kelly who are unjustly locked up in immigration jail while they apply for asylum, and are experiencing inhumane treatment because of their gender identity. Kelly needs your help. Sign the petition to demand that ICE use its discretion to #FreeKelly now!

To legalize marijuana

This petition is designed to bring justice to Delicia Carmichael, a young woman who has survived extensive sexual abuse and sex trafficking. Delicia is serving an extreme 20-year sentence for offenses that were a direct result of her having been sex-trafficked, and in which no one was physically harmed. Last June, Texas Governor Abbot vetoed a bill that would have helped survivors like Delicia receive a commutation, or sentence reduction. Please sign this petition to tell Governor Abbot to immediately release Delicia to a halfway house where she can receive the treatment and care she needs, and where she can learn the skills to be an independent and valued member of society. Delicia deserves empathy, support, and a second chance - not further suffering and punishment. Delicia's background is riddled with sexual abuse, trafficking, neglect, and abandonment, first by her family, and then by numerous State institutions. When Delicia was 5, the Department of Family Protective Services (DFPS) discovered her living out of a car in the custody of her grandfather, who was sexually abusing her. In and out of foster homes, she wound up on the street, where her mother, who had lost parental rights, introduced her to an adult male who began to traffic her and engage her in other criminal activities. Just after she turned 15, Delicia participated in the incident that resulted in her arrest and prosecution. Her trafficker received a lighter sentence for the same incident. Delicia's history of trauma related to sexual abuse and sex trafficking was never investigated, discovered, or considered in her criminal case. Indeed, despite the fact that the State has long been responsible for her well-being, her exploitation was never fully discovered, and she has never received appropriate treatment. That failure is ongoing: Delicia is not receiving appropriate care for her past traumas in prison now, and if she serves her sentence in full, she will spend another 17 years in this arrested condition. Texas must do better. Delicia is a strong and intelligent person who deserves a chance to experience independence, safety, and joy in free society. It may be too late for the State to protect Delicia from sexual exploitation, but it can finally recognize Delicia’s history, shield her from further harm, and enable her to heal and thrive in adulthood. Please sign this petition to tell Governor Abbot to commute Delicia's sentence and provide for her immediate release to an appropriate halfway house. For more on Delicia's story, see this article from the Huffington Post: https://www.huffpost.com/entry/sex-trafficking-teens-united-states_n_5d9f6e89e4b02c9da04692ef For background on the bill vetoed by Governor Abbott last June, see this earlier article from the Huffington Post: https://www.huffpost.com/entry/texas-governor-vetoes-bill-that-would-help-sex-trafficking-victims-get-out-of-prison_n_5d08f8d9e4b0f7b744272a9e