The Press in Action --
Reporting & Editorializing on Part HHH,
the
Compensation Committee, its December 10, 2018 Report,
&
the Lawsuits
ILLUSTRATIVE REPORTING/EDITORIALIZING
March 28, 2018
"Cuomo
may add pay raises for state legislators into the budget"
New York Post (Kirsten Conley, Carl Campanile)
March 28, 2018
"Legislative
pay raise, casino bail out emerge in budget talks"
Daily News (AP)
April 1, 2018
"The
ethics reforms that New York government needs"
New York Post (editorial)
April 5, 2018
"Pay
raise for New York lawmakers? It's back on the table"
Gannett (Jon Campbell)
April 12, 2018
"New
York Lawmakers looking at a potential pay raise"
WHEC-NEWS 10
April 14, 2018
"The
Fray: Raises on the horizon for state lawmakers"
Middletown Herald-Record (Chris McKenna)
May 14, 2018
"NYS
chief judge won't serve on pay raise commission"
Daily News (Ken Lovett)
June 8, 2019
"Created
in the Budget, State Pay Commission Off to Slow, Rocky Start"
Gotham Gazette (Ben Brachfeld)
July 6, 2018
"Rocky
start to lawmaker pay raises"
WHEC (Brett Davidsen)
August 11, 2018
"Panel
deciding state lawmakers' raises yet to convene"
Herald-Record (Chris McKenna)
September 7, 2018
"Two
NYS Lawmakers Call on Commission to Close Double Dipping
Loophole"
WAMC (Alison Dunne)
September 19, 2018
"Waiting
for the compensation committee"
Albany Times Union
(David Lombardo) &
here
October 18, 2018
"A
putrid pay panel: The state legislature shows NY how not to
raise politicians' pay"
Daily News (editorial)
THE
COMMISSION GETS UNDERWAY
--
NEW YORK LAW
JOURNAL
December 6, 2018
"Committee
Approves Pay Raise for State Lawmakers, Limit on Outside
Income"
NYLJ (Dan Clark)
January 11, 2019
"Attorney
May Seek Depositions of Cuomo,
Legislative Leaders in Pay
Raise Row"
NYLJ (Dan Clark)
* * *
ALBANY TIMES
UNION
November 13, 2018
"State
panel to weigh legislative pay hike"
Albany Times Union
(Rachel Silberstein)
November 14, 2018
"Legislative
pay panel may enlist an attorney"
Albany Times Union
(Rachel Silberstein)
November 28, 2018
"Handful
of voices weigh in on public officials' pay raises"
Times Union (David Lombardo)
November 30, 2018
"Assembly
Speaker Makes Case for Legislative Pay Raise"
Albany
Times Union (David Lombardo)
November 30, 2018
"Compensation
Committee hears pitch for raises (VIDEO)"
Capital Confidential (David Lombardo)
December 4, 2018
"No
reforms, no raise"
Albany Times Union
(editorial)
December 7, 2018
"Questions
swirl around NY lawmakers' pay panel"
Albany
Times Union (Chris Bragg, David Lombardo)
December 8, 2018
"How
to earn these raises"
Albany Times Union (editorial)
December 10, 2018
"The
legislative pay raise fiasco: A look at how we got here"
Albany Times Union (Richard Brodsky)
December 14, 2018
"Lawsuit
aims to block legislators' pay raises"
Albany
Times Union (David Lombardo)
December 14, 2018
"Lawsuit Targets State Lawmakers' Pay Raises"
Wall Street Journal (Jimmy Vielkind)
December 14, 2018
"Money
(That's what we want"
PODCAST -- Albany
Times-Unon (David Lombardo)
December 16, 2018
"It'll
take a long time to clean up this legislative salary mess"
Albany Times Union (Richard Brodsky)
December 17, 2018
"Some
thoughts on the legislative cost of living increase
and limits on outside income"
Albany TImes Union
(Assemblyman John McDonald)
December 21, 2018
"Raise
for lawmakers survive initial legal hurdle"
Albany Times Union (David Lombardo)
December 23, 2018
"Reject
a raise, if you dare"
Albany Times Union
(editorial)
January 11, 2019
"NY
lawmakers' raises debated in court"
Albany Times
Union (David Lombardo)
June 8, 2019
"Fate
of legislative raises in doubt after ruling"
Albany Times Union (David Lombardo)
June 7, 2019
"Court
strikes down ban on outside income for lawmakers"
Albany Times Union (David Lombardo)
"Judge
strikes down ban on outside income for lawmakers (ruling)"
Albany TImes Union (David Lombardo)
June 9, 2019
"Fate
of legislative raises in doubt after ruling"
Albany Times Union (David Lombardo)
June 10, 2019
"Nice
pay for part-time gig"
Albany Times Union
(editorial)
June 11, 2019
"Assembly
Dems use taxpayer money to defend pay raise in court"
Albany Times Union (David Lombardo)
June 25, 2019
"AG's
office mum on possibilities in pay raise case"
Albany
Times Union (David Lombardo)
July 30, 2019
"Judge
clarifies fate of future legislative raises"
Albany Times Union (David Lombardo)
BUFFALO NEWS
November 13, 2018
"Panel
considers first raise for state legislators in 20 years"
Buffalo News (Tom Precious)
November 20, 2018
"No
raise in Albany without finance reform"
Buffalo News (editorial)
December 12, 2018
"Big
salary boost poses dilemna for some state lawmakers"
Buffalo News (Tom Precious)
December 15, 2018
"Heastie
says legislators' compensation hasn't kept pace"
Politifact -- Buffalo News (Jill Terrari Ramos)
December 31, 2018
"Letter:
Legislators should earn raise with full-year sessions"
February
24, 2019
"Emboldened
Legislature, ready or not, to take on Cuomo in budget talks"
Buffalo News (Tom Precious)
April 1, 2019
"No
joke: Legislature agrees to give Cuomo a 40% salary bump"
Buffalo News (Tom Precious)
GANNETT
November 21, 2018
"No
pay raises without ethics reform in Albany"
Democrat & Chronicle (editorial)
December 7, 2018
"New
York lawmakers to get top pay without sticking their necks
out"
Gannett-Lohud (Nancy Cutler)
December 7, 2018
"Plan
to limit outside income by legislators is a good start"
Democrat & Chronicle (editorial)
December 28, 2018
"Pay
raise with strings attached causing friction
between Andrew Cuomo, Assembly"
Democrat &
Chronicle-Gannett (Jon Campbell)
February 1, 2019
"Sen.
O'Mara looks to fight looming ban on lawmakers' outside
income"
Gannett (Joseph Spector)
June 10, 2019
"New
York lawmakers may miss out on future pay hikes.
Here's why"
Gannett-Democrat & Chronicle (Jon
Campbell)
NEWSDAY
November 13, 2018
"State
panel considers pay raises for lawmakers, others"
Newsday (Mike Gormley)
November 15, 2018
"Overcompensation"
Newsday (Lane Filler)
"New
York legislators make too much money"
November 18, 2018
"Constitutionality
of Albany pay raise process questioned"
Newsday (Michael Gormley)
November 20, 2018
"No
ethics reform, no raises for New York State legislators"
Newsday (editorial board)
November 26, 2018
"Hearings
begin on possible pay hike for state lawmakers, top officials"
Newsday (Mike Gormley)
November 28, 2018
"Albany
pay raise proposal sparks criticism during hearing"
Newsday (Michael Gormley)
November 29, 2018
"Good
reasons for panel to deny Albany pay hike"
Newsday
(editorial)
November 30, 2018
"Heastie
urges pay raises for legislators, top state officials"
Newday (Mike Gormley)
December 3, 2018
"Albany
pay raise commission must get tough on lawmakers"
Newsday (editorial)
December 6, 2018
"Wise
to attach conditions to pay raise in Albany"
Newsday (editorial)
December 14, 2018
"Legal
action calls state pay raise committee unconstitutional"
Newsday (Mike Gormley)
December 15, 2018
"Here's
how the pay raise for state legislators, officials would
work"
Newsday (Mike Gormley)
December 21, 2018
"Judge
won't stop pay raise to legislators, officials during
lawsuit"
Newsday (Michael Gormley)
December 29, 2018
"New laws
Newsday (Mike Gormley)
June 16, 2019
"No
cap, no pay raise for lawmakers"
Newsday
(editorial)
June 21, 2019
"Not
capping if off"
Newsday (Rita Ciolli)
NEW YORK DAILY NEWS
November 15, 2018
"Cuomo
high on legislative pay raise..."
Daily News (Ken Lovett)
November 28, 2018
"New
York boosts state legislator pay, with stipends more than other
states"
Daily News (Ken Lovett)
November 29, 2018
"No
reform, no raise: The path to a legislative pay increase"
Daily News (editorial)
November 30, 2018
"Heastie
says lawmakers deserve raises, but won't commit to reforms
in exchange"
Daily News (Ken Lovett)
December 4, 2018
"Show
some backbone: The legislative pay panel can help clean up
Albany
by phasing in raises in exchange for refomrs"
Daily News (editorial)
December 6, 2018
"NY
Sen. Dem Leader Stewart Cousins supports legislative pay
raises
tied to banning outside income"
Daily News (Ken
Lovett)
December 6, 2018
"Panel
approves first legislative pay raises in 20 years, but ties
them to reforms"
Daily News (Ken Lovett)
December 7, 2018
"Raise
a glass: In praise of New York's legislative pay panel which
had the guts when it counted"
Daily News
(editorial)
December 7, 2018
"New
York good government groups hail decision to tie legislative
pay raises to reforms"
Daily News (Ken Lovett)
December 10, 2018
"Cuomo
expects legal challenge to pay raise committee actions"
Daily News (Ken Lovett)
December 10, 2018
"Cuomo
raise making him highest-paid governor is no slam dunk,
NYS legislative official says"
Daily News (Ken Lovett)
December 17, 2018
"Brooklyn
Assemblyman Lentol keeps legislative pay raises,
raising
colleagues' eyebrows"
Daily News (Ken Lovett)
December 18, 2018
"Cuomo
can bully NYS legislature in passing laws unde new pay raise
restrictsion,
Assembly Speaker Heastie says"
Daily News
(Ken Lovett)
January 7, 2019
"Speaker
Carl Heasti is mum on Assembly members
accepting pay
raises from committee they say acted unlawfully"
Daily News (Ken Lovett)
"State
judge strikes down cap on outside income for lawmakers"
Daily News (Denis Slattery)
NEW YORK TIMES
November 25, 2018
"No
Albany Pay Raise Without Limits on Outside Income"
New York Times (editorial)
December 6, 2018
"With
a $50,000 Raise, NY Lawmakers Would Become Highest Paid in
the Nation"
New York Times (Vivian Wang)
December 6, 2018
"A
Good Call by Albany's Pay Committee"
New York
Times (editorial)
December 9, 2018
"Albany
Lawmakers May Get Their First Pay Raise in 20 Years.
Do They Deserve One?"
New York Times (Jesse
McKinley)
December 13, 2018
"Don't
Weasel Out of Ethics Reforms in Albany"
New York
Times (editorial)
December 20, 2018
"Albany:
Put New York's Needs Before Your Own"
New York Times
(editorial)
January 12, 2019
"No
Limits on Albany's Gall"
New York Times
(editorial)
NEW YORK POST
November 30, 2018
"Heastie
says he's open to restricting Albany income in pay hike deal"
New York Post (Carl Campanile)
December 13, 2018
"New
York lawmakers say they got raw deal even after major pay
raise"
NY Post (Carl Campanile)
December 21, 2018
"State
legislators should blame themselves
for pay hike tied to on-time budget: Stringer"
New York Post (Carl Campanile)
December 15, 2018
"Here's
how much NY lawmakers make on the side"
New York
Post (Mary Kay Linge)
December 15, 2018
"NY
lawmakers may face tough decisions
as pay raise limits outside income"
New York
Post (Mary Kay Linge)
December 27, 2018
"Cuomo
doesn't see 'rationale' for lawsuit over legislators' pay
hike"
New York Post (Lia Eustachewich)
December 28, 2018
"What
legislators can do to solve their pay raise dilemna"
New York Post (editorial)
January 14, 2018
"Most
voters don't think New York lawmakers deserve their fat new
pay raises"
New York Post (Carl Campanile)
March 3, 2019
"State
Dem leader says Cuomo used pay raise to gain leverage in
budget talks"
New York Post (Bernadette Hogan)
March 3, 2019
"Assemblyman
says Cuomo is using pay-raise extortion to pass budget"
New York Post (Bernadette Hogan, Carl Campanile, Bruce
Golding)
April 1, 2019
"Andrew
Cuomo to become highest paid governor in the US"
New York Post (Aaron Feis)
April 2, 2019
"Andrew
Cuomo defends his huge pay raise"
New York Post
(Bernadette Hogan)
June 5, 2018
"Legislators'
pay-hike chutzpah"
New York Post (editorial)
June 6, 2018
"Judge
allows pay raises, outside income for lawmakers"
New York Post (Bernadette Hogan)
June 9, 2019
"The
outrageous tale of the legislative pay hike just got more
obscene"
New York Post (editorial)
June 10, 2019
"Cuomo
rips judge's ruling on lawmakers' outside income"
New York Post (Bernadette Hogan)
POLITICO
November 28, 2018
"Few
seize chance to weigh in on politicians' pay"
Politico (Bill Mahoney)
November 30, 2018
"Heastie
makes the case for a pay raise"
Politico (Bill
Mahoney)
twitter
December 6, 2018
"Committee
raises legislative pay to $130K, claims 'mandate' to limit
outside income"
Politico (Bill Mahoney)
December 9, 2018
"Pay
decision leaves some legislators waiting and seething"
Politico (Bill Mahoney)
December 10, 2018
"Pay
Committee's recommendations gut leadership stipends"
Politico (Bill Mahoney)
December 26, 2018
"After
decades of controversy, lulus on verge of quiet death"
Politico (Bill Mahoney)
PUBLIC RADIO
November 16, 2018
"Gov.
Cuomo on WAMC Roundtable, 11/16/18"
WAMC Radio (Alan Chartock)
November 19, 2018
"New
York State Lawmakers Seek First Pay Raises in 20 Years"
WSKG (Karen DeWitt)
December 3, 2018
"Pay
Raises for State Lawmakers"
WAMC Radio (Blair
Horner)
December 11, 2018
"NY
Pay Commission Issues Final Report"
WAMC (Karen
DeWitt)
December 14, 2018
"Lawsuit
filed over pay raises for lawmakers"
WXXI
(Karen DeWitt)
December 14, 2018
"Lawsuit
filed Over Pay Raise for NY Lawmaker"
WAMC
(Karen DeWitt)
December 10, 2018
"Capital
Region State Lawmakers React to Pay Commission
Recommendations"
WAMC (Dave Lucas)
December 17, 2018
"Pay
Raise Deal Rages In Albany"
WAMC (Blair Horner)
December 19, 2018
"Central
NY state Assembly members split on pay raises, limit on
outside income"
WRVO (Tom Magnarelli)
January 3, 2019
"Resentments
Remain Over Pay Hike For New York Legislators"
WSKG-PBS (Karen DeWitt)
LEGISLATIVE GAZETTE
December 2, 2018
"Limiting
Outside Income Not the Answer"
Legislative
Gazette (editorial)
December 11, 2018
"Flanagan
Says Compensation Committee 'Overstepped its Authority'
in
Limiting Outside Income"
Legislative Gazette
(James Gormley)
December 11, 2018
"Cuomo
expects challenge to limiting lawmakers' income"
Legislative Gazette (Lex Borscherdt)
CITY & STATE
December 11, 2018
"What
will a pay raise cost New York lawmakers?"
City
& State (Zach Williams)
December 21, 2018
"Most
New Yorkers live on less
than what state lawmakers consider a part-time salary"
City & State (Rebecca Lewis)
February 3, 2019
"New
York state Legislature's top outside earners"
City & State (Rebecca Lewis, Alyssa Sims, Christina
Saint-Louis
June 25, 2019
"H.
Carl McCall on 50 years in public service"
City
& State (Emma Bolton)
SYRACUSE.COM
December 6, 2018
"New
York lawmakers get first pay raise in 20 years"
Syracuse.com (AP)
December 6, 2018
"Should
NY legislators receive a pay raise? We ask our
lawmakers"
Syracuse.com (Mark Weiner)
December 7, 2018
"Albany
pay committee missed a chance to link raises to reforms"
Syracuse.com (editorial)
January 29, 2019
"NY
Sen. Bob Antonacci takes job with Syracuse law firm before
ban on outside income"
Syracuse.com (Mark
Weiner)
March 11, 2019
"Will
Barclay among NY lawmakers with most to lose by outside
income ban"
Syracuse.com (Mark Weiner)
June 10, 2019
"Judge
strikes down cap on outside income for lawmakers"
Syracuse.com
June 17, 2019
"Effort
to rein in Albany corruption foiled (again)"
Syracuse.com (editorial)
SPECTRUM NEWS
December 6, 2018
"Governor
and NY State Lawmakers Due Big Raise, Says Commission"
Spectrum News (Zack Fink-annotations)
July 11, 2019
"State
Conservative Party Plans To File Lawsuit This Month
To Protect Fusion Voting"
Spectrum News (Ryan
Whalen)
ASSOCIATED PRESS
December 6, 2018
"NY
state lawmakers getting 3-year pay raise totalling 63%"
Daily Freeman (AP) (David
Klepper)
December 14, 2018
"New
York lawmakers big pay raise subject of lawsuit"
Times-Herald Record (AP)
WALL STREET JOURNAL
November 20, 2018
"Commission
Mulls Raises for Cuomo and New York Lawmakers"
Wall Street Journal (Jimmy Vielkind)
December 14, 2018
"Lawsuit
targets state lawmakers' pay raise"
Wall Street
Journal (Jimmy Vielkind)
STATE OF POLITICS
December 14, 2018
"Kerfuffle
Over Pay Raise Continues With Lawsuit"
State of
Politics (Nick Reisman)
"Court
Strikes Down Outside Income Cap for Lawmakers"
State of Politics (Nick Reisman)
July 30, 2019
"Court
Clarifies Legislative Pay Raises: Hikes in 2020, 2021
Declared Void"
State of Policits (Nick Reisman)
GOTHAM GAZETTE
December 7, 2018
"Commission
Recommends Pay Increases and Ethics Reforms for State
Legislators"
Gotham Gazette (Ben Brachfeld)
CITY JOURNAL
December 7, 2018
"Raising
Themselves"
City Journal (James Coll)
LOCAL JOURNALISM
DAILY GAZETTE
November 26, 2018
"Legislators
still don't deserve a raise"
Daily Gazette (Sarah Foss)
December 7, 2018
"Pay
raises another NY sham"
Daily Gazette
(editorial)
December 8, 2018
"Legislative
pay raise is outrageous"
Daily Gazette (Daily
Gazette)
December 29, 2018
"Reject
pay raise, start the process over"
Daily Gazette
(editorial/Mark Mahoney)
AUBURN.PUB
November 18, 2018
"Not
so fast on NY lawmaker pay raises"
Auburnpub.com (editorial)
December 1, 2018
"Legislative
pay hike on the table"
Auburnpub.com (AP)
SYRACUSE NEW TIMES
December 5, 2018
"NY
legislatures should be banned from taking outside income"
Syracuse New Times (Luke Parsnow)
December 19, 2018
"NY
lawmakers sqwark over pay raise proposal"
Syracuse New Times (Luke Parsnow)
January 9, 2019
"Many
CNY lawmakers mum on pay raise, outside income cap,
as new session begins"
CNY Central (Luke
Parsnow)
POST-JOURNAL
(Jamestown)
November 29, 2018
"Lawmakers
Should Follow Private Sector Rules For Pay Hike"
Jamestown-Journal (editorial)
June 20, 2019
"Legislature's
Punt on Pay Raises Now Costing Taxpayers"
Post
Journal (editorial)
WHEC
November 29, 2018
"NY
Exposed: What happened in 1999? The last pay raise for NYS
legislators"
WHEC (Berkley Brean)
December 11, 2018
"In
3 weeks your state lawmaker becomes the highest paid in
America"
WHEC (Berkley Brean)
December 6, 2018
"New
York officials approves $50K pay raise for state lawmakers"
The Hill (Aris Folley)
December 7, 2018
"Ethics
reform should be price of pay raise in Albany"
Glen Falls
December 7, 2018
"State
lawmaker argues he hasn't earned pay increase"
WNYT.com
December 7, 2018
"North
County assemblyman-elect not happy with state lawmaker raise
recommendation"
North Country NOW
November 13, 2018
"Panel
will decide if state lawmakers get raises"
2WGRZ
(Claudine Ewing)
November 13, 2018
"Legislators
debate pay raise issue"
News 10 ABC (Morgan McKay)
November 13, 2018
"Put
up or shut up on cleaning up Albany"
The Island Now
(editorial)
November 19, 2018
"Panel
Weighs Big Raises for State Legislators"
The Chief (Richard Khavkine)
November 28, 2018
"Decision
looms on possible New York legislative pay raise"
WRGB
(staff)
December 3, 2018
"New
York pay-hike panel must look out for taxpayers"
AM-NY (editorial)
December 8, 2018
"Highest
legislative pay ever"
Empire Center for Public
Policy (Ken Girardin)
December 10, 2018
"Final
report on legislative raises due today"
News
Channel 13/WNYT.com
December 10, 2018
"Local
reps slam proposed Albany pay bump"
Oswego
County News Now (Seth Wallace, Justin Henry)
December 10, 2018
"New
York State lawmakers get a raise"
Binghamton.com
December 10, 2018
"State
committee releases report
Chanel 13 WNYT.com
December 10, 2018
"Twin
County Lawmakers denounce 63% raise"
Hudson
Valley 360 (Richard Moody)
December 11, 2018
"Pay
raise deal is an affront to taxpayers"
Poughkeepsie Journal (editorial)
December 12, 2018
"State
Sen. Cathy Young, Assemblyman Joseph Giglio
blast panel for recommending NYS lawmaker salary hike"
Orleans Times Herald (Rick Miller)
December 6, 2018
"Pay
raises for legislators rightly come with conditions"
AM NY (editorial)
December 13, 2018
"Will
state lawmakers challenge the pay raise recommendations"
News Channel 13 WNYT.com
December 15, 2018
"Young,
Goodell oppose pay hikes"
Observer Today (Dennis
Phillips)
December 16, 2018
"Lawsuit
filed over decision to limit outside income"
MyTwinTiers.com
December 17, 2018
"New
York State Lawmakers Set For Large Raise"
Examiner (David Propper)
December 19, 2018
interview of Scott Stringer -- Max & Murphy
December 20, 2018
"Albany
salary hike is headed to court"
Queens Chronicle
(Michael Gannon)
December 23, 2018
"A
Pay Raise for Legislators?"
Yonkers Times (Dan
Murphy)
December 26, 2018
"Stringer:
NYS Lawmakers Should Blame Themselves
for Pay Hike Tied to On Time Budget"
Jewish
Voice (Cressida Mcleur)
February 2019
"How
Lawmakers Can Raise Their Own Pay in a Less Controversial
Way"
Governing (Alan Greenblatt)
May 13, 2019
"Governor's
raise brings 'unintended consequence' with it, policy expert
says"
WVIB.com- Channel 4 (Chris Horvatits)
"Court
strikes down ban on outside income for lawmakers"
CBS-6 News (Lynzi DeLucca)
June 11, 2019
"Cuomo
Reacts to Court Ruling on Legislative Pay Raise"
NY 1 (Zack Fink)
June 15, 2019
"Let
voters decide NY legislative salaries"
Times
Herald-Record / Daily Messenger (editorial)
June 21, 2019
"New
York Lawmakers Protect Pay Raises with Taxpayer-Funded
Attorneys"
Citizens Against Gov't Waste (Blake
Leonard)
* * *
PRESS OUTREACH
* * *
MENU
Part HHH & the Compensation Committee --
Unconstitutionality & Fraud in Plain Sight
CJA's July 15, 2019
NOTICE to Gov, Lt. Gov, AG, & Legislators
& Analysis of the December 10, 2018 Report
of the Committee
on Legislative & Executive Compensation
CJA's Dispositive
Testimony -- Oral & Written --
at the Compensation
Committee's November 30, 2018 hearing
CJA's December 6, 2018 letter to
Assembly Speaker Heastie
"Demand
that You Substantiate Your November 30, 2018 Testimony
Before the New York State Compensation Committee with
EVIDENCE -- as You Furnished NONE"
1.
The Unconstitutional,
Fraudulent Enactment of Part HHH
of Revenue Budget Bill #S.7509-C/A.9509-C
2.
The "Flawed" Legislation -- Part HHH, as Written
3.
The "Flawed"
Legislation -- Part HHH -- as Applied
The Compensation Committee, in Inaction & Action
LAWSUITS CHALLENGING THE
COMPENSATION COMMITTEE
& ITS
DECEMBER 10, 2018 REPORT
The
Press: Reporting, Editorializing -- & Outreach