Massachusetts Lawmakers Say Auditor ‘Bullying’ Them Over Audit

Cut it out!

First, the leaders of the Massachusetts Legislature resisted a voter-approved audit on constitutional grounds. Now, the two most powerful politicians in the entire Commonwealth say that State Auditor Diana DiZoglio is "bullying" them into agreeing to the audit.

No joke, man!

What 72 Percent of Massachusetts Voters Demanded

When House Speaker Ron Mariano and Senate President Karen Spilka rebuffed DiZoglio's attempts to crack the books, the Auditor went straight to the taxpayers with an initiative petition ballot question seeking their support for the audit.

It wasn't even close, as 72 percent of voters in the fall of 2024 demanded to see how their money is being spent. They are still waiting. After all, Mariano and Spilka say it's unconstitutional for DiZoglio to audit them. Besides, they have their own private auditors.

Why the Audit Is Headed to the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court

All of this has resulted in DiZoglio filing with the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court to try and force compliance with the law the voters enacted in 2024.

Spilka and Mariano Push Back

Now, Spilka claims DiZoglio is nothing more than a "headline hunter" and a bully. Mariano says DiZoglio has suggested he and Spilka might be delaying to give them time to destroy documents. "That came out of nowhere," Mariano said.

State House News Service (SHNS) reports that during a recent public interview with journalist John Keller, Mariano proclaimed, "I have nothing to hide. As a matter of fact, we do audit, we've done an audit every year."

"The audit is on the internet," Mariano said. "The issue is we don't want a political audit."

"If you see the behavior that the auditor is engaged in, again, we see smacks of bullying-type behavior," he said.

Get our free mobile app

"Everything is public," Spilka said. "I don't know what it is that she (DiZoglio) wants, except for she is a headline hunter."

Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell continues to refuse to fight for the people, and Governor Maura Healey has been largely AWOL on the whole affair.

What Comes Next: Another Ballot Question?

DiZoglio may have an ace up her sleeve as she prepares another ballot question to force compliance with public records laws.