Massachusetts Audit Blockers Seek to Tighten Grip on Power

Two people stand in the way of the enforcement of a law calling for State Auditor Diana DiZoglio to conduct an audit of the Massachusetts Legislature, which 2,282,333 (72 percent) of participating voters voted for and only 906,034 (28 percent) voted against in a ballot initiative on November 5, 2024.

Those people are Massachusetts State Senate President Karen Spilka, the 72-year-old New York-born Ashland Democrat who represents the 2nd Middlesex and Norfolk Senate District, and 79-year-old House Speaker Ronald Mariano, a Democrat from Quincy who represents the Third Norfolk District.

That's a significant power block that includes everything from north of Taunton to the New Hampshire border while encircling the Greater Boston area.

Spilka and Mariano have announced plans to seek re-election when their terms expire in 2026, and Mariano has declared he will seek another term as Speaker in January of 2027. There are no term limits for Senate President or House Speaker, so it appears Spilka and Mariano will strengthen their already tight grip on Massachusetts.

Spilka and Mariano are two of the most powerful people in the Commonwealth, and most of the state's approximately seven million residents don't get to decide if they should be re-elected or kicked to the curb. Nor do we get a say in whether Spilka and Mariano should continue to serve in their leadership roles. That's up to the membership.

No one in the Massachusetts Legislature has the guts to stand against Spilka and Mariano for fear of reprisal.

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Anyone hoping to see the State Auditor audit the Massachusetts Legislature has a better chance of seeing real journalism return to the Beacon Hill political scene. Neither is likely to happen anytime soon.

Remember, corruption is "a way of life" in Massachusetts.