Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Campbell tells GBH News she voted “yes” on Ballot Question 1, the 2024 measure that explicitly gives State Auditor Diana DiZoglio the power to audit the Massachusetts Legislature. The high-profile political battle last year resulted in a landslide victory for the auditor’s pitch, which she cast as a way to increase transparency and open the books in the State House.
“Did you vote for it?” host Jim Braude asked Campbell during her monthly appearance on Boston Public Radio Tuesday.
Campbell paused, said, “Yes, I did,” and laughed.
Following its approval by voters, top lawmakers on Beacon Hill have questioned their obligation to comply.
DiZoglio has responded, among other things, by calling on Campbell to represent her office in its standoff with the Legislature — a request she also made prior to Ballot Question 1’s passage last November.
However, Campbell made it clear Tuesday that she still believes the new law raises constitutional questions — an argument cited by House and Senate leaders who question DiZoglio’s authority — and that her office is currently determining how to proceed.
“[DiZoglio] has sent us a letter. We are reviewing that,” Campbell said. “And at the same time, we have to have conversations with the Legislature to figure out, well, what is it they want to send [to DiZoglio for her proposed audit].
”Why I say that is because we have a process to determine when we represent an agency,“ Campbell added. ”We do the same for the governor or anybody else. Sometimes we say yes, sometimes we say no.”
Campbell did not say when her office would determine whether to represent DiZoglio, but made it clear that she sees herself as supporter of the auditor’s push for more transparency on Beacon Hill.
”[I] fully support the values statement in what the auditor’s saying,“ Campbell said. ”We need a Legislature that is more transparent, more open, all the things she’s described. Absolutely agree.“
Campbell also did not explain why she personally backed Ballot Question 1 given her uncertainty about about whether it passes constitutional muster.
If Campbell chooses not to represent DiZoglio in her showdown with House and Senate leaders, several outside groups ranging across the political spectrum have signaled that they could intervene legally on DiZoglio’s behalf.
