Massachusetts State Auditor Diana DiZoglio Friday accused Attorney General Andrea Campbell of overstepping the scope of her office in an effort to determine which side should win in the ongoing standoff over the auditor’s new voter-approved power to audit the state legislature.
“The law governs how we conduct audits, the Attorney General’s office does not,” DiZoglio said during an appearance on GBH’s Boston Public Radio program.
Beacon Hill Lawmakers have resisted working with DiZoglio’s request to review financial documents, despite Massachusetts voters’ nearly 72 percent approval of a November ballot question that explicitly gave the auditor the power to audit the Massachusetts Legislature.
Earlier this month, DiZoglio made a public records request to begin the auditing work. The documents she requested, “are a matter of public record in every state entity that actually follows the public records law,” she said. Yet the auditor’s office is still awaiting the documents from law makers who have so far only responded through a special subcomittee with an offer to meet.
DiZoglio had previously requested that Campbell help compel lawmakers to comply. Campbell responded by agreeing to review DiZoglio’s request in consultation with lawmakers.
On Friday, DiZoglio explicitly expressed concern that Campbell might also be undermining the auditor’s new power by mulling questions outside the AG’s purview.
“I have tremendous concerns about that process that is going on right now, because according to my team who has gone in to meet with the attorney general’s office, the attorney general’s office is continuing to ask us about our scope, why we feel we want to look at certain things, what we plan to look at in the future rather than simply acknowledging the law that exists, allowing us to follow the law and conduct audits in accordance with the law,” she said.
“I would love to see [Campbell] take that opportunity to represent us, but I am concerned that that is not what’s happening right now and that they are instead potentially building a defense for noncompliance once again that could potentially seek to find some area where excuses can be made for legislative leaders to not turn over these documents again.”
DiZoglio’s comments come less than a week after Attorney General Campbell publicly expressed hesitation at siding with the auditor on the matter.
Earlier this month, Campbell said that while she voted in favor of the 2024 legislative audit ballot question, she still believes the new law raises constitutional questions .
“I believe it’s important that the office of the Attorney General recognize the constitutional authority of the Office of State Auditor to conduct audits in accordance with government auditing standards, which are set forward by Chapter 11, Section 12 of the Massachusetts General Laws that dictate how we conduct audits,” DiZoglio said Friday, adding that Campbell’s lack of support would mean “an incredible loss for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and a missed opportunity for the attorney general to fight alongside of the people of this commonwealth.”
DiZoglio also publicly asked that Governor Maura Healey veto “any potential changes” to the audit law that state lawmakers “might try to sneak through” the legislative process. Massachusetts lawmakers are notorious for a lack of transparency in their dealings.
The Attorney General’s Office did not immediately respond to GBH News’ request for comment.
This is a developing story.
