Politics

Tensions are still running high between House Speaker Ron Mariano and State Auditor Diana DiZoglio.

Before the state House of Representatives passed a bill earlier this month that would narrow the scope of the legislative audit long sought by State Auditor Diana DiZoglio, House Speaker Ron Mariano delivered a floor speech where he advocated for the bill and criticized DiZoglio. Now Mariano is continuing to go public, defending the legislation and widening his criticism to focus more squarely on the media coverage of the audit fight. 

The legislation passed by House lawmakers amends the auditor’s authority, allowing that office to examine the Legislature’s “administrative functions,” but barring it from delving into “constitutional functions.” 

These “administrative functions” include four categories of documents: budgets of the House and Senate, outside audits, the expenditure of funds by either chamber on their operations, and monetary settlement agreements entered into by either chamber with current or former employees. The functions align with the types of documents DiZoglio is attempting to acquire through her current lawsuit against legislative leaders, although the auditor has publicly said she intends to request additional types of documents in the future. 

The bill creates a “dispute resolution process” that “avoids endless and costly litigation.” It “bars judicial review of any dispute that may arise during an audit,” according to lawmakers. 

It would place the governor’s office under existing public records law for the first time. The Legislature itself would remain exempt, except for 17 categories of information. Many of these records are already available to the public. 

DiZoglio is backing a ballot question this fall that would subject the governor’s office and the Legislature to public records law. 

In an opinion piece published in CommonWealth Beacon Saturday, Mariano made the case that the House bill notably improves transparency without running afoul of laws governing the constitutional separation of powers. 

He pointed to organizations like the ACLU of Massachusetts, which helped craft the legislation. Gavi Wolfe, that group’s legislative director, argued recently that placing the Legislature under existing public records law could lead to legal questions of enforceability that risk “infinitely delayed implementation while litigation plays out.”

Mariano decried the “misinformation” that he insists has “dominated” media coverage and online chatter about the audit issue for the past three years. 

“For some time now, there has been no better example in Massachusetts politics of the chasm that exists between what is actually true, and what the loudest voices are willing to say for their own personal gain, than the legislative audit spectacle,” Mariano wrote. 

He blamed DiZoglio for taking advantage of the media ecosystem to spread bad information and personal attacks. These “performative” actions should not be confused with genuine attempts to reform the system, Mariano argued. 

“The auditor’s comments about this issue, and the institution she seeks to audit, demonstrate that this saga has always been fueled by political ambition and personal grievances,” he wrote in the CommonWealth Beacon piece. 

Mariano said that he has received death threats over the issue, which has gained traction online among some “MAGA Republicans.”

He said that media members should mention that the House is audited every year and that “every single dollar that the Legislature spends is already publicly available on the comptroller’s website.”

“The Speaker continues to engage in public corruption and should resign, effective immediately,” DiZoglio said in a statement responding to Mariano’s CommonWealth Beacon piece. “The constant personal attacks, gaslighting and lies are intended to distract from his lawbreaking behavior.

“His unconstitutional bill, recently passed by the House of Representatives, strips the courts of their power to hold the Speaker and Legislature accountable to the People. It is imperative that the Governor stand up for the People by committing to veto the Speaker’s unconstitutional power grab.”

In a video posted online just before the House vote, DiZoglio sharply criticized the bill and said she was “deeply disturbed” by the actions of House lawmakers. 

“I don’t recognize our state Legislature right now. I don’t recognize what they are doing right now as being anything even close to what a democratic government looks like,” she said. 

“This is not a step in the right direction, this is craziness. This is what authoritarianism looks like,” DiZoglio added.