State Auditor Diana DiZoglio believes that Legal professional Common Andrea Campbell is a risk to democracy in Massachusetts.
Not on the size of “No Kings” President Donald Trump, after all.
However authoritarian sufficient to dam the need of the voters who, within the identify of transparency and accountability, voted overwhelmingly to authorize DiZoglio to audit the Massachusetts Legislature.
Because of Campbell, it has but to occur, regardless of the voters approving the measure in 2024 by an enormous margin of two,282,333 votes, or 72%, in favor, and 906,034 votes, or 28%, towards.
The voters spoke in such a transparent and commanding vogue that folks figured it was solely a matter of time earlier than the Democrat managed Legislature can be compelled to open its books to Auditor DiZoglio like all different state businesses do.
They figured incorrect.
Campbell’s authoritarian stand on the problem is nearly sufficient to fire up a “No Queens” rally.
No sooner did the measure go than Home Speaker Ron Mariano and Senate President Karen Spilka circled the wagons to oppose its implementation.
They argued that it was unconstitutional for the chief department of presidency, the auditor, to infringe on the separate legislative department, the Legislature, and that the Legislature audited its personal books anyway.
The subsequent step was for DiZoglio to sue the Legislature to compel it to cooperate. To take action, nevertheless, she wants the lawyer common to signify her in court docket.
However Campbell, who has bragged about submitting 40 lawsuits towards President Trump, has declined to take action, thereby siding with the Legislature and towards the voting public.
When DiZoglio proposed hiring an outdoor legislation agency to signify her in court docket, Campbell opposed that, too.
Campbell, who introduced her candidacy for reelection final week, has claimed that DiZoglio has not supplied her with sufficient info to proceed to the courts, which DiZoglio hotly denies.
“In case you can sue Trump, you’ll be able to sue the Legislature,” DiZoglio mentioned. “By not doing so, she is denying the need of the folks. It’s an obstruction of justice.”
In return for blocking DiZoglio and siding with the Legislature, the Democrat managed Legislature elevated Campbell’s funds by greater than $7 million, cash that Campbell will use — to not signify DiZoglio — however to file 40 extra lawsuits towards Trump.
DiZoglio calls this collusion, if not an outright conspiracy. “The lawyer common is getting tens of millions extra whereas different budgets are being reduce,” she mentioned.
Ordinarily, progressives can be important of Campbell for not supporting DiZoglio on the problem of transparency, accountability, and shedding gentle on the Legislature. Not so.
Campbell has been capable of overshadow any progressive criticism of her over the problem as a result of progressives are wholly impressed by her “standing up” to Trump.
“They (Trump) will carry on coming and we are going to carry on preventing,” Campbell mentioned finally Saturday’s No Kings rally on Boston Frequent.
“If they arrive for Massachusetts, I say deliver it on. We don’t again down. We’re simply getting began.”
Campbell, who voted for the audit query when it was on the poll, is now backing down and obstructing its implementation.
She should determine that Trump is behind it.
Suing Trump is straightforward. All people does it.
However she finds that taking over the Legislature is tough, even when the folks voted for it.
Veteran political reporter Peter Lucas could be reached at: peter.lucas@bostonherald.com
