No one in reminiscence has shaken up the State House—and its leaders– the way in which Diana DiZoglio, the fiery new state auditor has carried out in only one week.
The public loves it and DiZoglio is aware of it.
From Gov. Maura Healey, Attorney General Andrea Campbell all the way down to House Speaker Ron Mariano and Senate President Karen Spilka, DiZoglio has overtly declared that there’s a new sheriff on Beacon Hill and that she means enterprise.
And whereas some might imagine that the newly elected DiZoglio, as soon as a member of the House and the Senate herself, is exceeding her authority, that has not hampered DiZoglio from performing aggressively within the title of woke watchwords together with “transparency, accountability and equity.”
The state auditor is charged with auditing all state departments and companies. DiZoglio has both given the sleepy workplace new life, or is making a Frankenstein monster.
DiZoglio was elected auditor in 2022 alongside with fellow ladies candidates Healey, Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll and Attorney General Andrea Campbell, all Democrats.
Unlike the others, although, DiZoglio has a turbulent State House historical past as a member of the House and Senate the place she ceaselessly clashed with then House Speaker Robert DeLeo over nondisclosure agreements on intercourse instances, and later with Senate President Spilka, who stripped her of her committee chairmanships.
Now DiZoglio is on the march, getting down to do what no auditor has ever carried out and that’s tackle the governor, the lawyer common and the Legislature on the similar time.
Hell hath no fury like an auditor scorned.
While Gov. Healey was in the midst of discovering somebody to run the ailing MBTA, DiZoglio started her investigations into state entities with a shock announcement that her workplace would conduct a “performance audit” of the transit company.
Since the audit of the already a lot investigated MBTA was being carried out within the title of “transparency and accountability,” who might argue?
No sooner did the Boston Globe run a bit on Sunday, March 5, about allegations of racial discrimination on the Massachusetts Convention Center, then DiZoglio on the subsequent day launched an audit of the authority that runs the conference heart.
“I’m deeply concerned that the issues raised by the Boston Globe which point to diversity, equity and inclusion challenges,” she advised the paper.
In launching her probe, DiZoglio blindsided Attorney General Campbell whose workplace had obtained the preliminary letter complaining about discrimination towards black staff.
Ordinarily such a probe could be launched by the lawyer common, not the state auditor. But earlier than Campbell who, like DiZoglio, is new to the job, might react, DiZoglio struck first and scored the headlines.
Playing catchup, Campbell’s workplace introduced that its Civil Rights Division was reviewing the complaints “before determining the best path forward.” It was too little too late.
The subsequent day DiZoglio introduced she would conduct a wide-ranging audit of the Legislature, the place she as soon as served. She stated the Legislature had not been audited since 1922, 100 years in the past.
The auditor again then was Alonzo B. Cook, who couldn’t be reached for remark.
DiZoglio once more stated her audit would hopefully ‘enhance transparency, accountability and fairness” within the Legislature.
DiZoglio goes to deliver a lot transparency to the State House that vacationers will want sun shades or danger going blind.
DiZoglio stated, “Historically, the Legislature has been a closed-door operation, where committee votes have been hidden from the general public, and legislation has been voted on in the dark of night.”
That DiZoglio doesn’t have the authority to audit the Legislature, which creates its personal guidelines, doesn’t appear to matter. Nor does it matter that she is taking over all the Beacon Hill political institution. That is as a result of it’s all within the title of transparency, accountability and fairness. So how can anybody be upset?
DiZoglio is a free cannon careening by means of the halls of the State House. Nobody has ever seen something prefer it. And there aren’t any guidelines for free cannons.
You simply don’t mess with an auditor scorned.
Peter Lucas is a veteran Massachusetts political reporter and columnist.
Source: www.bostonherald.com”
