Mass. state auditor Diana DiZoglio accuses AG Andrea Campbell of trying to ‘scapegoat' her, ratcheting up dispute

Boston Globe

04-03-2025

DiZoglio's move to respond through a public letter is, on its face, an extraordinary step, openly pitting two statewide officials — elected together on the
In a
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'It's not difficult but it does require that leaders actually speak to one another without immediately assuming the worst so we can get the required work done,' she wrote.
Campbell's office did not immediately respond to a request for comment Tuesday.
The Democrats' dispute erupted late last month when DiZoglio, responding to requests from several communities, issued an opinion determining that the four-year-old MBTA Communities Act 'does not provide a funding mechanism for compliance with its provisions.'
The letter effectively provided a new pathway for municipalities to challenge the law in court, and prompted the director of the Metropolitan Area Planning Council to accuse DiZoglio of 'throwing a wrench' into the state's attempts to spur more housing.
Campbell, who
DiZoglio responded Tuesday, writing in a three-page letter that she also addressed to Governor Maura Healey that she felt the need to address 'significant misunderstandings' about her office's decision.
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She wrote that 'attempts to scapegoat my office, by the Attorney General and others, for issues that have arisen due to the inadequate vetting of well-intentioned legislation' were 'grossly out of line and incredibly disingenuous.' She also accused Campbell and others, without naming them, of 'mischaracterizing' her office's opinion as stepping beyond
its mandated duties.
'I find it hugely disappointing that any colleague of mine would politically weaponize my office's fulfillment of its legally required duties,' DiZoglio added.
The letter comes on the heels of weeks of public sparring between DiZoglio and Campbell over an entirely different issue: DiZoglio's attempts to audit the Legislature.
Voters in November overwhelmingly approved a ballot question giving DiZoglio the authority to probe the Massachusetts House and Senate. DiZoglio told lawmakers in January that she
Lawmakers, however, have put up an early resistance, arguing that DiZoglio's audit attempts could violate the constitutional separation of powers between the branches. Legislators and DiZoglio's office for months have sparred in dueling letters, a
DiZoglio has openly accused lawmakers of
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Like DiZoglio and lawmakers, the attorney general and the auditor
have also traded heated remarks in the press. After a Campbell spokesperson issued a statement Monday rapping DiZoglio for needing a 'constant reminder' about the process it uses to bring litigation, DiZoglio
'Sending your staffer out to patronize and reprimand a constitutional officer and colleague of yours is cowardly,' she said.
DiZoglio said in a radio appearance last week that she was even considering filing a so-called
DiZoglio's office suggested Tuesday it might not actually take that step, saying in a statement that officials there have discussed 'some of the procedural hurdles' it could face should the auditor file the civil action directly. Andrew Carden, a DiZoglio spokesperson, described a type of catch-22: In order to file a lawsuit seeking to compel Campbell to act, DiZoglio would have to file it without the attorney general's office — who by law, represents the state in all court matters.
Carden said DiZoglio is instead speaking with others 'who have expressed interest in working with the Auditor to help file mandamus actions.'
Outside groups, such as the right-leaning Massachusetts Fiscal Alliance, have already
'We're always looking to sue the state,' Paul Craney, the group's executive director, said in December.
That may ultimately mean targeting Campbell's office itself. In her appearance on GBH's 'Boston Public Radio,' DiZoglio offered thinly veiled criticisms of Campbell and Healey, both of whom have said they voted for the ballot question giving DiZoglio authority to audit legislators. DiZoglio actively put the initiative on the ballot, including collecting signatures and donating more than $100,000 from her campaign account to the effort.
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'You know, it would have been nice to have received any sort of semblance of support during the election cycle. We didn't receive it from either actually,' DiZoglio said.
DiZoglio said she still works with both on other issues, and that despite 'disagreements,' it doesn't mean they're not collaborating.
That said, DiZoglio also indicated she feels she's waging her fight for a legislative audit without much help from other elected officials.
'This is a lonely place on Beacon Hill right now,' she said.
Matt Stout can be reached at