Keller @ Large: State auditor Diana DiZoglio accuses Legislature of "clear retaliation"
BOSTON – Massachusetts state auditor said she believes the Senate's budget proposal is "clear retaliation" after she followed through on a campaign promise to perform a rare review of the Legislature.
Auditor Diana DiZoglio announced in March that her office has launched an audit of the state Legislature, marking the first such review in a century. The Democrat, who previously served as both a state representative and senator, had pledged to review the Democrat-controlled Legislature's operations during her campaign for the auditor's office last year.
Lawmakers have spoken out against the audit.
DiZoglio spoke to WBZ-TV political analyst Jon Keller about the response from lawmakers. She said she believes the state senate's proposed cuts from her office's budget request is payback for the audit.
"It is clear retaliation by the Senate president and her leadership team in a very unfortunate attempt to coerce and control and manipulate the situation," she said. "To see the pushback from the Senate leadership team in this way is extremely unfortunate and unacceptable."
DiZoglio said lawmakers are claiming separation of powers for why they reject the audit. She called that a "bogus argument" because there have been several other instances where audits have been done.
Keller @ Large: Part 2