Massachusetts auditor takes transparency fight to high court after alleged $12M fraud uncovered

A Democratic state auditor is taking Massachusetts legislative leaders, including members of her own party, to court after uncovering nearly $12 million in alleged fraud in public assistance programs, seeking to enforce a voter-approved audit law.

"What are they hiding? If there's nothing to hide, open up the doors, let the sun shine in. Let's do this audit," Massachusetts State Auditor Diana DiZoglio said on "Saturday in America."

DiZoglio, a Democrat and former member of both the Massachusetts House and Senate, is filing a complaint with the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court to enforce a 2024 ballot measure that authorized her office to audit the legislature. The measure passed with 72% support.

The legal action follows a report from the Massachusetts State Auditor's Office identifying nearly $12 million in alleged fraud in fiscal year 2025 alone across several public assistance programs.

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DiZoglio notified legislative leaders earlier this year of her intent to conduct a performance audit but said House and Senate leaders refused to provide the necessary documents. She added that the state attorney general declined to intervene.

"This is something that 72% of voters came out to support, crossing party lines," she said. 

"You had progressive Democrats joining together with conservative Republicans. And essentially saying that they want this audit to get done."

According to the auditor, Massachusetts is the only state in the nation where the legislature, governor's office and court system exempt themselves from the state's public records law. 

She argues the newly approved audit authority would bring long-sought transparency to taxpayer-funded records, including financial receipts and state contracts.

"This is about transparency and accountability," DiZoglio added.

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"This is not about whether you support the right or the left. This is coming together and getting access to documents that should be a matter of public record."

DiZoglio emphasized that rooting out fraud is essential to protecting public assistance programs for those who genuinely need them. She shared her own background, saying she was born to a 17-year-old single mother who relied on programs such as WIC before becoming a nurse and getting back on her feet.

"A lot of people rely on these programs," she said. "But folks who are committing fraud need to be held accountable. We need to root out that waste, fraud and abuse so that these systems are working as they should and people truly in need get these services."

Fox News Digital reached out to the Massachusetts attorney general's office for comment but did not immediately receive a response.

However, according to GBH News, the attorney general claims DiZoglio lacks the authority to file the lawsuit.

"This is another ploy to sidestep the required approval of my office and will bring her no closer to auditing the Legislature," she said in a statement, per the outlet. 

"This filing is not about enforcing the law. In order to enforce the law, she would answer my office's straightforward questions, including how privileges given to the Legislature in our state constitution nearly 250 years ago impact her authority to audit the Legislature."

DiZoglio said she hopes the state's highest court will ultimately side with voters.

"The Constitution is there to protect the people, not the politicians," she said.