Waltham, MA – In a recent interview, Speaker Ron Mariano and Senate President Karen Spilka resorted to character attacks as their latest attempt to evade a legally mandated audit of the Legislature – an audit overwhelmingly approved by 72% of Massachusetts voters.

Leading Republican gubernatorial candidate Mike Kennealy issued the following statement in response:

“It is absolutely appalling that the two top lawmakers in Massachusetts have chosen to attack Auditor Diana DiZoglio’s character in yet another effort to avoid an audit that the voters demanded. This is not a political issue – it is a matter of basic accountability that the vast majority of our citizens support.

When I was Secretary of Housing and Economic Development, audits were routine. The Auditor’s office notified us, we opened the doors, and the work got done. It was never an impediment to getting the people’s business done.

What the Speaker and Senate President fail to acknowledge is that this is not about personalities and it does not matter who holds these offices. The people voted to give the Auditor the authority to audit the Legislature. Period. Resorting to personal attacks is nothing more than a deflection from their refusal to follow the will of the voters. The more they dodge accountability, the more it appears they have something to hide.

As elected officials, they have an obligation to respect the mandate of the people. It’s past time to stop the political games and honor the will of Massachusetts citizens.”

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