WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.560 --> 00:00:06.440 It's Night Side with Dan Ray. I'm WBSY Constans Radio with. 2 00:00:06.519 --> 00:00:10.000 Us is the State Auditor of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. 3 00:00:10.000 --> 00:00:14.119 Diana do is Auglio, Diana, Madam Auditor. I should say, 4 00:00:14.119 --> 00:00:14.919 how are you tonight? 5 00:00:16.079 --> 00:00:19.480 Oh? Great, Dad, thanks for having me. I'm up a 6 00:00:19.480 --> 00:00:22.839 little past my bedtime, but I am here. I wouldn't 7 00:00:22.879 --> 00:00:25.000 miss an opportunity to be on Nightside. 8 00:00:25.120 --> 00:00:28.440 Well, I appreciate it. You you have had a very 9 00:00:28.480 --> 00:00:32.079 interesting career, not You started off as an as an 10 00:00:32.079 --> 00:00:35.799 intern or as an aide at the State House of Representatives. 11 00:00:35.799 --> 00:00:38.520 Then you were elected to the House of Representatives and 12 00:00:39.439 --> 00:00:42.119 you served I think it was was it four terms 13 00:00:42.119 --> 00:00:44.399 there if I'm if I'm correct. 14 00:00:44.079 --> 00:00:48.119 Or wrong, I sixth year of the State Representatives and 15 00:00:48.240 --> 00:00:50.640 then went on to the Senate for four years there 16 00:00:51.560 --> 00:00:55.399 until I was most recently elected to be your state auditor. 17 00:00:55.679 --> 00:00:59.520 And it's been a really humbling, incredible experience, and. 18 00:00:59.560 --> 00:01:04.439 You very independent minded member of the legislature. And I 19 00:01:04.480 --> 00:01:07.400 think it's probably fair to say that some in the 20 00:01:07.480 --> 00:01:13.159 legislative leadership probably looked at you as a bit of 21 00:01:13.159 --> 00:01:16.560 a rebel or am I overstating it? 22 00:01:18.200 --> 00:01:23.040 Yeah? I think that that's actually pretty accurate some from 23 00:01:23.120 --> 00:01:27.319 the Merrimack Valley. I am Masullen born and raised were 24 00:01:27.400 --> 00:01:29.840 up on the New Hampshire border, and you know, I 25 00:01:29.879 --> 00:01:32.079 spent several years during my childhood in the city of 26 00:01:32.159 --> 00:01:35.760 Lawrence as well. Moved around quite a bit during my childhood. 27 00:01:35.799 --> 00:01:38.959 I was raised by a young mother. She was only 28 00:01:39.000 --> 00:01:42.799 seventeen when she had me, and I grew up housing 29 00:01:42.840 --> 00:01:45.040 insecure and we moved around quite a bit depending on 30 00:01:45.079 --> 00:01:47.480 where my mom could find work as a young nurse's 31 00:01:47.599 --> 00:01:50.879 aide at the time. And you know, I graduated from 32 00:01:50.920 --> 00:01:53.879 the public school system here and ended up going off 33 00:01:53.959 --> 00:01:57.840 to Community College, which was an associates degree that I 34 00:01:57.959 --> 00:02:00.840 was able to afford thanks to our state investments and 35 00:02:00.920 --> 00:02:04.439 families like mine. From there, I earned a scholarship to 36 00:02:04.560 --> 00:02:08.840 Wellesley College, ended up getting my degree from Wellesley, and look, 37 00:02:08.960 --> 00:02:12.840 knowing that others had invested in me and given me 38 00:02:12.919 --> 00:02:16.919 the opportunity to succeed someone coming from my background, I 39 00:02:16.960 --> 00:02:22.639 really felt and still do feel a strong calling to 40 00:02:22.680 --> 00:02:25.719 serve in whatever way I'm able to to make sure 41 00:02:25.759 --> 00:02:28.919 that I am working hard to ensure that those opportunities 42 00:02:28.919 --> 00:02:32.280 are provided to others in our communities. And at that 43 00:02:32.400 --> 00:02:36.280 age when I just graduated from college. Since I couldn't 44 00:02:36.280 --> 00:02:41.080 do those types of investments financially, I ended up serving 45 00:02:41.120 --> 00:02:43.360 in a lot of different community service programs. I worked 46 00:02:43.360 --> 00:02:47.759 at youth centers, community centers, nonprofits, you name it. While 47 00:02:47.800 --> 00:02:51.159 I was simultaneously waitressing and cleaning houses to make ends 48 00:02:51.199 --> 00:02:55.360 meet financially speaking, and I got a job offer working 49 00:02:55.360 --> 00:02:59.240 at the State House in Boston. Full transparency, I had 50 00:02:59.280 --> 00:03:03.319 no idea what a state representative did. I did not 51 00:03:03.680 --> 00:03:07.199 generally use legislature as part of my vocabulary. Didn't really 52 00:03:07.240 --> 00:03:10.080 know what the legislature was or what it did. But 53 00:03:10.159 --> 00:03:14.360 I got the job as a community activist. There was 54 00:03:14.400 --> 00:03:16.639 a state rep who needed somebody who came from the community. 55 00:03:17.039 --> 00:03:19.800 I had strong roots in the community. Obviously. I ended 56 00:03:19.840 --> 00:03:21.599 up going to work at the State House learning about 57 00:03:21.639 --> 00:03:25.400 all the great things that state government can do to 58 00:03:25.560 --> 00:03:30.960 invest in our communities and to serve everyday people. And 59 00:03:31.039 --> 00:03:34.000 I also, during that very short amount of time working 60 00:03:34.039 --> 00:03:35.960 at the State House in Boston, learned about the flip 61 00:03:36.000 --> 00:03:39.639 side of how state government can also operate when there 62 00:03:39.759 --> 00:03:43.800 is no accountability. I was sexually harassed while I was 63 00:03:43.840 --> 00:03:48.199 working as a legislative aid. I was in my twenties, 64 00:03:48.280 --> 00:03:51.960 at the time fort jow out of college, and the 65 00:03:51.960 --> 00:03:54.319 way that they thought it was appropriate Dan to deal 66 00:03:54.400 --> 00:03:58.159 with that harassment was to fire me and then require 67 00:03:58.680 --> 00:04:01.400 that just to get myself next week severance package. Not 68 00:04:01.560 --> 00:04:04.400 for some big settlement or anything like that, but just 69 00:04:04.400 --> 00:04:06.199 to get my six week severance package. On my way 70 00:04:06.240 --> 00:04:08.479 out the door, that I signed away my right to 71 00:04:08.599 --> 00:04:11.639 talk about what happened among some of the most powerful 72 00:04:11.680 --> 00:04:15.479 politicians in Massachusetts at our own Statehouse. And I didn't 73 00:04:15.520 --> 00:04:17.120 let them get rid of me keep me quiet. I 74 00:04:17.120 --> 00:04:18.920 didn't leave state government like they told me to do. 75 00:04:19.079 --> 00:04:22.720 Instead ran for state representative and a little over a 76 00:04:22.839 --> 00:04:26.600 year later made my way back into that same chamber 77 00:04:26.879 --> 00:04:29.439 that fired me as the youngest woman serving in the 78 00:04:29.439 --> 00:04:32.759 House of Representatives at that time. And since then, Dan, 79 00:04:32.879 --> 00:04:34.600 I've been fighting like hell to make sure that we 80 00:04:34.639 --> 00:04:39.839 have a more transparent, accountable, equitable, and accessible state legislature 81 00:04:40.000 --> 00:04:44.040 and overall state government that serves working families across our 82 00:04:44.079 --> 00:04:46.959 state who all too often fight hard to receive at 83 00:04:46.959 --> 00:04:50.639 the table, but unfortunately continue to find themselves disenfranchised or 84 00:04:50.680 --> 00:04:55.040 isolated from the broken system that currently exists here in Massachusetts. 85 00:04:55.279 --> 00:04:58.319 I do that a couple of parts of that store. 86 00:04:58.560 --> 00:05:00.399 There's a couple of parts of your story that I 87 00:05:00.399 --> 00:05:06.040 think are incredible. Amazing to go from a community college 88 00:05:06.600 --> 00:05:12.519 to Wellesley College is amazing. Someone there must have seen 89 00:05:12.759 --> 00:05:14.000 in you a spark. 90 00:05:14.959 --> 00:05:18.600 And then one of my professors, you're right, Yes, her 91 00:05:18.680 --> 00:05:22.279 name was Ann millerk and a wonderful, wonderful human and 92 00:05:22.360 --> 00:05:25.480 she did and she invested in me, and I'll forever 93 00:05:25.639 --> 00:05:28.759 be grateful to her for seeing potential in me that 94 00:05:28.800 --> 00:05:29.839 I couldn't see in myself. 95 00:05:30.199 --> 00:05:35.439 Sure, and then to deal with what you dealt with 96 00:05:35.600 --> 00:05:38.879 at the State House as an aide. One of the 97 00:05:38.920 --> 00:05:41.560 things we're going to talk about tonight are the need 98 00:05:41.600 --> 00:05:45.480 to eliminate what's called non disclosure agreements, which I think 99 00:05:45.560 --> 00:05:47.879 is what you were referring to. But then to come 100 00:05:47.920 --> 00:05:52.199 back a year later as an elected member of the 101 00:05:52.920 --> 00:05:55.920 great in General Court as they call it, you really 102 00:05:56.000 --> 00:06:01.240 knew how the system worked, in how the system should work, 103 00:06:01.319 --> 00:06:06.079 and all of that. So I think that's a great 104 00:06:06.120 --> 00:06:09.839 way to reintroduce yourself to the audience. But I want 105 00:06:09.879 --> 00:06:14.600 to talk about Boston Convention Center, the audit that you 106 00:06:14.680 --> 00:06:18.000 folks have just completed and disclosed. I want to talk 107 00:06:18.040 --> 00:06:21.000 about non disclosure agreements. And I also want to talk 108 00:06:21.000 --> 00:06:25.079 about ballot question number one, because one of the things 109 00:06:25.120 --> 00:06:27.720 that you want to do as state auditor is to 110 00:06:27.759 --> 00:06:31.639 audit the state legislature, and surprise, surprise, the leadership of 111 00:06:31.680 --> 00:06:36.480 the state Legislature wants no part of that. So we'll 112 00:06:36.480 --> 00:06:40.879 take questions and for I think of all the statewide 113 00:06:40.920 --> 00:06:45.079 office holders, and obviously there are six of you constitutional 114 00:06:45.079 --> 00:06:49.519 office holders, you were one that is taking a position 115 00:06:49.639 --> 00:06:55.600 that very few people understand, and you're explaining it and 116 00:06:55.680 --> 00:06:57.839 you're doing something with it. So we've got to take 117 00:06:57.839 --> 00:07:00.920 a quick break. We'll get the phone calls, but first 118 00:07:00.959 --> 00:07:02.720 I want to get to all of those issues. And 119 00:07:02.759 --> 00:07:05.079 I also want to talk about that ballot question, because 120 00:07:05.079 --> 00:07:08.720 that's one that needs to pass. Its ballot question number one, 121 00:07:08.879 --> 00:07:11.399 and I know that you're very much behind it as well. 122 00:07:11.879 --> 00:07:14.639 My guest is the State Order of the Carmwalth of Massachusetts, 123 00:07:14.879 --> 00:07:19.839 Diane Dezaglio. An incredible story but also an attitude of 124 00:07:19.879 --> 00:07:22.120 which we need more at the State House. In my 125 00:07:22.199 --> 00:07:24.600 humble opinion, if you'd like to get on the line 126 00:07:24.639 --> 00:07:26.759 six one, seven, two, five four to ten thirty six 127 00:07:26.839 --> 00:07:29.959 one seven, nine, three one ten thirty, the state orner 128 00:07:30.000 --> 00:07:33.279 is a Democrat, a former state representative, form of state 129 00:07:33.360 --> 00:07:37.240 center and now one of the six constitutional offices. So 130 00:07:37.319 --> 00:07:40.519 we officers here in the Cormwalth of Massachusetts, and we'll 131 00:07:40.560 --> 00:07:45.360 start off with the Boston Convention Center audit, which has 132 00:07:45.519 --> 00:07:48.959 just been completed and will explain its relevance. Back on 133 00:07:49.079 --> 00:07:51.600 Night Side right after this with the State Order and 134 00:07:51.680 --> 00:07:52.639 Diane at Desauglio. 135 00:07:53.480 --> 00:07:56.680 Now back to Dan Ray live from the Window World 136 00:07:56.759 --> 00:07:59.879 night Side Studios on WBZ News Radio. 137 00:08:00.800 --> 00:08:05.439 My guess the State Auditor Diana Dezaglio. Look, let's start 138 00:08:05.480 --> 00:08:11.439 with the Massachusetts Convention Center Authority, which for many years 139 00:08:12.240 --> 00:08:16.639 was considered a dumping ground for political patronage. You did 140 00:08:16.639 --> 00:08:20.920 an audit which covered two years twenty twenty one, twenty 141 00:08:21.000 --> 00:08:24.199 twenty two, and you found some problems. Let's talk about it. 142 00:08:24.279 --> 00:08:27.000 What should the public know about this? 143 00:08:28.120 --> 00:08:31.319 Yeah, So all our office audits every state entity at 144 00:08:31.360 --> 00:08:33.320 least once every three years, or we do our us 145 00:08:33.320 --> 00:08:36.000 to do so, as we were required to by law. 146 00:08:36.240 --> 00:08:41.240 And the Convention Center was up for their audits. And 147 00:08:41.720 --> 00:08:46.080 this is actually following multiple reports and the Boston Globe 148 00:08:46.080 --> 00:08:49.759 reported on this, amongst other news outlets, that there were 149 00:08:50.320 --> 00:08:58.679 allegations racial discrimination issues amongst other challenges regarding state contracting, prosurement, 150 00:09:00.080 --> 00:09:03.960 going out to bid using our state tax dollars. So 151 00:09:04.159 --> 00:09:09.480 our office looked into the convention center challenges, uh, following 152 00:09:09.559 --> 00:09:13.840 those reports and following the many uh, you know, complaints 153 00:09:13.879 --> 00:09:17.080 and just concerns that were that were raised to our office, 154 00:09:17.600 --> 00:09:22.039 and we recently released the results of that audit report, 155 00:09:22.240 --> 00:09:25.559 and we found some pretty disturbing things. And we found 156 00:09:25.679 --> 00:09:31.200 that the Mathadiss Convention Center actually really needed to augment 157 00:09:31.240 --> 00:09:35.679 their human resources practices, that employee complaints were not being 158 00:09:35.759 --> 00:09:42.039 handled accurately, UH, that uh, distribution regarding security plans was 159 00:09:42.120 --> 00:09:44.960 not being handled equitably with clients. 160 00:09:45.480 --> 00:09:45.559 UH. 161 00:09:45.600 --> 00:09:48.919 But we also found more disturbing things alongside of that, 162 00:09:49.080 --> 00:09:51.039 you know, that that you know, we we had gotten 163 00:09:51.039 --> 00:09:54.799 complaints about in alignment with those things, I should say, uh, 164 00:09:54.919 --> 00:10:02.240 pertaining to the abuse of state taxpayer dollars. Alongside of 165 00:10:02.440 --> 00:10:06.480 the audit findings concerning you know, violations of their own 166 00:10:06.519 --> 00:10:09.759 processes and procedures, we actually found that the Convention Center 167 00:10:09.759 --> 00:10:15.600 authority was unlawfully executing some of their state contracts and 168 00:10:15.879 --> 00:10:20.480 entering into procurement and you know, going out to bid 169 00:10:20.559 --> 00:10:24.919 without actually documenting some of those original bids, which is 170 00:10:24.960 --> 00:10:28.080 required by our public records law, and you know, you 171 00:10:28.120 --> 00:10:30.399 need to make sure that when you're sending out these 172 00:10:30.440 --> 00:10:32.799 bids that you're actually documenting that process to make sure 173 00:10:32.799 --> 00:10:37.559 that it was done ethically, morally, and legally. And we 174 00:10:37.639 --> 00:10:42.720 found a significant lack of documentation suggesting destruction of public records, 175 00:10:43.039 --> 00:10:45.960 which is very concerning. We've referred those matters to the 176 00:10:46.039 --> 00:10:51.399 Secretary of State's office and we found significant challenges and 177 00:10:52.360 --> 00:10:55.240 you know, potential violations of the law that we've actually 178 00:10:55.240 --> 00:10:59.120 referred to the Attorney General's office regarding how state contracts 179 00:10:59.120 --> 00:11:04.879 were being execut suited in violation of the Convention Center's 180 00:11:04.919 --> 00:11:10.159 own policies and procedures, and some that were done unlawfully. 181 00:11:10.840 --> 00:11:14.519 So we let the Convention Center know about these things. 182 00:11:14.559 --> 00:11:17.559 They said that they are going to take action to 183 00:11:17.600 --> 00:11:21.399 address these concerns. They agreed with us on a majority 184 00:11:21.480 --> 00:11:23.600 of the issues that we raised them. I do have 185 00:11:23.639 --> 00:11:28.080 to say this was all done under previous leadership, and 186 00:11:28.360 --> 00:11:32.720 the new interim executive director was incredibly cooperative with our 187 00:11:32.759 --> 00:11:37.799 audit team, very responsive, and has already begun to take 188 00:11:37.879 --> 00:11:44.000 actions on the issues raised. There was also one more thing, just. 189 00:11:44.279 --> 00:11:46.759 To give her the credit is Gloria Larson. 190 00:11:47.600 --> 00:11:52.440 Gloria, Yes, yes, she's. 191 00:11:50.799 --> 00:11:54.039 Working with you. The prior executive director who ran into 192 00:11:54.879 --> 00:11:58.240 some choppy waters, let's put it like that, was David Gibbons. 193 00:11:58.480 --> 00:12:04.600 He's no longer there, Yes, So Gloria Larson was incredibly 194 00:12:05.759 --> 00:12:09.000 you know, helpful to our audit team in ensuring that 195 00:12:09.039 --> 00:12:12.639 we got the documents that we were requesting and that 196 00:12:13.399 --> 00:12:16.120 the audit process went smoothly. That's not always the case 197 00:12:16.159 --> 00:12:20.000 in every agency. Audits aren't that easy for some folks 198 00:12:20.039 --> 00:12:23.919 to participate in. But this process went smoothly thanks to 199 00:12:23.919 --> 00:12:26.600 the new and Derman executive director. So you know, our 200 00:12:26.679 --> 00:12:29.679 audit team was thankful for that. But one of the 201 00:12:29.759 --> 00:12:31.759 other things that we did find Dan that I didn't 202 00:12:31.759 --> 00:12:34.720 get to mention, was we actually found that and this 203 00:12:34.759 --> 00:12:36.519 is something very near and dear to me. As I 204 00:12:36.519 --> 00:12:40.440 already mentioned, I talked about an NDA that was executed 205 00:12:40.519 --> 00:12:43.600 years ago, over ten years ago, when I was a 206 00:12:43.639 --> 00:12:46.000 younger woman in my twenties. That that was over ten 207 00:12:46.080 --> 00:12:49.080 years ago. That was for a six week severance package, 208 00:12:49.120 --> 00:12:52.120 and it was to cover sexual harassment occurring at the 209 00:12:52.120 --> 00:12:56.840 state House. What I uncovered in this most recent audit 210 00:12:57.000 --> 00:13:00.960 of the Massachusetts Convention Center Authority alongside my audit team 211 00:13:01.639 --> 00:13:08.240 was the unlawful execution of a taxpayer funded, one point 212 00:13:08.279 --> 00:13:14.759 two million dollar taxpayer funded non disclosure agreement that concealed 213 00:13:15.559 --> 00:13:22.720 allegations of racial discrimination and retaliation at our Convention Center authority. 214 00:13:23.279 --> 00:13:26.879 So we went from over ten years ago a six 215 00:13:26.919 --> 00:13:31.240 week severance package sexual harassment at the state House, in 216 00:13:31.360 --> 00:13:35.320 action occurring for the last ten plus years, even though 217 00:13:35.399 --> 00:13:39.480 this issue was repeatedly raised to the legislature, repeatedly raised 218 00:13:39.840 --> 00:13:43.200 to the previous administration, and now we're in a situation 219 00:13:43.320 --> 00:13:47.840 in twenty twenty four where we now have a one 220 00:13:47.879 --> 00:13:51.679 point two million dollar taxpayer funded non disclosure agreement concealing 221 00:13:52.000 --> 00:13:57.000 allegations of racial discrimination and retaliation. That is unacceptable. We 222 00:13:57.039 --> 00:14:03.240 are going backwards in on this issue regarding transparency, accountability, 223 00:14:03.279 --> 00:14:06.840 and also abuse of our taxpayer dollars and the silence 224 00:14:06.879 --> 00:14:11.679 saying of potential victims of harassment, discrimination, abuse, or anybody 225 00:14:11.679 --> 00:14:16.840 who may have seen something that is an illegal activity 226 00:14:16.840 --> 00:14:20.120 in a state entity. We need to take action. It 227 00:14:20.200 --> 00:14:23.879 is absolutely unacceptable that we continue to allow year after 228 00:14:23.919 --> 00:14:27.639 a year with no action being taken on this issue. 229 00:14:28.000 --> 00:14:28.600 The abuse of. 230 00:14:28.600 --> 00:14:32.919 Our tax dollars to silence people about inappropriate and even 231 00:14:32.960 --> 00:14:34.039 illegal activities. 232 00:14:34.480 --> 00:14:39.720 So these so these NDAs in which taxpayers, taxpayer money 233 00:14:39.799 --> 00:14:46.679 is used to silence victims, to cover up the activities 234 00:14:46.759 --> 00:14:50.720 of state officials, taxpayer money is used. You want, as 235 00:14:50.759 --> 00:14:54.720 I understand that Governor Healey by executive order to outlaw 236 00:14:54.759 --> 00:14:57.120 the use of NDAs, is that within Is that within 237 00:14:57.200 --> 00:14:58.519 her scope of authority? 238 00:14:59.759 --> 00:15:04.039 Yes it is. And I actually had never thought about 239 00:15:04.039 --> 00:15:09.679 it from that perspective before. But recently I was called 240 00:15:09.679 --> 00:15:12.960 and told through my office that I was going to 241 00:15:12.960 --> 00:15:17.399 be acting governor for short since on Tuesday when everybody 242 00:15:17.519 --> 00:15:23.440 was gone at the convention. And subsequently had looked into, 243 00:15:23.639 --> 00:15:27.600 you know, some of the good things one would be 244 00:15:27.639 --> 00:15:31.519 able to do in the position of acting governor. That 245 00:15:31.600 --> 00:15:35.360 could you know, bring bring some attention to an issue 246 00:15:35.360 --> 00:15:38.159 of importance and do some good you know, and and 247 00:15:38.200 --> 00:15:41.720 we'll say, get into some good trouble. Right. So I 248 00:15:42.120 --> 00:15:45.840 looked into some of the you know options, and you know, 249 00:15:45.879 --> 00:15:48.279 I had folks calling saying, you know, you need to 250 00:15:48.320 --> 00:15:50.480 sign an executive order to do this or do this 251 00:15:50.600 --> 00:15:53.879 or do that. I said, you know, all the respects, 252 00:15:54.120 --> 00:15:58.000 thank you. You know, an administration could just as easily 253 00:15:58.080 --> 00:16:01.240 rescind an executive order. It's this second big at home 254 00:16:02.200 --> 00:16:04.240 as quickly as it was signed. Right, And that's not 255 00:16:04.360 --> 00:16:07.279 that's not a way to make meaningful progress. 256 00:16:07.360 --> 00:16:07.519 Right. 257 00:16:07.519 --> 00:16:11.039 We have an elected governor, we have an elected lieutenant governor. 258 00:16:11.679 --> 00:16:16.200 But I did have the opportunity to think about, you know, 259 00:16:16.440 --> 00:16:20.480 from an acting governor's perspective. So I thought, you know, 260 00:16:20.559 --> 00:16:23.799 what I could raise awareness about and highlight that was 261 00:16:23.840 --> 00:16:26.039 important to me, important to the causes that I've worked on, 262 00:16:26.080 --> 00:16:29.279 and important to the communities that I've represented, not just 263 00:16:29.399 --> 00:16:31.639 now but through the years that I've been working up 264 00:16:31.639 --> 00:16:34.200 at the State House. And you know, we had just 265 00:16:34.480 --> 00:16:37.519 been working on that audit of the Convention Center authority. 266 00:16:37.559 --> 00:16:40.639 This issue was fresh on my mind while I was 267 00:16:40.679 --> 00:16:44.480 getting asked what I was planning to highlight, and I 268 00:16:44.600 --> 00:16:49.799 ended up, you know, looking into the option of drafting 269 00:16:49.840 --> 00:16:53.159 an executive order and if that would you know, potentially 270 00:16:53.240 --> 00:16:56.320 resolve some of these challenges in our state agencies. And 271 00:16:56.440 --> 00:17:00.519 I found that it is possible to do that iministration 272 00:17:00.720 --> 00:17:06.839 ten indeed, issue an executive order to prevent the abuse 273 00:17:07.000 --> 00:17:12.279 of taxpayer dollars in going towards funding these non disclosure agreements. 274 00:17:12.359 --> 00:17:17.039 To conceal these illegal activities. So I drafted that proposal. 275 00:17:17.799 --> 00:17:19.920 You may have heard I didn't get to serve ex 276 00:17:19.960 --> 00:17:23.680 acting governor, but that's okay. I appreciated the experience and 277 00:17:23.720 --> 00:17:26.599 the opportunity of getting to think about this issue from 278 00:17:26.599 --> 00:17:30.160 a different perspective, because the result was that I got 279 00:17:30.160 --> 00:17:34.279 to work. We drafted an executive order, and we presented 280 00:17:34.319 --> 00:17:38.519 it for the governor's consideration and the Lieutenant governor's consideration. 281 00:17:38.759 --> 00:17:42.640 And I am strongly urging the governor and our team 282 00:17:42.799 --> 00:17:46.839 to take a look at that executive order draft, you know, 283 00:17:46.880 --> 00:17:49.519 when they get their next chance. It is incredibly important 284 00:17:49.559 --> 00:17:52.839 that we've taken action again. We've been going backwards. Not 285 00:17:54.240 --> 00:17:55.359 time to make progress. 286 00:17:55.480 --> 00:17:57.559 We will keep our eye on that. What am I 287 00:17:57.599 --> 00:17:58.880 going to do is I got to take a news 288 00:17:58.880 --> 00:18:00.759 break and then we come back. I also want to 289 00:18:00.759 --> 00:18:04.000 talk about the ballot question, about your desire to audit 290 00:18:04.039 --> 00:18:06.480 the legislature and why that's important. And I also want 291 00:18:06.480 --> 00:18:10.279 to ask people and invite people to call six one, seven, two, five, 292 00:18:10.319 --> 00:18:13.480 four ten thirty six one seven, nine, three, one ten thirty. 293 00:18:13.920 --> 00:18:17.880 Not often do you have the opportunity to talk with 294 00:18:17.920 --> 00:18:23.240 one of the state constitutional officers. State auditor. The Auditor 295 00:18:23.240 --> 00:18:27.759 of the Comwealth of Massachusetts, Diana Dezaglio is here. As 296 00:18:27.799 --> 00:18:30.640 you can see, she has many ideas. If you have 297 00:18:30.680 --> 00:18:33.559 a question or comment, I want to encourage her. She 298 00:18:33.839 --> 00:18:38.920 believes that sunshine is the greatest disinfectant and as I believe, 299 00:18:39.440 --> 00:18:42.519 and she is a breath of fresh air at the 300 00:18:42.559 --> 00:18:46.400 State House. We'll be back on Nightside with a conversation 301 00:18:46.440 --> 00:18:49.920 about the ballot question and also you have questions and comments, 302 00:18:50.319 --> 00:18:52.359 I'd love to hear from you back on Nightside with 303 00:18:52.440 --> 00:18:53.240 the State Auditor. 304 00:18:54.559 --> 00:18:59.240 It's Night Side with Dan Ray and Boston's News Radio, 305 00:19:00.119 --> 00:19:00.559 just as. 306 00:19:00.440 --> 00:19:03.400 The State Auditor of the come Wealth of Massachusetts, and 307 00:19:03.759 --> 00:19:07.799 there is there are five ballot questions on the November ballot. 308 00:19:08.400 --> 00:19:15.599 Question Number one basically is asking us, the voters, to 309 00:19:15.680 --> 00:19:20.920 give the state Auditor, Diana de Zaglio, the authority to 310 00:19:21.039 --> 00:19:25.759 audit the state legislature. This is a big, big question. 311 00:19:25.920 --> 00:19:27.640 Tell us why, auditor. 312 00:19:29.319 --> 00:19:34.359 Well, for anybody who's followed recent happenings in our state legislature, 313 00:19:35.079 --> 00:19:39.799 state legislature had a really challenging time getting things across 314 00:19:39.839 --> 00:19:43.160 the finish line, you know, issues being taken up in 315 00:19:43.200 --> 00:19:47.559 the middle of the night. Climate change, legislation not getting passed, 316 00:19:47.839 --> 00:19:51.480 economic development bill getting left on the table, amongst other 317 00:19:51.519 --> 00:19:56.200 really important issues to Massachusetts residents who were relying on 318 00:19:56.240 --> 00:19:58.839 the legislature to do their jobs and to do their 319 00:19:58.920 --> 00:20:04.119 jobs in a kindly fashion, that did not occur. The 320 00:20:04.200 --> 00:20:07.119 legislature has been having a challenging time with getting things 321 00:20:07.160 --> 00:20:09.960 done in a timely fashion for many years now, but 322 00:20:10.079 --> 00:20:13.400 I think this year that was really put on display 323 00:20:14.000 --> 00:20:18.319 in a very salient way for Massachusetts residents to be 324 00:20:18.359 --> 00:20:21.480 able to see clearly that this is not the way 325 00:20:21.559 --> 00:20:25.880 the Massachusetts legislature is supposed to be operating, especially not 326 00:20:26.160 --> 00:20:30.200 dan in a state like Massachusetts. In Massachusetts we leave 327 00:20:30.319 --> 00:20:33.279 on so many issues. But here in Massachusetts, our state 328 00:20:33.400 --> 00:20:38.200 legislature is continually ranked by almost every good government group 329 00:20:38.720 --> 00:20:43.839 as the least transparent, the least accessible, the least accountable 330 00:20:44.319 --> 00:20:49.119 state legislature in the entire nation. It is not subject 331 00:20:49.240 --> 00:20:54.440 to public records laws, not subject to open meeting laws. 332 00:20:54.599 --> 00:20:58.039 Bills are able to get passed in the middle of 333 00:20:58.079 --> 00:21:02.000 the night when no one's wat There has been a 334 00:21:02.160 --> 00:21:05.279 cloak of darkness over the State House for far too long, 335 00:21:05.680 --> 00:21:10.480 and this year we have an opportunity to vote on 336 00:21:10.480 --> 00:21:14.319 one issue that will help to shine a light on 337 00:21:14.519 --> 00:21:18.279 some of the dark areas in our state legislature. And 338 00:21:18.400 --> 00:21:23.279 that is Question one. Question one is asking all of 339 00:21:23.319 --> 00:21:28.200 you who are listening at home, to please give the 340 00:21:28.240 --> 00:21:34.519 Office of State Auditor the explicit authority to audit the 341 00:21:34.599 --> 00:21:39.960 state legislature. They are the only state entity who is 342 00:21:40.079 --> 00:21:45.839 refusing to recognize what current law already states, which is 343 00:21:45.839 --> 00:21:49.599 that the Office of State Auditor is to audit all 344 00:21:49.960 --> 00:21:57.480 state departments, offices, activities. They are claiming that they believe 345 00:21:57.519 --> 00:22:00.400 they're exempt because they make their own rule rules, and 346 00:22:00.440 --> 00:22:02.880 they don't think that they're subject to the same laws 347 00:22:03.440 --> 00:22:07.200 as everybody else is, as every other state entity is. 348 00:22:07.799 --> 00:22:11.200 We had one hundred and seventeen times that we have 349 00:22:11.279 --> 00:22:15.799 found through our history that the state legislature actually has 350 00:22:16.000 --> 00:22:18.920 been audited by the Office of State Auditor. It actually 351 00:22:19.039 --> 00:22:22.960 was always audited by our office, since their office is 352 00:22:23.079 --> 00:22:28.240 inception it's creation in eighteen forty nine, at which time 353 00:22:28.319 --> 00:22:32.720 audits of the legislature started happening, and they happened very 354 00:22:32.759 --> 00:22:39.119 frequently up until only in recent years legislative leaders decided 355 00:22:39.200 --> 00:22:43.359 to balk at that law and bok at those audits 356 00:22:43.400 --> 00:22:46.519 and decide that they were no longer going to cooperate. 357 00:22:47.319 --> 00:22:50.680 And when I ran for this office, I committed to 358 00:22:51.000 --> 00:22:55.000 the tax paying residents of this Commonwealth that I would 359 00:22:55.079 --> 00:22:57.839 audit the legislature if you sent me to the Office 360 00:22:57.839 --> 00:23:01.920 of State Auditor. I am fulfilling that promise to the voters. 361 00:23:02.680 --> 00:23:06.319 I am currently auditing the legislature, but they are refusing 362 00:23:06.799 --> 00:23:11.119 to even speak with the auditors in my office, never 363 00:23:11.200 --> 00:23:16.799 mind cooperate with their audit. So we have this option 364 00:23:17.000 --> 00:23:19.519 of bringing this to the ballot. It took a lot 365 00:23:19.559 --> 00:23:21.720 of work to get this on the ballot. I want 366 00:23:21.759 --> 00:23:25.279 to thank everybody who helped on this. If you're sitting 367 00:23:25.279 --> 00:23:26.960 at home listening and you are somebody who helped the 368 00:23:27.000 --> 00:23:30.720 goalect signatures, thank you because we've got over one hundred 369 00:23:30.720 --> 00:23:35.000 thousand signatures dan to get this issue on the ballot 370 00:23:35.400 --> 00:23:38.400 so that voters you listening at home, can make it 371 00:23:38.480 --> 00:23:42.319 crystal clear to our state legislature that we expect them 372 00:23:42.640 --> 00:23:46.200 to follow our constitution which calls on them to it 373 00:23:46.319 --> 00:23:51.359 all times, be accountable to we the people, And this 374 00:23:51.559 --> 00:23:56.440 audit of the legislature will ensure increased transparency, increased accountability, 375 00:23:56.960 --> 00:24:01.279 increased successibility. The list goes on it won't solve all 376 00:24:01.319 --> 00:24:05.279 of the problems. Legislators themselves need to take action to 377 00:24:05.400 --> 00:24:09.519 address the toxic culture that does exist within the legislature. 378 00:24:10.160 --> 00:24:13.720 But this issue will at least give us some insight 379 00:24:13.960 --> 00:24:17.799 into the finances and give us insight into some of 380 00:24:17.799 --> 00:24:21.279 the processes and procedures and some of the breakdowns that 381 00:24:21.359 --> 00:24:24.400 need to be addressed. I cannot do this without you. 382 00:24:24.480 --> 00:24:28.559 Please vote yes on one Bring on the Sun. 383 00:24:29.160 --> 00:24:33.839 So if the majority of people in Massachusetts who vote 384 00:24:33.839 --> 00:24:38.359 on November fifth vote yes, that is it. You then 385 00:24:38.599 --> 00:24:46.200 have that ballot approval and the legislature will not be 386 00:24:46.279 --> 00:24:48.359 able to fight you, or will they then try to 387 00:24:48.359 --> 00:24:51.079 go to court and stop you? And what do you 388 00:24:51.119 --> 00:24:52.599 think happens next? 389 00:24:53.119 --> 00:24:56.119 They could certainly try to fight it, Dan, But I 390 00:24:56.240 --> 00:25:01.839 consistently remind our legislators that if the legislature does fight 391 00:25:01.920 --> 00:25:05.960 this issue, they're not fighting me. They're not fighting the 392 00:25:06.039 --> 00:25:09.079 woman from the fillin who happened to hold this elected 393 00:25:09.119 --> 00:25:11.920 office right now. You know, by the grace of God 394 00:25:11.960 --> 00:25:13.960 and things to you at home for your vote. I 395 00:25:14.000 --> 00:25:17.279 appreciate it, But they're not fighting me. They're not fighting me, 396 00:25:18.000 --> 00:25:20.359 They're fighting all of you. If they choose to fight 397 00:25:20.440 --> 00:25:24.519 this The voters of Massachusetts already made it clear that 398 00:25:24.519 --> 00:25:28.039 they wanted this issue to be They wanted this issue 399 00:25:28.079 --> 00:25:29.799 to be something that was worked on. They wanted this 400 00:25:29.880 --> 00:25:33.000 audit to be done when they went to vote. I 401 00:25:33.039 --> 00:25:35.440