Profile in Courage: Massachusetts State Auditor Diana DiZoglio

From the Boston Tea Party to the first shots of the American Revolution fired at Lexington and Concord, Massachusetts was indispensable in the fight for freedom and independence. Unfortunately, the “Old Colony State” has fallen a long way from the founding ideals of an honest and transparent government. As New England First Amendment Coalition executive director Justin Silverman notes, “We have this reputation of being this great liberal state, a lot of transparency, but that’s just not the case. In fact, we are the only state in the country that has the governor’s office, the judiciary, and the legislature exempt, or claiming to be exempt, from the public records law.” 

A few brave public servants are standing up to this culture of secrecy and fighting for a state government that deals openly and honestly. State Auditor Diana DiZoglio is leading the charge to fully audit the State Legislature and allow taxpayers to see where their hard-earned dollars are going. This fight isn’t an easy one, and DiZoglio has more than her fair share of critics. For standing up for what is right even when the going gets tough, Diana DiZoglio is absolutely a Profile in Courage. 

From an early age, DiZoglio learned that nothing can be taken for granted. She was born to a single mother and cleaned houses and waitressed to pay her way through college. She realized that “iron shapes iron” and she could excel by surrounding herself with smart and capable colleagues and classmates who could help her change things for the better. As a Democratic member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives and Senate, she worked across the aisle with colleagues such as Republican Rep. Hannah Kane to simplify the motor vehicle excise tax process and prevent multiple excise charges for vehicles. She also worked with her colleagues to ensure that custodians of public records respond promptly to requests for information by the public.  

However, she’s largely had to go it alone on the largest and most consequential fight of her career. After assuming office as State Auditor in January 2023, DiZoglio set her sights on auditing the secretive state government. In August 2023, she penned a letter to Attorney General Andrea Campbell announcing her intention to audit the Massachusetts Senate and House of Representatives. This audit would entail “budgetary, hiring, spending, and procurement information, information regarding active and pending legislation, the process for appointing committees, the adoption and suspension of legislative rules, and the policies and procedures of the Legislature.” Campbell responded that, because of legal precedent related to the separation of powers, DiZoglio was barred from such a broad-based probe. But, as DiZoglio as pointed out, the State Auditor’s enabling statute (M.G.L. c. 11 § 12) directs the State Auditor to audit an array of metrics from “all departments, offices, commissions, institutions and activities of the commonwealth.” Words such as “departments,” “offices,” and “institutions” arguably implicate the legislative branch, but this language is not enough to sway the AG’s office.  

Now, it’s up to Massachusetts voters to decide whether the State Auditor’s office should be trusted to hold lawmakers accountable. The state’s Ballot Question 1 asks voters whether the State Auditor should have the authority to examine the State Legislature’s financial decisions and procedures for setting rules and making appointments. DiZoglio has been urging voters to support this initiative, and even walked 141 miles from Berkshire County to Boston to raise awareness on the issue. Unfortunately, even pro-transparency lawmakers have largely been afraid to speak up on this issue. DiZoglio notes, “There are a lot of legislators who actually welcome the opportunity for an audit, but understand that they may be retaliated against if they support such an effort.” These fears are certainly not unfounded. House Speaker Ron Mariano (D) and Senate President Karen Spilka (D) have accused DiZoglio of political self-promotion and electioneering, underscoring the political establishment’s hostility toward outside scrutiny. The State Auditor’s Office shed light on this hostility by releasing a 77-page report on its futile attempt to perform a “performance audit” of the Legislature. These efforts at transparency were predictably rebuffed by lawmakers and House and Senate leadership, and it’s up to voters to force lawmakers’ hands in opening the books of the State Legislature.   

Whether or not Ballot Question 1 succeeds, DiZoglio and her Office deserve acclaim for trying to bring some much-needed transparency to the Mass. House and Senate. And, for trying to shine some light on a state government shrouded in secrecy, Diana DiZoglio is a Profile in Courage.