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Campbell Allows Auditor to Hire Outside Counsel in Legislature Audit Case

The decision clears the way for a focused court test of a voter-approved audit law.

Overview

  • Attorney General Andrea Campbell said she will let State Auditor Diana DiZoglio retain outside counsel to press her lawsuit for legislative records that leaders have not provided.
  • The move follows a Supreme Judicial Court order last week giving Campbell 30 days to decide whether to represent the auditor in the case.
  • The suit now centers on four record requests for fiscal years 2021 to 2024: each chamber’s budgets, any official audits, transactions in the “balance forward” accounts, and lists of monetary settlement agreements.
  • Campbell indicated her office may step back from representing House and Senate leaders as the case proceeds with special counsel.
  • The dispute stems from a 2024 ballot measure approved by about 72% of voters that authorized audits of the Legislature, while the broader question of the auditor’s constitutional authority remains unresolved.