MassFiscal Blasts Governor’s Office for Unprecedented & Bizarre Lack of Transparency
The Massachusetts Fiscal Alliance is sharply criticizing Governor Maura Healey after her office confirmed she is out of state but refuses to say when she left or when she plans to return. Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll is currently serving as Acting Governor, yet the public is being kept completely in the dark about the Governor’s whereabouts and schedule.
"An argument, which we do not agree with, could be made for not revealing the Governor’s location, but there is absolutely no excuse for refusing to say when she left and when she is coming back. It’s rather important when the top elected executive of the state is MIA for an undisclosed period of time. That is not just secretive, it’s unsettling and insulting to the people of Massachusetts," said Paul D. Craney, Executive Director of the Massachusetts Fiscal Alliance.
When questioned by the press, Healey’s office said the information would eventually be available through her calendar, which is only released after the end of the month. By then, any opportunity for real-time oversight will have long passed.
"This is not how a serious leader operates. This is the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, not a private club. The Governor doesn’t get to disappear and expect the public to just accept it. Taxpayers have a right to know when their elected chief executive is on the job. If Healey thinks she can govern in secret, she’s clearly in the wrong line of work," said Craney.
"Imagine if your boss at work took off without notice, refused to say how long they would be on vacation, and left their employees and customers guessing when they would return. That kind of behavior would spark immediate concern, raise questions about competence and sincerity, and likely lead to consequences. Yet the Governor of Massachusetts seems to think the same behavior is perfectly acceptable from a public official," said Craney.
MassFiscal noted that even if the administration wants to debate the merits of sharing travel details for security purposes, there is no valid justification for hiding basic timelines from the public.
"This is part of a disturbing pattern from this administration. The Governor and her team think transparency is optional and that voters who put her in that position and pay her salary don’t need to know her activity. That kind of arrogance has no place in a functioning democracy," said Craney.