Auditor signals plans for records lawsuit against Massport
Massachusetts Auditor Diana DiZoglio plans to sue Massport over allegedly withheld personnel records related to a government settlement agreement audit.Summary
Massachusetts Auditor Diana DiZoglio announced plans to sue the Massachusetts Port Authority (Massport) after claiming the authority improperly blocked access to personnel records during an audit of government settlement agreements from January 2019 to December 2024. DiZoglio’s office discovered seven unreported settlements and was denied access to 10 of 131 requested records. Massport maintains it has cooperated fully with the audit and asserts it followed the Massachusetts Fair Information Practices Act (FIPA) by notifying employees before releasing their files, with some employees objecting to the release of their information. The auditor’s report also alleges that Massport and the Attorney General’s office improperly shared sensitive audit information. DiZoglio is also requesting the Attorney General allow her office to select its own counsel for the lawsuit, citing a conflict of interest due to the AG’s past use of FIPA to withhold records. The audit also revealed similar issues during previous audits of the executive branch under former Governors Patrick and Baker, where the Attorney General advised invoking FIPA to avoid scrutiny.
(Source：Wcvb)