MassGOP audit wrapping up, investigation ongoing: chair
An audit of the MassGOP’s books and an investigation into its spending are nearing conclusion, according to the state Republican party’s leader, but a second query into the prior chair’s involvement with a political action committee remains ongoing.
“We are under audit right now with OCPF, I do believe that audit is coming to a conclusion, and it will be available for everyone to see,” Republican Party Chairwoman Amy Carnevale said.
Carnevale was speaking with the hosts of WCVB’s Sunday politics show On The Record when she said that a pair of investigations by the state office responsible for ensuring compliance with campaign finance laws are underway, with one close to conclusion, alongside an audit of the party’s books.
On February 22nd the Herald reported that the MassGOP was potentially facing more than $600,000 in unpaid bills left over from when the last chairman, Jim Lyons, led the party through a less than stellar November election cycle.
Among those unpaid bills was about $50,000 apparently due to a private investigations firm Lyons allegedly hired to look into Gov. Maura Healey’s personal life.
OCPF’s consideration of the unpaid bills is nearing a close, Carnevale told WCVB, but the investigation into the use of a private investigator is ongoing and, the chairwoman seemed to indicate, of a different, potentially criminal nature.
“It’s more of a technical issue,” Carnevale said of the first investigation.
“It doesn’t rise to a criminal level?” reporter Ben Simmoneau, standing in for host Ed Harding, asked Carnevale.
“There is a separate investigation that is ongoing that we’re aware of,” she responded. “That is an ongoing investigation with an independent expenditure committee by the prior chair.”
In early January, the Herald learned Lyons had been reported to OCPF by party treasurer Pat Crowley over his hiring of the private investigator, which was apparently done through a political action committee working in close conjunction with the state party via Lyons, a partnership which is prohibited by state law.
“That’ll take its course,” Carnevale said.
OCPF’s investigations, according to their website, can lead to a referral to the Attorney General’s Office for criminal charges.
Carnevale was also asked if the state party would support former President Donald Trump in the next presidential election should he win the primary, to which the chairwoman replied she would support whomever the nominee is.
Carnevale indicated she thought both Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu
would seek the White House, although only Trump and former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley have officially launched campaigns for the Republican primary.
“I trust members of our party to make a decision that is best for people in the Commonwealth,” Carnevale said. “I think we’ll have a robust discussion and debate about what candidate makes sense for voters in the Commonwealth.”