Ousted MassGOP chair sues party
The former chairman of the MassGOP suddenly finds himself in the middle of two lawsuits, alleging in one the party he used to lead failed to pay him thousands in owed salary, and accused in another of stiffing the United Parcel Services company for even more.
“The defendants have refused to honor the Contract through their failure to pay UPS for the total amount of the shipping services provided,” attorneys for the delivery company wrote in a February court filing alleging a business owned by former MassGOP Chairman Jim Lyons and his wife owes them over $70,000.
According to the court filing, Dandi-Lyons Franchise Corporation, a flower store and dairy stand in Tewksbury, arranged to pay UPS for shipping “numerous items between the dates of November 1, 2020 through July 3, 2021.”
Lawyers for the shipping giant allege an audit of items shipped by them for Lyons’ company “were inaccurately described by the defendant with respect to the items’ weight as well as their dimensional weight. The result of the audit was additional shipping charges due to United Parcel Services, Inc.”
The former MassGOP chairman did not return a request for comment on the lawsuit.
Lyons lost his bid for reelection in January, departing from his leadership role and leaving a party with less power in state government than it had when he found it. Under his leadership, conservatives were left in control of just three state senate seats, no statewide officers, and without the corner office.
He also, according to the party’s new leadership, left the MassGOP with upwards of $600,000 in unpaid bills.
One of those unpaid bills, according to a March 15 court filing, is Lyons’ own last paycheck.
According to a lawsuit filed against the MassGOP by Lyons, the former chairman was due $27,301 in back pay the day he lost his election to now Chairwoman Amy Carnevale. The party owed him an additional $4,062 for his final weeks’ worth of work, the former chairman told the court in filings.
“The (MassGOP) was obligated to make full payment to (Lyons) of the pay owed to him, $31,363.00 as of the day of the termination of his employment,” Lyons wrote.
He told the new chairwoman as much, the filing alleges, but she didn’t pay. Now Lyons wants “treble” damages, or $94,089, as is allowed under state law. Carnevale did not return a request for comment on either lawsuit.