Fishman Rips Politically Motivated DCF Audit

Photo: Sam Doran / State House News Service

12/12/2017

Candidate for State Auditor Daniel Fishman waded into the fray between current Auditor Suzanne Bump and Governor Charlie Baker with a blistering statement.

Last Friday, December 7th, the Auditor’s office issued a report extremely critical of the Department of Children and Families (DCF).   The report was based on data from January 1, 2014 to December 31 2015.  Governor Baker took office January 8th, 2015, but the report gave no indication if DCF seemed to be improving during Governor Baker’s tenure.

The report coincidentally was released one day after the Auditor announced her plan to seek a third term, which would give her 12 years in office.

“The usage of the Auditor’s office to score political points represents the worst of the tribalism that our nation’s politics has devolved to. The Auditor should report facts consistently and impartially while remaining above any fight. There is unquestionably room for improvement at DCF, but by using DCF as a political football the Auditor is ensuring more battles over turf rather than moving the ball down the field.

“The auditor is supposed to be the impartial referee in Massachusetts politics.  The referee shouldn’t be wearing the jersey of one of the teams.”

In 2015 Auditor Bump settled a lawsuit for firing First Deputy Auditor Laura Marlin for $115,000.  In the suit Marlin claimed that she was fired for questioning the political motivations behind Bump insisting that a union whose endorsement she was courting be consulted about an audit into the Department of Children and Families.