By Bob Katzen

“For countless residents across the commonwealth, these programs offer access to everyday items they need, including food and medical services. Through the work of our fraud examiners, we continue to help ensure they operate with transparency, accountability and equity. Our team will continue to work to ensure taxpayer dollars are used effectively and that resources are available to those who truly need and qualify for them.”
—State Auditor Diana DiZoglio on her Bureau of Special Investigations’ fraud report for fiscal year 2025 which identified $11.9 million in public assistance fraud, including more than $4.1 million in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), and more than $1.3 million in in MassHealth, the state’s Medicaid program that provides health care for low-income and disabled persons.

“Massachusetts cannot even keep Cape Cod potato chips in Cape Cod. When a company whose entire identity is tied to this state decides it no longer makes economic sense to operate here, that should set off alarm bells on Beacon Hill.”
—Paul Craney, Executive Director of the Massachusetts Fiscal Alliance, on Cape Cod Potato Chips parent company, Campbell’s, announcing that it will shut down the Hyannis facility in April, eliminating 49 jobs and moving production to facilities in other states including North Carolina, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania.

“In Massachusetts and across the country, we continue to see unlawful and unconstitutional actions by ICE that are meant to intimidate and instill fear in our communities, including against United States citizens who are exercising their constitutional rights. This puts people at risk and in harm’s way, and I find it necessary in the interest of public safety to take this action today.”
—Gov. Healey upon filing legislation to keep ICE out of courthouses, schools, child care programs, hospitals and churches; make it unlawful for another state to deploy its National Guard in Massachusetts without the governor’s permission; and allow parents to pre-arrange guardianship for their children in case they are detained or deported.

“The solution is not to double down on furthering the divide between the state and federal government as proposed by Gov. Healey. Instead, our state government should be working in partnership with federal authorities to ensure that criminal illegal aliens are identified and apprehended off the streets. These apprehensions are best done in spaces like courthouses.”
— Massachusetts Republican Party Chair Amy Carnevale responding to Healey.

“The Trump Administration’s willingness to use the power of the federal government to hurt and even kill United States citizens is shocking. Massachusetts must be prepared for the possibility that President Trump unleashes his masked agents on the people of the commonwealth for having the audacity to stand up to him.”
–Sen. Michael Moore (D-Millbury), in a letter sent to Gov. Healey and Attorney General Andrea Campbell, urging their offices to prepare and enact proactive measures that will defend the rights of Bay Staters in the event the Trump Administration decides to send a federal operation to the commonwealth.