DEC. 20, 2022 – MassGOP Chairman Jim Lyons provided a brief update to WXTK Cape Cod radio news earlier today in which he shared how the prior administration of the party spent $275,000 on travel, $300,000 running fundraisers, $25,000 for Capitol Grill dinners, Uber rides: $18,000, and hundreds of thousands given to LLCs, companies and organizations owned and operated by those connected to Governor Charlie Baker, including his campaign manager Brian Wynn.
“We also found out that Governor Baker’s chief fundraiser Timothy O’Leary has a PAC and his entity received $450,000,” Lyons shared. And, Lyons simply hit a few of the summary points. Many more are contained in exhibits currently before the courts and law enforcement for civil and criminal review.
98% on Overhead/Other, 2% for Candidates
In the year prior to Lyon’s election, the prior administration spent approximately 2% of all funds received on candidates – the remaining: dinners, travel, overhead, salaries, and “fundraising.”
Lyons had previously received direction from the MassGOP to pursue the corruption investigation no matter where it may lead, however several new members joined those loyal to the past administrations in criticizing Lyons for not just letting the past go.
Two other lawsuits involving the MassGOP include that against the current MassGOP treasurer, Patrick Crowley, who “conspired” with a certain “team” composed mostly of state committee members – the court documents note – to disrupt the Lyons administration in an attempt to shut down the committee during a critical election year. The treasurer also conducted some strange behavior the filings note, including sending a photo of himself in combat gear holding an assault rifle to Lyons. As this was received during a period when the treasurer was actively fighting to cripple the committee, Lyons took the photo as a personal threat. The treasurer claimed it was a simple mistake and that he hadn’t meant to send the photo. Regardless, a civil action is pending and is currently in the deposition phase.
Most disturbing have been the actions of Doug Bennett, who on multiple social media posts and contacts with state committee members identifies himself noting that he works for Ron Kaufman, the MassGOP’s National Committeeman, and goes on to attack Lyons personally. Bennett’s postings include everything from stating that Lyons faces potential criminal prosecution (April 16, 2021), to inferring that Lyons is a pedophile (Jan. 2, 2021), accusing Lyons of acting illegally to sit a person on the Republican State Committee (April 22, 2021), to participating in a scheme to “defame” Lyons. Bennett is accused of charging up certain high-profile individuals and using them with misleading information to defame Lyons, including working with others to plant stories in local media against Lyons.
Bennett is cited as one actor in this attack on Lyons and attempts to disable the MassGOP in an election year. In an “unsolicited, obsenity-laced text message” to one state committee member supporter of Lyons, Bennett wrote:
“You are a F*CKED MUTHAF*CKA!
And I’m gonna recruit a candidate to run against you for City Council and f*cking knock you out of office you pussy!”
Lyons has shared much of the lawsuits with the members of the committee who have attended MassGOP meetings this year – the meeting have been boycotted by many members who sought to stop the committee and Lyons by preventing quorum votes.
Lyons plans a series of regional meetings with Republican city and town committee members in early January to bring transparency of the actions of Bennett, Crowley, and “the team” who conspired to shut down the MassGOP from within.
This should tell you all you need to know about the previous State GOP administration. Only TWO percent spent on candidates, the rest on, well, pretty much themselves.
Any wonder why the GOP was losing House and Senate races through the years.
And the media now blames Lyons for the losses this year.
Strangely quiet through all of this are the remaining GOP reps left at the State House. Brad Jones, any comment?
How about you Bruce Tarr, anything?
Wonder if Howie Carr will care to do any research with his contacts to maybe find out and report the truth. You know, in between all his infomercials.