Feb. 2, 2023
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Evan Lips, communications director
617-523-5005 ext. 245
WOBURN -- Massachusetts Republican Party Chairwoman Amy Carnevale, reacting to Wednesday's partisan 2:1 Beacon Hill vote confirming incumbent Georgetown Republican Lenny Mirra's single-vote loss to a Democrat, had a simple question:
"Why are they afraid to look at the ballots?"
Carnevale lodged her question in response to the decision issued by a split partisan Beacon Hill panel tasked with examining Mirra's single-vote loss to a Democrat challenger. Originally certified election results put Mirra as the frontrunner by 10 votes.
That final Election Day tally changed following a recount that resulted in multiple "extra" ballots counted.
The legislative committee tasked with examining the ballot discrepancy declined to view the extra ballots in question, per Republican leadership.
House Minority Leader Brad Jones said he hoped the committee "would have had some interest in getting it right."
"One of the toughest phone calls I've ever made was Monday, when I had to call my friend from Georgetown, and say 'you're out of a job Wednesday.'
Why? Because that partisan committee decided they didn't want to look at the ballots; they were afraid of what they might find."
Mirra, who has steadfastly maintained his faith in the Commonwealth's electoral process, made the following statement via social media regarding Beacon Hill's transparency issues:
"There’s an irony to my time in the Legislature formally ending…only to be followed by a vote on the House Rules.
"I ran for office to oppose the smoke-filled rooms of Beacon Hill…all of which are sanctioned by House Rules. I will always urge a ‘no’ vote on the rules package.
Making committee votes public and other basic transparency measures are among the basic Democratic norms that our Legislature regularly rejects.
It is a fight that Republicans and Democrats must continue—to shed light on the people’s work in the people’s House.
We can and must do better."
