BOSTON, MA — Republican candidate for governor Brian Shortsleeve today called on Governor Maura Healey to answer five direct questions following her statement on fighting fraud when so much fraud has been exposed in Massachusetts’ SNAP program, including whistleblower allegations of “rampant” abuse and tens of millions of dollars in confirmed fraud cases.
Recent findings from the State Auditor’s office have identified roughly $34 million in SNAP fraud, with additional criminal schemes uncovered by federal investigators. A Department of Transitional Assistance whistleblower has also alleged that state leadership failed to respond aggressively despite repeated internal warnings dating back to 2021.
Shortsleeve said the issue is not partisan politics, but basic accountability.
“Taxpayers expect the governor to protect their hard-earned tax dollars. Families who truly need help deserve a system with integrity. Instead, we’re seeing fraud, whistleblower warnings, leadership turnover, and a governor who wants to talk about Washington instead of her own record,” said Shortsleeve. “Massachusetts residents deserve leadership and accountability, not deflection and diversion.”
Shortsleeve is asking Governor Healey to answer the following questions for the taxpayers:
When did your administration first become aware of the spike in Massachusetts SNAP fraud identified by the state auditor, whistleblowers and Rhode Island officials, and what specific actions were taken at that time?
Who is being held accountable for the failure of your administration to identify tens of millions of dollars in SNAP fraud identified by the state auditor and US attorney?
After the whistleblower allegations became public, did you personally meet with Department of Transitional Assistance leadership to address the problem, and what concrete changes did you order as a result?
Do you have any idea how much total taxpayer money has been lost to SNAP fraud since you took office, and what is your plan to recover those funds on behalf of taxpayers and eligible beneficiaries?
What immediate safeguards (such as chip technology, eligibility verification, auditing and enforcement resources) will you implement to identify, prevent, and prosecute fraud and abuse going forward?
Shortsleeve emphasized that under Maura Healey, Massachusetts state government has created a culture of corruption and incompetence.
“This is exactly why citizens have lost trust in state government. Costs keep going up, taxes keep rising, and then we learn millions of dollars were lost to fraud while Beacon Hill looked the other way,” Shortsleeve said. “On Day One, I will launch a full audit of every agency of state government, including major benefit programs such as SNAP and MassHealth, with a mandate to identify waste, fraud, and abuse and implement reforms immediately.
\“Leadership means accountability. The governor should stop deflecting and start answering for these failures.”