In this week’s episode of Political Contessa, Jennifer welcomes Scotia Hille, Executive Director of Act on Mass. Scotia’s career began in climate policy, where she worked on national campaigns and later shifted her focus to improving government transparency in Massachusetts. With a background in science and policy, and a dedication to holding elected officials accountable, Scotia now leads advocacy efforts for legislative reform and open government, aiming to strengthen democracy in one of the nation’s least transparent state legislatures.

 

Jennifer and Scotia dive into the urgent issue of transparency and accountability in the Massachusetts legislature, a topic that crosses party lines and draws advocates from across the political spectrum. The conversation uncovers how Massachusetts lacks fundamental nonpartisan research support for lawmakers, making it the only state in the country without this basic legislative office. Jennifer and Scotia expose the “mob-like” leadership structure, the culture of committee stipends for little or no work, and hidden budget earmarks that slipped past the public and lawmakers. They critique the lack of local news scrutiny, the persistence of backroom deals, and the enormous barriers facing reformers. The episode also sparks debate over term limits, full-time versus part-time legislatures, stagnation from entrenched leadership, and the role of citizen coalitions like the Coalition to Reform Our Legislature. The discussion reveals controversial comments about power hoarding, lack of individual lawmaker autonomy, and misuse of taxpayer dollars, urging listeners to demand more from their elected representatives.

 

“It's very much run almost like a mafia, where leadership calls a lot of the shots.”
 ~Scotia Hille

 

This week on Political Contessa:

• The origins and mission of Act on Mass and Coalition to Reform Our Legislature
• Massachusetts is the “least transparent” state legislature in the country
• The complete absence of a nonpartisan legislative research bureau in Massachusetts
• The power dynamics and control tactics used by legislative leadership
• Stipend reform and the existence of “ghost committees” that rarely meet
• The connection between committee assignments, added salary, and political loyalty
• Lack of individual roll call votes and the use of consolidated amendments to conceal spending
• Decline in local journalism and its impact on holding the legislature accountable
  
  

Connect with Scotia Hille and Resources Mentioned:

• Act on Mass Website: https://actonmass.org
• Democracy in Decline Report (referenced research): https://report.actonmass.org
• Coalition to Reform Our Legislature (KROLL): https://reform-ma.org
• Twitter: @Act_on_Mass

For more insights on statehouse transparency and reform in Massachusetts, follow Act on Mass and join the Coalition to Reform Our Legislature’s weekly meetings.

 

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