MassGOP Lawsuits Update: It Was an Election Year, but the Republican Party Treasurer Checked Out?

by Lonnie Brennan

2022 was an election year, but the MassGOP had to work through it with many problems and issues, including a treasurer who, according to the MassGOP ongoing lawsuit against various actors, had checked out.

Treasurer Patrick Crowley apparently failed to attend meetings, took actions that apparently temporary blocked the MassGOP access to its own funds, and apparently took actions which led to a temporarily upset in timely reporting to the Mass. Office of Campaign and Political Financing.

Apparently, according to depositions in the case, MassGOP Treasurer Patrick Crowley disagreed with the seating of a state committee woman, and disagreed with MassGOP Chairman Jim Lyons, who fought against an apparently Gov. Charlie Baker-backed candidate. (There had been a write-in election consisting of three candidates to fill a slot on the committee, but no candidate was reported as having met the minimum threshold of votes to win the Boston seat.) The apparently Mass. Gov. Charlie Baker-backed candidate fought in court to get seated on the MassGOP governing board, but her efforts failed. The 26-year-old’s legal bills were apparently all funded (tens of thousands of dollars) in various transfers and payments through Baker-backed associates and accounts.

Exhibits provided on one lawsuit charge that apparent vote fraud including signature fraud, wrong addresses, and perhaps multiple cases of fraud including mail fraud occurred when the apparently Baker-backed candidate attempted to win a “caucus” vote. More to follow on that.

Here are a few highlights in the various documents the Broadside has received thus far, regarding the treasurer:

“Treasurer Patrick Crowley did not attend The November 22,2021 budget committee meeting. The 2022 budget was approved unanimously.”

“Patrick Crowley did  not attend the November 30,2021 state committee meeting.”

“On January 27th 2022 at 5:07 pm Patrick Crowley left Chairman Lyons a message that he “ had no problem with the budget.””

“Patrick Crowley, after a quorum was established, walked  out of the January 27th 2022 state committee meeting and loudly proclaimed “that no bills will be paid.””

February 1,2022 Patrick Crowley “shut down the MassGOP bank account. The rent check bounced and the employees pay and health benefits were put in jeopardy. This action is a violation of MGL criminal statutes.”

“On April 28 ,2022 Patrick Crowley changed the password to OCPF. This action prevented Henry Alan from the timely filing of  MassGOP OCPF reports.”  [These are financial reports to the Mass. Office of Campaign and Political Finance.]

“Patrick Crowley did not attend the Massachusetts Republican convention May 21, 2022.
Patrick Crowley did not attend the September 14, 2022 state committee meeting.
Patrick Crowley did not attend the October 13,2022 budget committee meeting.
Patrick Crowley did not attend the December 29,2022 state committee meeting.”