Massachusetts GOP in chaos after party chair investigates fellow Republicans

The Massachusetts Republican Party is in turmoil after revelations that party chair Jim Lyons paid for private investigators to tail and collect opposition research on fellow Republicans, reported the Boston Herald on Friday.

This discovery, announced by party treasurer Patrick Crowley, came after earlier reports that Lyons also used a private firm to snoop on the personal life of newly elected Democratic Gov. Maura Healey.

"Those two members, Lindsay Valanzola and Matthew Sisk, have been critical of Lyons' leadership style, another committee member said," reported Gayla Cawley. "'As part of my due diligence as treasurer of the party, I re-reviewed the campaign finance reports that have been filed since February 2022 to make sure the reports are accurate,' Crowley said in a Friday email to committee members that was shared with the Herald. 'As part of this review, I have identified another discrepancy that will require amending our filings.'"

Lyons was reportedly investigating whether Valanzola lives in Massachusetts — part of his attempt to remove her from the state committee — as well as details of "Sisk's divorce and the legitimacy of his first marriage."

"According to the invoices, also provided to the Herald, Lyons was billed $800 for 'investigation fees,' dated Sept. 1, 2021, for Valanzola and $1,000 for a background investigation into Sisk, dated May 13, 2021, which included retrieving his records from Norfolk Probate and Family Court," said the report. "Crowley told committee members on Thursday that the party was on the hook for a $52,467 payment for the Healey probe, and wrote Friday that party resources were used to pay for the Valanzola investigation, citing campaign finance filings."

All of this comes amid the upcoming election for party chair, following an election that saw the GOP booted from statewide power with the departure of longtime popular Republican Gov. Charlie Baker — and it gives his intraparty opponents ammunition to challenge Lyons. "These kinds of actions perpetuate a culture of dysfunction on the committee," said Amy Carnevale, a contender for the chair.