Some MassGOP donors say they have no confidence in embattled state party leadership and won’t contribute another cent until the state committee takes action to “restore the Massachusetts Republican Party’s reputation” — pledging $1 million in support if it does.
“Over the past six weeks, we have lost our remaining confidence in current party leadership,” states the Monday letter signed by 16 Republican donors who claim they have collectively raised more than $900,000 for the party and candidates over two decades.
The letter does not explicitly call out Republican State Party Chairman Jim Lyons by name but goes on to list several scandals that have embroiled Lyons and the party in recent weeks.
“The State Chair failed to denounce homophobia, used party resources to openly attack 29 of the elected Republican House members, is under investigation by law enforcement for potential campaign finance violations, and is facing calls for resignation from elected officials, past party Chairmen, and from major media outlets like the Boston Herald,” the letter continues.
The letter from donors follows calls for the chairman to step down by Republican Gov. Charlie Baker and prominent former party leaders.
Lyons called the letter “unfortunate and misguided” in an interview with the Herald, saying he would be “happy to sit down with anyone” who signed the letter. Lyons pointed out most of the donors who signed on had not actually donated to the MassGOP since before he took the helm in 2019.
A Herald review of campaign finance data shows just two — Daniel Quirk of Quirk Auto Dealers and Ray Stata of Analog Devices — had under Lyons leadership. Three signees, Jessica Tocco of A10 Associates, Robert Pereira of The Middlesex Corp. and James Grossman of Rise Construction, have never donated directly to the Republican State Committee.
It’s unclear from the letter if donors plan to stem donations to the state committee or all Republican candidates and causes. Several signees did not return calls to the Herald on Monday evening.
State GOP Party Vice Chairman Tom Mountain, who has distanced himself from Lyons in recent weeks, called the letter “the most important signal” from donors yet.
“They’re saying ‘we’re not going to give you a cent unless there’s a change in leadership and if there is, we’ll give you a million dollars.’ That’s a lot of money in the state Republican party.”
It’s a threat Mountain said will “speed up the road to insolvency” for a party already on the brink of bankruptcy.
The state party’s campaign account has dwindled from over $1.1 million in October 2016 to $122,966, according to last month’s report filed with the state Office of Campaign Finance.
Mountain blamed Lyons’ public relations faux pas as the No. 1 problem preventing party fundraising.
“The chair has become a liability and the walls are closing in,” Mountain said. “It’s like Nixon’s last days and the question is when will Nixon Jr. do the party a favor and leave.”
Prominent out-of-state Republicans have canceled appearances at big-ticket fundraising events in recent weeks.
Texas Republican U.S. Rep. Dan Crenshaw abruptly canceled a June fundraiser planned at the chairman’s house. Party insiders confirmed the internal party drama was the cause.
Wyoming U.S. Sen. Cynthia Lummis also canceled a planned appearance at a MassGOP fundraiser last month.
In their Monday memo to the Republican State Committee, donors demanded a return to a “positive, big‐tent MassGOP” that can compete in state elections, pledging to give or raise $1 million if that happens. Under Lyons leadership, the party has lost five seats in the Legislature where Democrats have long held a supermajority.
