News Summary
Massachusetts officials, including Suffolk County Sheriff Steven Tompkins and Assistant Attorney General Andrea Campbell, are under fire for using taxpayer-funded P-cards for extravagant expenditures. With spending that includes luxury trips and high-end meals, public outcry has mounted for greater accountability and oversight of public funds. The Massachusetts Fiscal Alliance stresses the need for reform to ensure responsible use of taxpayer money. As scrutiny continues, citizens are calling for changes to prevent such lavish spending by public officials.
Massachusetts Officials Under Fire for Lavish Spending with Taxpayer Funds
In a move that has stirred quite the controversy, officials in Massachusetts have recently come under scrutiny for their *extravagant spending habits* using taxpayer-funded procurement cards, commonly known as P-cards. It seems that while citizens are tightening their belts, some public servants may be living quite the opulent lifestyle on the public dime.
Sheriff’s Spending Spree
One of the most glaring cases involves Suffolk County’s Sheriff Steven Tompkins, who appears to have taken full advantage of his P-card to splurge on personal luxuries. In the fiscal year 2025, Tompkins’ office racked up a staggering total of $133,282.09 in P-card expenditures. Among the *noteworthy expenses* was a lavish trip to the Bahamas, which *cost taxpayers a hefty $6,525.09*. Perhaps that was the sheriff’s idea of a well-deserved vacation!
Tompkins also splurged on stays at high-end hotels, including the illustrious Hyatt Regency in New Orleans and the prestigious Liberty Hotel in Boston. To add to the scandal, the sheriff has been arrested and charged with felonies related to an alleged extortion scheme while in Florida, raising more eyebrows about his *spending habits*.
Attorney General’s Spending Stuns
But Sheriff Tompkins isn’t the only official facing scrutiny. Assistant Attorney General Andrea Campbell is also drawing criticism for her hefty P-card usage. From July 1, 2024, to June 30, 2025, Campbell spent nearly $300,000 on her taxpayer-funded credit card. This includes travels to glamorous locations like France and St. Thomas for conferences, which alone set taxpayers back $13,627. This included a jaw-dropping $9,000 on transportation in France.
Campbell’s spending records wouldn’t be complete without expense descriptions that raise eyebrows, including a $49 meal at an Island Grind in St. Thomas and $1,220 for holiday gathering food from Anna’s Taqueria. Speaking of conference costs, her office even forked out $10,286 to secure overflow space at the Fairfield Inn during a National Cyber Crime Conference in Boston.
Rules Are Meant to Be Broken?
What’s even more alarming is the blatant disregard for the P-card rules, which explicitly prohibit using the card for meals, snacks, or coffee. However, Tompkins’ spending utterly contradicts this guideline. His records reveal *mind-bogglingly high* expenses at various restaurants and services, including:
- $2,194 at Brockton Meat Market
- $2,000 towards a caterer named “Everybody Gotta Eat”
- Multiple charges at Dunkin Donuts, totaling $890.67
- Over $500 spent at local pizzerias
- Nearly $10,000 on JetBlue flights
- Over $6,000 on Delta flights
- Approximately $10,026 on Amazon purchases
- $6,217 on Zoom business services
Calls for Accountability
The Massachusetts Fiscal Alliance has taken a firm stance against these high expenditures, labeling Campbell’s actions as a *misuse of taxpayer funds*. The group highlights the urgent need for better accountability and oversight, particularly when it comes to audits of P-card transactions.
This situation is part of a larger issue: a culture of *unchecked spending* by officials that is causing a growing sense of public distrust. Citizens are now calling for reforms to improve the management and monitoring of P-card use. Proposed changes include implementing stricter controls on expenditures, similar to the regulations placed on EBT cards for food assistance programs.
As the scrutiny continues to unfold, residents will be watching closely to see how Massachusetts officials respond to these allegations and whether real change is on the horizon. Let’s hope that this wave of awakening brings about the accountability that taxpayers rightfully deserve.
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Additional Resources
- Boston Herald: Overspending Massachusetts Leaders
- Boston Herald: Indicted Sheriff’s Spending
- MSN: Massachusetts AG’s Credit Card Spending Debate
- Wikipedia: Public Expenditure
- The Motley Fool: Average Credit Card Processing Fees
- Boston Herald: AG Travels on Taxpayers’ Dime
- JPMorgan: What is a P-card?
Author: STAFF HERE BOSTON WRITER
BOSTON STAFF WRITER The BOSTON STAFF WRITER represents the experienced team at HEREBoston.com, your go-to source for actionable local news and information in Boston, Suffolk County, and beyond. Specializing in "news you can use," we cover essential topics like product reviews for personal and business needs, local business directories, politics, real estate trends, neighborhood insights, and state news affecting the area—with deep expertise drawn from years of dedicated reporting and strong community input, including local press releases and business updates. We deliver top reporting on high-value events such as Boston Marathon, Head of the Charles Regatta, and Boston Harborfest. Our coverage extends to key organizations like the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce and Associated Industries of Massachusetts, plus leading businesses in finance, biotech, and insurance that power the local economy such as Fidelity Investments, Biogen, and Liberty Mutual Insurance. As part of the broader HERE network, we provide comprehensive, credible insights into Massachusetts's dynamic landscape.
