Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey’s office will share the location of her out-of-state personal travel to media upon request at the end of each month, it said Friday morning after Healey made headlines this week for keeping her travel under wraps.
The Boston Globe reported last week that Healey’s office would not disclose where the governor went during a four-day trip out of Massachusetts last month. The governor’s office announced last fall that it would stop informing the press and public ahead of time about Healey’s travels out of Massachusetts, though officials said they would share her monthly calendars after the fact.
But February’s four-day trip appeared on the calendar as merely “Gov OOS,” or out of state, with no location listed. Healey doubled down on maintaining privacy for her and her family on Monday, March 18, telling reporters “my personal life is my personal life” and adding that she is “constantly working.” Other governors have also emphasized that they are connected while out of state, but have also disclosed the purposes and destinations of out-of-state travel ahead of time, including personal vacations.
“I don’t know that other governors have done it differently. And there have been times when I’ve disclosed where I’ve been on personal trips, as other governors have done. And also, it’s not the case that that’s the way it’s always been done,” Healey said this week on WBUR. “So, look, I think the important thing for people to know is that I will always and will continue to disclose my work-related travel and all I do as governor, whether it’s in the state or out of the state. And with respect to personal time and personal family time … I’m going to continue to keep that personal.”
Friday’s announcement represents a change in that policy.
“The Governor’s focus is on balancing the need to protect the privacy and security of her family while also providing information to the public,” spokesman Karissa Hand said.
Hand said Healey’s out-of-state trip last month was to travel to Puerto Rico for a long weekend to celebrate her birthday with her partner, Joanna Lydgate.
“Last month, the Governor’s partner, Joanna Lydgate, took her to Puerto Rico for a long weekend for her birthday – their first vacation together in a long time,” she said.
Healey and Lydgate also appeared this week as guests on the Boston Globe’s “Love Letters” podcast, talking about (among other things) their relationship, the role that music plays in their lives, how Healey serving as governor affects their personal lives, and the governor’s fondness for folding laundry.
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