Aides to former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney were apparently allowed to purchase state-issued computer hard-drives and wipe possibly public-record emails from a state server that were generated during his gubernatorial administration, according to the
Boston Globe.
Citing records and interviews with present and former state officials, the Globe also reported that Romney administration aides had the remaining computers in the governor’s office replaced before Deval Patrick took over the reins of state government from Romney in January 2007.
As a result, the Globe said Patrick’s office has not been able to turn up any electronic record of Romney administration emails, despite being bombarded with press inquiries and other requests for information since Romney first began running for president in 2008.
“The governor’s office has found no emails from 2002-2006 in our possession,’’ Mark Reilly, Patrick’s chief legal counsel, said in a statement to the Globe. “Before the current administration took office, the computers used during that time period were replaced and the server used during that time period was taken out of service, all files were removed from it, and it was also replaced.’’
Asked by Globe about the computers and emails, Romney presidential campaign spokeswoman Andrea Saul said the former Republican governor’s aides did nothing wrong.
“In leaving office, the governor’s staff complied with the law and longtime executive branch practice,’’ she told the Globe. “Some employees exercised the option to purchase computer equipment when they left. They did so openly with personal checks.’’
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