Maura Healey in National Public Radio


On Civil Rights: We put an equity lens on everything that we do

One thing I'm most proud of as attorney general is we put an equity lens on everything that we do. Everything that runs through the office--whether it's consumer work, financial services or the environment, health care--everything is looked at through an equity lens.
Source: WBUR (NPR Radio) on 2022 Massachusetts Gubernatorial race Feb 3, 2022

On Civil Rights: Was lead counsel challenging Defense of Marriage Act

Healey served as the lead counsel in Massachusetts v. U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services. In that case, the commonwealth challenged the constitutionality of the federal Defense of Marriage Act, which limited marriage to one man and one woman and was signed into law in 1996. Healey argued that by denying benefits like Social Security to same-sex couples who'd been legally marrying in Massachusetts since 2004, the federal government was encroaching on state authority.
Source: WGBH (NPR Radio) on 2022 Massachusetts Gubernatorial race Feb 3, 2022

On Civil Rights: The first openly gay state attorney general in U.S. history

Back in 2014, when she first ran, her primary opponent, Warren Tolman, was a former state legislator and one-time gubernatorial candidate who enjoyed strong support from the Democratic establishment. Healey crushed Tolman, 62% to 38%, buoyed by aggressive retail campaigning [and] enthusiastic support from LGBTQ voters. In the general election, Healey routed Republican John Miller by the exact same margin, becoming the first openly gay state attorney general in U.S. history.
Source: WGBH (NPR Radio) on 2022 Massachusetts Gubernatorial race Feb 3, 2022

On Education: Pandemic requires additional support for public schools

The right to a public education is constitutionally protected in Massachusetts, and Healey said in order to honor that right, the current system needs additional money from the federal government--with protections for public schools over private schools. "I don't know why we don't recognize that fundamentally as a society, not only it's the right thing to do, it's just bedrock to building the kind of community, economy and state that we aspire to by supporting education."
Source: WGBH (NPR Radio) on 2022 Massachusetts Gubernatorial race Jun 23, 2022

On Energy & Oil: Will harness all the levers in combating the climate crisis

We have never seen so much coming into the state in terms of funding as we do right now. I think there is an incredible opportunity to deploy that and think about it, particularly when it comes to climate--and I have said that I will be the most aggressive and insightful and innovative governor harnessing all the levers when it comes to combating the climate crisis right now. I've also talked about the economic imperative and opportunity that that provides--not just for jobs.
Source: WBUR (NPR Radio) on 2022 Massachusetts Gubernatorial race Feb 3, 2022

On Immigration: Fought Muslim travel ban & family separation at border

Healey went to court to fight--among other issues--the travel ban targeting primarily Muslim countries, family separation at the United States--Mexico border, a push to let some employers deny health insurance coverage for contraception, multiple attempts to weaken protections involving student loans, multiple attempts to weaken regulation of environmentally damaging emissions by power plants and motor vehicles, and the attempt to add a citizenship question to the 2020 U.S. Census.
Source: WGBH (NPR Radio) on 2022 Massachusetts Gubernatorial race Feb 3, 2022

On Principles & Values: A proud progressive but not interested in labels

Healey told WBUR she is a proud progressive, but added the race is not about labels. "I understand that there are those who want to ascribe labels to me," she said. "Frankly, I don't know that voters or ordinary people care much about labels. They care about who you are and what you're going to do. For me, I'm not trying to do anything other than speak to what I see as the real issues and the real concerns that voters have, and they are looking to our next governor to do something about."
Source: WBUR (NPR Radio) on 2022 Massachusetts Gubernatorial race Feb 3, 2022

On Principles & Values: Briefly played pro basketball, went on to law school

I ended up--after a brief stint playing pro basketball overseas after college--going to law school, because I wanted to fight to make life better for people, to pursue justice and fairness and help out those who are vulnerable. That's what led me to law school. It's what led me to the Civil Rights Division in the attorney general's office. It's what led me to run as an unlikely and an unknown candidate ... seven years ago. And it's the way I've tried to lead this office as the people's lawyer.
Source: WBUR (NPR Radio) on 2022 Massachusetts Gubernatorial race Feb 3, 2022

The above quotations are from National Public Radio election coverage.
Click here for other excerpts from National Public Radio election coverage.
Click here for other excerpts by Maura Healey.
Click here for a profile of Maura Healey.
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Page last updated: Oct 26, 2024