Meet the Candidates

John was born in Highland Park in 1967 into generational poverty at a time of extreme racial tension and violence in the suffering city of Detroit. He was one of six siblings born to one mother and four different fathers. The fathers were rarely in the picture, but despite the challenges of poverty and abuse, John’s mother held the family together with the help of food stamps, welfare, and odd jobs whenever possible.

John’s youth was marked by violence, physical and sexual abuse, and a survival-first mentality. After being held at gunpoint on his very first day at Highland Park High School, John became a high school dropout like his siblings before him. He later found a small Catholic school that would greatly discount his tuition and allow him to work off the payments. He became the only member of his family to graduate high school, receiving a partial college scholarship that allowed him to keep fighting to achieve the American Dream.

John went on to college at Eastern Michigan University. In his junior year, he was diagnosed with testicular cancer and underwent treatment while still pursuing his degree. Against all odds, John graduated from Eastern Michigan magna cum laude and was accepted into Boston’s New England School of Law in 1992. Barely able to afford tuition, John found affordable rent in Roxbury and worked many hours as a runner and server at Legal Seafoods. John graduated New England School of Law cum laude in 1995.

While in law school, John enlisted in the United States Marine Corps and was selected to represent Massachusetts over students from surrounding law schools, including Harvard. In 1994, he was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant. John was assigned as a Judge Advocate at Marine Corps Air Station, Yuma, Arizona where he served first as Marine Senior Defense Counsel and then as Chief Prosecutor. John also served as a Special Assistant United States Attorney for the District of Arizona. After completing his duties in Arizona, John became an Evidence and Trial Advocacy Instructor at the Naval Justice School and Naval War College in Newport, Rhode Island. John continues to teach Trial Advocacy and Evidence at Roger Williams School of Law and recently coached the Mock Trial team for UMass Law. Following a non-combat injury, John was medically retired from the Marines in 2002. For his service, John received the Meritorious Service Medal and the Navy Marine Corps Commendation Medal.

For over twenty years, John has been practicing law in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and surrounding states, representing mesothelioma and cancer victims against Fortune 100 companies. In 2006, with small children and massive student loan debt, John decided to take a chance and founded his own small law practice where he continued to specialize in advocating for victims and their families. John not only fought for asbestos victims in court, but also traveled to Washington D.C. to oppose legislation that would ban asbestos litigation and leave victims without options.

In 2017, John discovered asbestos was an ongoing, pernicious threat to children around the world through popular make-up playsets sold by Claire’s stores. He personally funded the testing of Claire’s products from across the globe, finding all to be contaminated with asbestos. John’s pro bono efforts prompted an international response that led to the destruction of Claire’s products and changes in testing standards.

Shortly thereafter, the COVID pandemic hit. John took out a home mortgage loan and PPP loan to help pay his employees as the court systems shut down and took up writing as a therapeutic exercise. Friends and family convinced John to publish his therapeutic writings, believing they could be helpful to those dealing with similar circumstances. In 2023, he published Food Stamp Warrior, a starkly candid and raw memoir detailing John’s personal experiences and escape from a life of poverty, abuse and violence. John dedicated his book to his mother, Mary Mills, and it became an Amazon bestseller within 24 hours of its debut.

John became interested in “cryptocurrencies,” like Bitcoin in late 2016. Remembering his youth, and his mother often relying on predatory inner-city “check cashing” operations to make sure he and his siblings had something to eat, he was particularly drawn to cryptocurrency’s ability to help the underprivileged and unbanked.

In 2020 the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) filed a lawsuit that would ban the third largest cryptocurrency, XRP, wiping out both large and small investors who in some cases had staked their entire life savings by investing in XRP. John, a small-firm asbestos lawyer without any securities experience, developed a novel legal theory and filed a pro bono amicus brief on behalf of these individuals – eventually ending up with more than 75,000 individual token holders around the world. Ultimately, John and the token holders were successful – again, he had defied the odds and the underdog(s) survived. Because of his efforts in the case, John became amicus counsel in other SEC enforcement actions and was awarded the Defender of Freedom Award. John is a regular cable news contributor and sought-after speaker on issues of cryptocurrency and the excesses of the financial services industry.

John resides in Bolton, MA. His oldest daughter resides in California and is a recent USC graduate, while his second daughter is a senior at UMass Amherst, and his youngest is entering kindergarten in the fall.

Having overcome so much, John believes it is time we elect someone to the U.S. Senate who understands the struggles of everyday Americans. He has served his country as a Marine, served asbestos victims and cryptocurrency holders as an attorney, and now hopes to serve the people of Massachusetts as their U.S. Senator.

Walsh is a general-practice litigator with experience in public employment and labor law, criminal defense, military law, administrative procedure, land use, zoning, commercial paper, and appellate practice. He has represented workers, small businesses, homeowners, municipalities, and individuals facing government overreach. His work has been especially focused on defending the rights of military service members, the disabled, and underrepresented parties navigating complex regulatory systems.

Walsh is currently litigating multiple active cases directly opposing the Massachusetts Attorney General, including constitutional and administrative challenges involving legislative audits, public records access, electronic signatures, MBTA zoning mandates, and the state’s implementation of the MBTA Communities Act (Chapter 3A). Several of these matters are pending before the Superior Court and the Supreme Judicial Court.

He is running to insist that constitutional disputes be decided in court, not by executive fiat. Walsh believes no constitutional officer should be silenced, no legal question should go unanswered, and no case should be “won” by keeping the opposing side off the field. That is not leadership. That is cheating.

Anne earned her Juris Doctorate from Suffolk University Law School, where she developed the analytical skills and legal expertise that would serve her throughout her career in both the private sector and public service. Her legal background provides a strong foundation for understanding complex policy issues and crafting effective solutions.

As CEO of DevCo North America, Anne has completed over 100 transactions ranging from small real estate projects to multi-million dollar complex master plan projects. Her visionary leadership in alternative asset management has positioned her company to participate in creating the future, taking on projects with calculated risks that others won't attempt. This entrepreneurial spirit and business acumen will serve Massachusetts well in the Secretary of State's office.

Currently serving as a Selectwoman in Wayland, Massachusetts, Anne brings proven leadership as a Wayland Selectwoman and successful business executive to fight for Massachusetts families and communities. Her commitment to fiscal responsibility, limited government, and individual liberty has guided her throughout her career in both public service and the private sector. She has worked tirelessly to keep taxes low while maintaining essential services, championed transparency in government, and always put the needs of her constituents first.

A Stanford Law graduate and former attorney at major Boston firms, Elizabeth is the daughter of the late John Loren Harmer, a distinguished public servant who instilled in her the values of integrity, accountability, and service to the community.

As a common sense Republican and Chair of the Belmont Select Board, Elizabeth delivered important results. She spearheaded the creation of a Multi-Year Budget Advisory Committee; delivered a balanced, revenue-based budget using no reserve funds; and successfully brought Belmont into compliance with the MBTA Communities Act.

She was a driving force behind major structural financial reforms, including: shifting from elected to appointed, professional positions for the Treasurer and Board of Assessors; investing 100% of the Town's Retirement System in the state-run Pension Reserves Investment Trust for lower costs and higher returns; and implementing zoning reforms to encourage economic development.

Like you Elizabeth has had enough of the corruption, cronyism, and chaos happening in the Treasurer’s office. She will not be the treasurer for insiders or special interest groups. She will be the taxpayers’ treasurer, answering to you.

Elizabeth Dionne is running for State Treasurer to restore accountability, transparency, and efficiency to Beacon Hill. She has a proven record of relentless reform, and she will bring that same passion and focus to the Treasurer’s office.

As she did in Belmont, Elizabeth will treat every dollar with the respect it deserves. Her proven track record of fiscal responsibility, government reform, and transparent leadership at the local level demonstrates she has the skills and integrity to serve us. She will be the Treasurer that Massachusetts taxpayers need.

Elizabeth's academic achievements are exceptional. As a Marshall Scholar, she earned her M.Phil. in political theory from Cambridge University. She graduated with distinction from Stanford Law School, where she served on the Stanford Law Review and Stanford Journal of Law, Business, and Finance.

Her legal career includes positions at major Boston law firms Goodwin Procter and Testa Hurwitz & Thibeault, focusing on commercial real estate and venture capital. She has also taught constitutional law and political science at Wellesley College and Boston College. The mother of an autistic son, she has provided extensive pro bono legal services to low-income, special needs children through Massachusetts Advocates for Children.