News: POLITICO Massachusetts Playbook: BAKER’s APPROVAL rating takes a hit — BOSTON TRASH piles up

Monday, December 14, 2020

POLITICO Massachusetts Playbook: BAKER’s APPROVAL rating takes a hit — BOSTON TRASH piles up — EVICTIONS hit CITIES hardest

Dec 14, 2020

Presented by PhRMA

GOOD MORNING, MASSACHUSETTS. Happy Monday!

BAKER'S APPROVAL RATING DROP — Gov. Charlie Baker's approval rating has dropped by nearly 10 percentage points, according to a new Suffolk University/Boston Globe poll released over the weekend.

Baker's approval is still quite high. Seventy-two percent of Massachusetts residents approve of Baker's handling of the Covid-19 pandemic, according to the survey. But that's down from his 81% approval rating in June . Some of Baker's largest drops in approval came from women (14-percentage point drop) and Hispanics (25-percentage point drop).

The new poll comes as the state weathers a second surge of Covid-19 cases. And Baker is caught between those calling for more widespread shutdowns to curb the spread of coronavirus, and others who are frustrated with the restrictions he's already put in place.

Baker's drawing particular frustration from Democrats, especially after sending back a much-anticipated police reform bill to the legislature with changes, along with abortion provisions that were included in the state budget.

But the tension is also coming from Baker's own party. Geoff Diehl, former state representative and Republican Senate candidate, has been quietly reaching out to allies about running for governor, according to people familiar with the calls. And shortly after POLITICO caught wind of Diehl's potential plans, a "Recruit Geoff Diehl for Governor 2022" group was created on Facebook.

"You know, you never say never to anything," Diehl told me late last week, but did not deny he may run for office again. He said he's focused on his new job at 1A Auto, which is run by Massachusetts Fiscal Alliance founder Rick Green, a former GOP congressional candidate.

If it happens, it would be another example of the well-documented split between Baker, a moderate, and the harder right state party that has embraced President Donald Trump's style of Republican politics. It wouldn't be his first primary challenge, if he decides to run for a third term. The GOP governor beat controversial pastor Scott Lively with 64 percent of the vote in 2018. In the general election, Baker beat Democratic challenger Jay Gonzalez by 33 percentage points (66% to 33%), a wider winning margin than he had in the primary.

Have a tip, story, suggestion, birthday, anniversary, new job, or any other nugget for the Playbook? Get in touch: smurray@politico.com.

TODAY — Sen. Ed Markey, Rep. Ayanna Pressley and Rep. Stephen Lynch hold a press conference to speak out against proposed MBTA service cuts. Rep. Katherine Clark speaks at a New England Council event. The Electoral College formally casts its votes. Boston Mayor Marty Walsh briefs reporters on Covid-19 at City Hall.

A message from PhRMA:

Governor Charlie Baker has a proposal that may affect which medicines patients can access. Learn more.

BIG SCOOPS IN TRANSITION PLAYBOOK: In the runup to Inauguration Day, president-elect Joe Biden's staffing decisions are sending clear-cut signals about his priorities. What do these signals foretell? Transition Playbook is the definitive guide to one of the most consequential transfers of power in American history. Written for political insiders, this scoop-filled newsletter is breaking big news and analyzing the appointments, people and emerging power centers of the new administration. Track the transition and the first 100 days of the incoming administration. Subscribe today.

THE LATEST NUMBERS

– "Massachusetts announces 4,677 new COVID cases, 41 more deaths on Sunday," by Benjamin Kail, MassLive.com: "Massachusetts public health officials on Sunday reported another 4,677 people tested positive for COVID-19, bringing the active statewide case total to 70,651. Another 41 people have died from coronavirus-linked illnesses, the Department of Public Health reported."

DATELINE BEACON HILL

– "Baker signs budget, balks at provision letting 16-, 17-year-olds get abortion without parental consent," by Matt Stout, Boston Globe: "Governor Charlie Baker on Friday sent back to the Legislature a closely watched measure that would expand access to abortion in Massachusetts, saying he 'cannot support' language that would allow 16- or 17-year-olds to get an abortion without parental consent."

– "Rep. Ayanna Pressley Calls On 'All State Legislators To Strike Down' Baker Amendments To Police Reform Bill," by Zoe Mathews, GBH News: "Rep. Ayanna Pressley is calling on every state legislator to strike down amendments to the police reform bill requested by Gov. Charlie Baker, who disagreed with the bill's proposal to limit the use of facial recognition technology. She told Boston Public Radio on Friday these are modest proposals."

– "Weary of crisis, some wary of vaccine, Mass. residents still optimistic, new poll finds," by Victoria McGrane and Stephanie Ebbert, Boston Globe: "Weary of the coronavirus crisis and split on whether to quickly get a vaccine, most people in Massachusetts nonetheless are optimistic about their future and believe key parts of life will be returning to normal in the next year, a new poll by Suffolk University and The Boston Globe found."

– "Mass. Prisoners Among The First To Get COVID Vaccines," by Deborah Becker, WBUR: "Among those first in line for the COVID-19 vaccine in Massachusetts are correction workers and the nearly 13,000 people incarcerated in jails and prisons in the state. The news comes as COVID cases continue to spike behind bars. Gov. Charlie Baker included both groups in the first phase of his COVID vaccination plan, which he announced last week."

– "As COVID Cases Climb, the Honor System Is the Law of the Land in Massachusetts," by Spencer Buell, Boston Magazine: "If anyone thought that more help was coming—that a robust stimulus package might enable the state to enact a widespread lockdown, take risky indoor activities entirely off the menu, and give an overheated public health crisis time to cool—it is not."

– "As Winter Sports Resume, Parents And Schools Face A Painful Choice," by Adam Reilly, GBH News: "To call it counterintuitive would be an understatement. As COVID cases surge and the state rolls back its reopening, Massachusetts high-school students are poised to resume playing sports like basketball and hockey — inside."

– "Massachusetts is rolling back its coronavirus reopening. State and local leaders want even more restrictions — and aid," by Lisa Kashinsky, Boston Herald: "Each week, Rebecca Rausch watches more of the towns in her sprawling state Senate district land on the high-risk list for coronavirus transmission. Five of the 12 municipalities the Needham Democrat represents were among the record-shattering 158 that fell into the state's 'red' zone this week."

FROM THE HUB

– "COVID-19 has changed everything, even Boston's trash. Here's how," by Danny McDonald, Boston Globe: "Compared to last year, the city has seen a 6.6 percent bump in residential waste as of the end of October. That translates to 18 million more pounds of household trash and 8 million more pounds of household recycling, which includes curbside recycling, yard waste, and electronics and textile collection, according to Brian Coughlin, the city's superintendent of waste reduction."

– "Hundreds Of Businesses In Mass. Violate COVID-19 Rules, Putting Workers At Risk," by Beth Healy, Saurabh Datar, Shannon Dooling and Christine Willmsen, WBUR: "It's a story playing out at businesses across the state. Horner is one of more than 1,000 companies and gathering places that had complaints filed against them for alleged pandemic safety violations from mid-May through Dec. 1, according to public records analyzed by WBUR."

– "Boston Teachers Union votes no confidence in superintendent," by James Vaznis, Boston Globe: "The Boston Teachers Union took a vote of no confidence Sunday night in Superintendent Brenda Cassellius' efforts to reopen school buildings, just hours before the city prepares to open more than two dozen additional schools."

– "New vaccines have brought CRE's strongest property class to the fore," by Ashley Gurbal Kritzer, Boston Business Journal: "Long before the novel coronavirus pandemic sent Americans racing for their smartphones to order groceries, industrial real estate observers were keeping a close eye on the availability of temperature-controlled warehouses."

– "Some parts of Mass. are being hit harder by evictions than others," by Tim Logan and Zoe Greenberg, Boston Globe: "Like the counties that are home to Springfield and Fall River, Worcester County has seen far more filings, per capita, than Suffolk County — dominated by Boston — or suburban locales such as Middlesex and Norfolk Counties. It's a trend that appears to highlight yet another way the COVID-19 pandemic is hitting hardest in places that were struggling before the health crisis."

– "Michelle Wu: Boston is 'beyond the time to act' on further COVID-19 restrictions, including indoor dining," by Christopher Gavin, Boston.com: "City Councilor and mayoral hopeful Michelle Wu said Friday that Boston is past the point of needing to rollback reopening measures to help stem COVID-19 spread amid a second surge, including the shut down of indoor dining."

– "COVID high-risk communities in Mass. had a mix of in-person and remote school models," by Melissa Hanson, MassLive.com: "Most schools in Massachusetts have been maintaining some form of in-person learning for students this fall, but some districts are making temporary changes as coronavirus cases surge. Education officials have stressed that in-school spread of coronavirus is low, but there is transmission in classrooms."

– "'Frustration, Disappointment And Hopelessness': Boston Residents React To Demolition of Harriet Tubman House," by Arielle Gray, WBUR: "The Harriet Tubman House, a community center in Boston's South End, has been demolished. Over the past year, Roxbury and Dorchester residents protested the sale of the building to developers. The 'House,' as it was known, was more than just a community center."

– "Tortured Roxbury Prep building battle takes a new turn," by Michael Jonas, CommonWealth Magazine: "Roxbury Preparatory Charter School, whose three-year odyssey to win approval to build a high school in Roslindale has turned into a toxic battle touching on issues of race, class, and the place of charter schools in Boston, is pivoting away from the contested site — at least for now — in order to explore other possible locations for a new school."

– "Boston Children's Museum will close through early January as COVID-19 precaution," by Gal Tziperman Lotan, Boston Globe: "The Boston Children's Museum announced it will voluntarily close its doors to visitors through Jan. 7 because of the spike in COVID-19 cases around the region. 'While disheartening during this time when the Museum normally welcomes thousands of children to enjoy festive exhibits and programs, we are confident that this step is in the best interest of our staff and visitors,' museum president and chief executive Carole Charnow said in a statement Sunday."

– "Pfizer COVID vaccine to be produced at Massachusetts manufacturing site," by Melissa Hanson, MassLive.com: "After receiving emergency authorization from the Food and Drug Administration for its COVID-19 vaccine, Pfizer plans to produce the vaccine at several locations across the world, including one in Massachusetts. A Pfizer manufacturing site in Andover will be among locations to produce the vaccine."

PARTY POLITICS

– "State GOP party leader asks federal criminal authorities to investigate possible misuse of more than $1 million in party funds," by Andrea Estes, Boston Globe: "State Republican Party Chairman Jim Lyons has asked the US attorney and the FBI along with three other agencies to investigate whether former employees and fund-raisers for the GOP — including Governor Charlie Baker's former finance director — misused more than $1 million in party funds."

BIDEN TIME

– "Boston native Annie Tomasini, with a 'letting Biden be Biden' approach, to be a top staffer in his White House," by Liz Goodwin, Boston Globe: "During the toughest moments of the Democratic presidential race last winter, when neither polls nor primaries were going his way, Joe Biden always had at least one thing to look forward to. Nearly every day, his traveling chief of staff, West Roxbury native Annie Tomasini, would bring in a close friend or family member to surprise him on the campaign bus or plane."

PLANES, TRAINS AND AUTOMOBILES

– "MBTA weighs service cuts against an unknowable future," by Adam Vaccaro, Boston Globe: "The MBTA's oversight board will consider a package of service cuts at its final meeting of the year Monday, though the scale of the reductions was unclear as officials scrambled to finalize the proposal into the weekend. After months of reduced ridership and fare revenue due to the coronavirus pandemic, the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority plans to reduce transit service in the first half of 2021."

EYE ON 2020

– "The Electoral College Votes On Dec. 14. Meet Some Of Massachusetts' 11 Presidential Electors," by Edgar B. Herwick III, GBH News: "The party whose candidate wins the popular vote in Massachusetts gets to select the state's presidential electors. So, Massachusetts' 2020 electoral class is comprised of all Democrats — selected by the Democratic State Committee at a vote in September. They come from a range of backgrounds, and they have a range of motivations to volunteer for the job."

DAY IN COURT

– "2 Former State Police Supervisors Charged in Alleged Fraud Scheme," by Deborah Becker, WBUR: "Two former Massachusetts State Police troopers face fraud and theft charges in an alleged overtime scheme separate from the 2018 scandal that roiled the department. Retired troopers Lt. Daniel Griffin and Sgt. William Robertson are accused of fraudulently collecting pay for overtime shifts they didn't work, including times they were supposed to be manning sobriety checkpoints."

– "District Attorney Anthony Gulluni threatens lawsuit against US Attorney Andrew Lelling over report on Springfield police misconduct," by Stephanie Barry, Springfield Republican: "Months after the U.S. Department of Justice published a report alleging widespread misconduct over a period of two years in the Springfield Police Department's narcotics unit, Hampden District Attorney Anthony Gulluni says federal officials have left him in the dark about the details."

AS SEEN ON TV

– Rep. Jim McGovern on whether it would be better for President Donald Trump to skip President-elect Joe Biden's inauguration, during an interview on WCVB's "On the Record" which aired Sunday: "I think it would better if he did, quite frankly, because it would be a signal that things were somewhat normal. But I've long since given up on trying to figure out what Trump will or will not do." The segment.

– Somerville Mayor Joseph Curtatone on Covid-19 restrictions, during an interview on WBZ's "Keller @ Large" which aired Sunday: "This is not a fight against the governor, the Legislature, the business community or parents who want to send their kids to school. We're fighting the pandemic. To do that, we need to do that collectively. We need definitive action. Many of us have called for a rollback of the reopening plan to what is defined is an adjusted 2.1. Those indoor activities that health experts, epidemiologists, have said pose a high risk. They are indoor dining, they are health and fitness centers and others." The segment.

TRUMPACHUSETTS

– "Trump unleashes an army of sore losers," by David Siders, POLITICO: "In Massachusetts, Republican John Paul Moran is using unsubstantiated claims of voter fraud to fundraise, after losing his long-shot bid to unseat Rep. Seth Moulton by more than 30 percentage points. He was one of five failed Massachusetts Republican candidates for state and federal office whose lawsuit to invalidate the election results was thrown out by a federal judge last week."

KENNEDY COMPOUND

– "Outgoing Rep. Joe Kennedy focusing future beyond potential Peace Corps role," by Glen Johnson, Margaret Talev, Axios: "While numerous people inside Washington have mentioned the possibility of outgoing Rep. Joseph P. Kennedy III serving as the next director of the Peace Corps, the post isn't under discussion by the Biden transition and he is interested in other ways to serve the country, people familiar with the search tell Axios."

IT'S NOT EASY BEING GREEN

– "In Weymouth, a brute lesson in power politics," by Mike Stanton, Boston Globe: "This has been an epic battle over a crucial piece of the natural gas energy system — featuring a hunger strike, lawsuits, arrests, and big money lobbyists. The battle was especially fierce in Weymouth, both because of its history of pollution and its dense population — and also because Massachusetts has seen the tragedy that can come when natural gas pipelines fail: the Merrimack Valley explosions of 2018."

– "Volunteers Are Racing to Save Endangered Sea Turtles Stunned by the Cold," by Jody Serrano, Gizmodo: "For decades, volunteers in Cape Cod Bay in Massachusetts have spent November and December trekking up and down the area's beaches during high tide. They have a very important mission: finding stranded sea turtles that are so cold they can barely move, leaving them essentially defenseless on the shore."

ABOVE THE FOLD

— Herald: "COACHING GETS NICKED," "ROAD TO RECOVERY," — Globe: "Soldier was alive days after treatment," "Vaccine on way as virus rages," "Delivery to start Monday in Mass."

FROM THE 413

– "COVID, US police sentiment leave some Berkshire PDs feeling handcuffed in recruitment," by Francesca Paris, The Berkshire Eagle: "Hiring new police officers never has been easy. In the middle of a pandemic, after a summer of racial justice protests, some police chiefs in Berkshire County say that process only has gotten harder. In North Adams, Police Chief Jason Wood nearly canceled a recent entrance exam over a lack of applicants."

THE LOCAL ANGLE

– "A Local Police Chief Struggles to Bridge 2020's Bitter Divisions," by Jennifer Levitz, The Wall Street Journal: "The chief described what happened next as the great divide, a time when navigating the middle ground between police and protesters turned treacherous. In the months since, he and other city officials struggled to answer the pointed question echoed by residents in cities nationwide: Whose side are you on?"

– "Haverhill police want to add therapist to ride with officers, The Associated Press: "Police in Haverhill are asking the city to hire a therapist to ride along with officers and respond to calls involving people in mental or emotional distress. Police Chief Alan DeNaro made the request at last week's City Council meeting, the Eagle-Tribune reported. The council voted to submit a letter asking the mayor to approve the hire."

– "Worcester city manager continues recovery after COVID-19 diagnosis; 2 others test positive," by Winston W. Wiley, Telegram & Gazette: "City Manager Edward M. Augustus Jr., who tested positive last week for COVID-19 is doing well, according to a spokesman. Augustus, who has been quarantining since his diagnosis last Wednesday, experienced mild symptoms and is expected to be free to come out of isolation on Dec.19, according to Walter Bird, media relations specialist for the city."

– "Ryan seeks review of Salem's election practices in appeal," by Dustin Luca, The Salem News: "Jerry Ryan is moving forward with an appeal of the Ward 6 election trial, questioning whether Salem properly handled the election and the subsequent recount. Ryan lost the 2019 Ward 6 council race to current Councilor Megan Riccardi by one vote."

– "Westford students and parents oppose decision to suspend hockey and basketball," by Amy Sokolow, The Lowell Sun: "After Jannelle Cioffi, the parent of a Westford Academy athlete, heard that winter sports might be in jeopardy ahead of Monday's School Committee meeting, she gathered over 1,000 signatures and 150 personal statements from community members in favor of having all winter sports run this season."

– "Nursing homes take steps to prevent COVID-19 spread," by Cynthia McCormick, Cape Cod Times: "As nursing home officials across the state anticipate phase one of the state vaccination campaign announced last week, they are hoping new infection control procedures prevent the massive loss of life that occurred in the pandemic surge last spring."

TRANSITIONS – Gabrielle Farrell is now PR Manager of North America for PTC in Boston. She previously was traveling press secretary for Elizabeth Warren's presidential campaign.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY – to Toora Arsala and the Boston Herald's Alexi Cohan

NEW EPISODE: VAX TO THE FUTURE – On this week's Horse Race podcast, hosts Steve Koczela, Jennifer Smith and Stephanie Murray discuss early plans for vaccine distribution in Massachusetts, and speak with Boston Museum of Science President Tim Ritchie about new polling on the coronavirus vaccine. Subscribe and listen on iTunes and Sound Cloud.

Want to make an impact? POLITICO Massachusetts has a variety of solutions available for partners looking to reach and activate the most influential people in the Bay State. Have a petition you want signed? A cause you're promoting? Seeking to increase brand awareness among this key audience? Share your message with our influential readers to foster engagement and drive action. Contact Jesse Shapiro to find out how: jshapiro@politico.com.

A message from PhRMA:

Government price setting means politicians can arbitrarily decide that some patients and diseases are worth more than others. Through his proposal, Charlie Baker could put government in the way of personal health decisions that should be made by patients and their doctors. Tell Governor Baker: Stop endangering access to innovative treatments and vaccines. Find out more here.

HAPPENING TUESDAY - CONFRONTING INEQUALITY IN AMERICA TOWN HALL : The pandemic-induced recession has put over 40 million Americans at risk of foreclosure and eviction and caused a steady decline in Black homeownership. What solutions need to happen to make housing more inclusive and fair? Join POLITICO for its fourth town hall in the series "Confronting Inequality in America." Our latest town hall explores "The Housing Gap" and will convene policymakers, lawmakers, advocates and mortgage industry leaders to discuss various approaches for eliminating housing inequality as we begin to recover from the Covid-19 recession. REGISTER HERE.