News : POLITICO Massachusetts Playbook: WALSH’S LABOR hearing — NEW POLICE COMMISSIONER placed on LEAVE

Thursday, February 4, 2021

POLITICO Massachusetts Playbook: WALSH’S LABOR hearing — NEW POLICE COMMISSIONER placed on LEAVE — Officials SCRAMBLE to distribute VACCINE

Feb 04, 2021

GOOD MORNING, MASSACHUSETTS.

ON DAY OF WALSH'S HEARING, WHITE ON LEAVE — It's a headline no cabinet nominee wants on the morning of their confirmation hearing.

Boston Mayor Marty Walsh, President Joe Biden's choice for Secretary of Labor, placed brand new Boston Police Commissioner Dennis White on leave last night.

The developing news story could come up today when Walsh sits before the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions for his confirmation hearing. Walsh, a longtime Biden ally, is expected to be confirmed by the Democratic-majority Senate. Some conservative groups, however, have shined light in recent weeks on legal scandals that occurred during Walsh's tenure.

Appointing White to the police department's top spot is among Walsh's final moves as mayor, and it may cast a shadow on the mayor's big moment in Washington today. The suspension comes just two days after White was sworn into his new role. The Boston Globe had raised questions about how the department handled an allegation of domestic violence against White from 1999, and now the mayor will organize an outside investigation into the matter.

The entire episode raises more questions than answers. Walsh said the "disturbing issues were not known" to him or his staff, via a statement, and it's not clear why the new commissioner was not thoroughly vetted before being promoted. Walsh noted he asked White to take over the department quickly.

The transition came after an unusually abrupt departure by former Commissioner William Gross, who announced he would retire last Thursday and left the department on Friday.

It's not entirely clear why Gross left so quickly — he opted not to run for mayor, after considering a run, and has not taken a new job. Gross said in interviews with the press last week that he wanted to spend more time with his family, and had planned to retire when Walsh left his role as mayor. White, a three-decade veteran of the department, served as chief of staff to Gross.

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DATELINE BEACON HILL

– "Push to make Massachusetts a sanctuary state, end state and local law enforcement involvement in deportations, renewed by Democratic lawmakers," The Associated Press: "Democratic lawmakers announced Tuesday they'll renew their push to make Massachusetts a sanctuary state, joining activists in saying the action is needed to ensure all residents can seek medical care, emergency aid, and court and police protection without fear of deportation, especially during the coronavirus pandemic."

– "Groups call for transparency on Beacon Hill," by Christian M. Wade, Gloucester Daily Times: "As the Legislature begins another two-year session, good government groups are trying to pry open Beacon Hill's often opaque workings. Act on Mass, a coalition of progressive groups and unions, is among those calling on state House and Senate leaders to improve transparency and accountability as they consider legislating rules for the biennial session."

VAX-ACHUSETTS

– "State officials redirecting unused COVID vaccines to older residents, high-risk communities," by Robert Weisman and Travis Andersen, Boston Globe: "Disappointed with the state's COVID-19 vaccination drive so far, Governor Charlie Baker on Wednesday said officials are redirecting large quantities of unused doses now sitting in freezers to doctors and pharmacies, including many in communities hardest hit by the coronavirus."

– "Vaccine Hotline To Launch This Week, Baker Says," by Mike Deehan: "A state-run hotline for COVID-19 vaccination appointments will launch this week, according to Gov. Charlie Baker, who asked residents to be patient when seeking a vaccine."

– "Charlie Baker says Massachusetts vaccine appointments could take 'weeks' to get even with more sites opening," by Lisa Kashinsky, Boston Herald: "More vaccination appointments are opening up in Massachusetts and more doses are headed to pharmacies — but Gov. Charlie Baker is warning that it could take residents 'a few weeks' to score a slot for the highly sought-after shots."

– "Prisoners in Massachusetts won't get reduced sentences for getting COVID vaccine after Baker administration rescinds offer made by DOC," by Steph Solis, MassLive.com: "Days after Massachusetts prisoners were offered the possibility of reduced prison sentences for getting vaccinated, the Baker administration has taken that proposition off the table. A spokesperson for the Executive Office of Public Safety and Security told MassLive the administration rescinded the offer after the governor's office became aware of the memo."

– "Reggie Lewis Center to have neighborhood days," by Sarah Betancourt, CommonWealth Magazine: "Responding to concerns about the low number of people of color getting inoculated for COVID-19, Gov. Charlie Baker on Wednesday said his administration is trying to get vaccines in the hands of trusted providers in minority communities and setting aside specific days at the mass vaccination center in Roxbury for people from the neighborhood."

– "Tripadvisor HQ to serve as community vaccination center," by Lucia Maffei, Boston Business Journal: "One of the largest public companies in Massachusetts is opening the doors of its temporarily empty headquarters to serve as a community vaccination center. Travel metasearch company Tripadvisor Inc. (Nasdaq: TRIP) said Wednesday that its global office in Needham will be a community vaccination center for eligible Newton-Wellesley Hospital and Mass General Brigham patients, starting Feb. 3."

– "Lawrence Residents Can Now Schedule COVID Vaccine By Phone," by Edgar B. Herwick III, GBH News: "The city of Lawrence has beaten the state to the punch, launching a call center on Wednesday afternoon where eligible residents can now schedule an appointment for a COVID vaccine by phone."

FROM THE HUB

– "Will Boston lose its competitive edge in a work-from-home world?" by Jon Chesto, Boston Globe: "Tech companies are heading for the exits in California. Wall Street tycoons are packing their bags to catch some Florida sunshine. So, a big question looms for Boston's business community: Will we be next? The most common answer you'll hear: So far, no. But troubling signs abound for Greater Boston's competitiveness amid the remote-work trend spawned by the COVID-19 pandemic."

– "2 Boston City Councilors Want Updates On Investigation Into Officer Who May Have Attended Capitol Riot," by Ally Jarmanning, WBUR: "Two Boston city councilors are asking the newly installed police commissioner to publicly release updates about any investigations into Boston officers who may have attended the U.S. Capitol riot in January. Julia Mejia and Andrea Campbell sent the letter to Commissioner Dennis White on Monday, the day he was sworn in by Mayor Marty Walsh."

– "In budget plans, Boston school leaders start to map out recovery," by Bianca Vázquez Toness, Boston Globe: "Boston Public Schools Superintendent Brenda Cassellius revealed plans Wednesday to spend $1.3 billion on city schools next year, $36 million more than this year. Per pupil spending would rise to $23,500 from $22,000."

– "How is it that the average Boston-area house 'made' more than a minimum wage worker last year?" by Jon Gorey, Boston Globe: "As restless, lockdown-weary buyers stoked competition for the few homes listed for sale during the pandemic, the median price of a Boston-area single-family house rose 9.7 percent in 2020, according to the Greater Boston Association of Realtors — from $620,000 to $680,000. That means the typical Boston-area house earned its owner $60,000 in equity in a single year."

THE RACE FOR CITY HALL

– "Council passes Home Rule Petition to override special election," by Katie Trojano, Dorchester Reporter: "Members of the Boston City Council voted 12-0-1 to pass a Home Rule Petition that will cancel a special election if Mayor Martin Walsh vacates his office before March 5, a likely scenario given that a US Senate hearing to review his credentials to serve as the next US Secretary of Labor is set for this morning in Washington, D.C."

– "Andrea Campbell leads fundraising pack in Boston mayoral race," by Danny McDonald, Boston Globe: "In the Boston mayor's race, city councilor Andrea Campbell now slightly leads her council colleague Michelle Wu in campaign funding, according to state records. Campbell leapfrogged Wu in fundraising last month and now has $743,000 campaign cash on hand, compared to $741,000 for Wu, according to data from the state's Office of Campaign and Political Finance."

– "Boston acting-mayor-in-waiting Kim Janey reports $0.00 raised in January," by Sean Philip Cotter, Boston Herald: "City Council President Kim Janey says she didn't raise a single dollar in January — a month during which she regularly drew headlines about how she was soon to become acting mayor and might potentially run for a full term. Janey's monthly campaign bank statement, which hit the state's Office of Campaign & Political Finance public database Wednesday, reported little activity, saying she'd brought in literally $0.00 in contributions."

DAY IN COURT

– "Fate of boats owned by 'The Codfather' heading to court," The Associated Press: "A legal dispute over the sale of fishing boats once owned by a disgraced former fishing magnate nicknamed 'The Codfather' is headed to state court this month. It's the latest development in a waterfront saga that has dragged on for years in one of busiest fishing ports in the country ."

WARREN REPORT

– "Dems to Treasury Chief Yellen: The Time to Crack Down on Dark Money Is Now," by Andy Kroll, Rolling Stone: "Two of dark-money biggest foes, Senators Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) and Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), want newly confirmed Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen to take on the issue of what they call 'the corrosive effect of dark money on American elections .'"

– "Warren, Pressley push Biden to cancel student loan debt," by Victoria McGrane, Boston Globe: "If you thought top progressive lawmakers from Massachusetts would stop jousting with the White House now that a fellow Democrat is in office, you were mistaken. The new president was sworn in less than a month ago, but Senator Elizabeth Warren and Representative Ayanna Pressley are wasting no time pushing Joe Biden to cancel up to $50,000 in debt for each of the roughly 44 million Americans who have federal student loans."

– "Democrats are just one heartbeat away from losing control of the Senate. We analyzed how precarious their 'gerontocracy' majority really is." by Kayla Epstein, INSIDER: "Six senators — five Democrats and an independent who caucuses with them — are over age 70 and also represent states with a Republican governor who would have the power to appoint a temporary replacement in the event one of them is incapacitated or has to step down. If any one of them were to leave the Senate within the next two years because of a retirement, health issue, or other reason, the Democrats could lose their control of the chamber and doom President Joe Biden's legislative agenda."

MOULTON MATTERS

– "Until you stand against extremism, don't lecture me on patriotism or national security," by Rep. Seth Moulton, Boston Globe: "In 2019, Ronna McDaniel, chair of the Republican National Committee, personally questioned my patriotism. Some people protesting President Trump had burned an American flag."

IT'S NOT EASY BEING GREEN

– "John Kerry took private jet to Iceland for environmental award, called it 'only choice for somebody like me'" by Sam Dorman, Fox News: "President Biden's recently appointed climate czar, John Kerry, took a private jet to Iceland in 2019 to receive the Arctic Circle award for climate leadership, Fox News has learned. Kerry defended his high-pollution ride at the time, calling it 'the only choice for somebody like me who is traveling the world to win this battle' in an interview obtained by Fox News."

– "Biden administration puts Vineyard Wind energy project back on track," by Jon Chesto, Boston Globe: "The long-delayed Vineyard Wind offshore project has been put back on track by the Biden administration. In one of her first actions as the new director of the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Amanda Lefton pledged on Wednesday to conduct a 'robust and timely' review of Vineyard Wind and essentially resume the permitting process where it left off in December."

– "Advocates push statewide ban on plastic bags," by Christian M. Wade, Salem News: "Nearly 140 cities and towns have restricted single-use plastic bags, creating a patchwork of local laws, that lawmakers and environmental groups want to replace with a blanket, statewide prohibition."

ABOVE THE FOLD

— Herald: "CODFATHER'S FLEET TIED UP IN COURT," "LIFE COACH," "SHOT CLOCK," — Globe: "New commissioner placed on leave," "State to redirect unused vaccine."

PRIMARY SOURCES

– "Nevada jockeys to be first on presidential primary calendar," by Michelle L. Price, The Associated Press: "Democrats in Nevada are making a play to bump Iowa and New Hampshire from their early spots on the presidential primary calendar. If successful, it would upend decades of political tradition and give a more urban and racially diverse group of voters a greater say in picking the party's nominee."

THE LOCAL ANGLE

– "Needham police report exonerates officers of racial bias," by Bruce Mohl, CommonWealth Magazine: "More than a year after a black man was handcuffed by four police officers near a CVS store in Needham on suspicion of shoplifting, the police department is finally getting around to acknowledging it screwed up – sort of."

– "Worcester City Council not giving up on idea of municipal broadband network," by Steven H. Foskett Jr., Telegram & Gazette: "The City Council on Tuesday called for more exploration of the idea of creating a municipal broadband network. Councilors say they often hear from residents about issues with internet service in the city, and have said those issues have been exacerbated during the pandemic."

– "Ex-Lawrence mayor Rivera endorses Martinez-Dominguez," Eagle-Tribune: "Vilma Martinez-Dominguez has a major backer in her corner as she campaigns for the corner office at City Hall. On Feb. 3, former Mayor Daniel Rivera formally endorsed Martinez-Dominguez for the job he left in early January."

– "Help wanted: Retirees answer call to assist in COVID-19 fight," by Cynthia McCormick, Cape Cod Times: "With the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, volunteers started making and delivering masks — then in short supply — to health care facilities and nursing homes. They assist with contact tracing in schools, answer phones on a county help line, fill in for public health nurses at COVID-19 testing sites and, more recently, direct traffic and sign people in at vaccination clinics."

– "Plymouth legislators push for regional vaccination site at Kingston Collection," by Dave Kindy, The Patriot Ledger: "When Gov. Charlie Baker was in Plymouth last week, he was asked why there was so much difficulty in getting appointments for COVID-19 vaccinations."

TRANSITIONS – Zoë Mitchell joins the POLITICO Focus team as a producer, leaving her role at WBUR. Tweet.

REMEMBERING RICHARD N. COOPER … via the Boston Globe: "Dr. Cooper, who had been the Maurits C. Boas professor of international economics at Harvard University and an economic adviser to presidents, died Dec. 23 in his Cambridge home at 86 of lymphoma." Link.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY – to David Edelman, Ropes & Gray's Abby Cable, and Gov. Charlie Baker's senior adviser Tim Buckley.

NEW EPISODE: LUCK OF THE DRAW – On this week's Horse Race podcast, hosts Steve Koczela, Jennifer Smith and Stephanie Murray discuss the vaccine rollout, redistricting and new polling on remote, hybrid and in-person learning. Subscribe and listen on iTunes and Sound Cloud.

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