News : POLITICO Massachusetts Playbook: PRESSLEY gets WIN on FEDERAL EXECUTIONS — FREE BRITNEY reaches state delegation

Friday, July 2, 2021

POLITICO Massachusetts Playbook: PRESSLEY gets WIN on FEDERAL EXECUTIONS — FREE BRITNEY reaches state delegation — SECRETARY of EQUITY

Jul 02, 2021

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FEDERAL EXECUTIONS PAUSED — Rep. Ayanna Pressley notched a significant win in her fight to abolish the federal death penalty when Attorney General Merrick Garland on Thursday announced a pause on federal executions pending a review of the Justice Department's death penalty policies and procedures.

It's a temporary step toward Pressley's goal of ending the use of the federal death penalty and re-sentencing inmates on death row, which she's been pursuing through legislation and by pressuring President Joe Biden. She marked the announcement by tweeting a photo of her and Biden discussing the issue at the White House's Juneteenth celebration, her office confirmed.

"During my recent visit to the White House, President Biden gave me his word that no person in America would be executed by the federal government on his watch," Pressley said in a statement. "I applaud the Biden Administration for being responsive to our calls and to the generations of activists organizing to abolish the death penalty."

Garland's announcement, made through a memo to senior officials, does not address whether federal prosecutors would still seek the death penalty — a matter of particular importance here after Biden's Justice Department two weeks ago urged the U.S. Supreme Court to reinstate the death penalty for Boston Marathon bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev that a lower court tossed last year.

"We continue to call on President Biden to commute the sentences of those on death row and ensure a fair resentencing process, direct DOJ prosecutors to no longer seek the death penalty and dismantle the death row facility at Terre Haute," Pressley said. "We're not backing down in this fight."

#FREEBRITNEY — Sen. Elizabeth Warren isn't saying #FreeBritney just yet, but she is asking federal agencies for the information they collect on conservatorships like the one Britney Spears has been living under for more than a decade.

Warren and Sen. Bob Casey (D-Pa.) sent a letter to the Justice and Health and Human Services departments yesterday asking for data on the prevalence of conservatorships, also known as guardianships, nationwide. Their request came days after Spears pleaded with a judge to end her conservatorship, and a day after a judge shot down a previous request to remove her father as its controller.

"While guardians and conservators often serve selflessly and in the best interest of the person under guardianship, a lack of resources for court oversight and insufficient due process in guardianship proceedings can create significant opportunities for neglect, exploitation, and abuse," the senators wrote.

Rep. Lori Trahan backed Warren's calls for more data. "First of all, free Britney. Second of all, we absolutely need more data on conservatorships," she said in a statement to POLITICO. "Britney's case is an example of blatant abuse within the system, and we should find out if other people who don't have her fame are suffering under similar circumstances."

Calls to #FreeBritney are popping up on both sides of the aisle in Congress. Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) led a handful of Republicans in inviting Spears to testify before Congress. Democratic Rep. Katherine Clark, a member of Democratic leadership, tweeted #FreeBritney after Spears' emotional testimony last week. Fellow Massachusetts Democratic Rep. Seth Moulton tweeted that Spears' conservatorship, which he admitted he hadn't known about, "is some of the craziest s*** I've seen in a long time" and asked: "Do you think Congress should investigate?"

GOOD MORNING, MASSACHUSETTS. Kim Janey smashed two glass ceilings in Boston when she became the first woman and first Black person to serve as the city's top executive back in March. Now she's marking 100 days as acting mayor with an event at the Museum of African American History at 11:30 a.m.

Janey's tenure has been a bit of a roller coaster thus far — though not one entirely of her own making. She's helmed the city's reopening and pumped millions of dollars of federal aid into rental relief and vaccine equity grants. But she's also dealing with controversies in the city's police department — inherited from her predecessor — and on the school committee. And she just weathered an unusually politicized budget battle with a council that includes three of her mayoral rivals. Plus, city employees keep leaving, a not unusual byproduct of a mayoral transition, but one that leaves a dearth of institutional knowledge at City Hall.

TODAY — Boston mayoral candidate and City Councilor Annissa Essaibi George joins the Notorious In The Morning radio show at 8:30 a.m.

THIS WEEKEND — Former U.S. Attorney Andrew Lelling joins WCVB's "On The Record" at 11 a.m. Sunday, filling in as the Republican analyst during the roundtable segment; state Sen. Diana DiZoglio, a candidate for state auditor, is this week's guest. Rep. Jake Auchincloss makes several local stops Saturday through Monday. Janey leads Boston's Independence Day Parade at 9 a.m. Sunday. The Boston Pops July 4th Spectacular is Sunday, with a concert at Tanglewood and fireworks on the Boston Common at 10:30 p.m.

PROGRAMMING NOTE: Massachusetts Playbook will not publish on Monday, July 5. I'll be back in your inbox on Tuesday, July 6.

Don't leave me hanging over the holiday: Have a tip, story, suggestion, birthday, anniversary, new job, or any other nugget for the Playbook? Get in touch: lkashinsky@politico.com.

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THE LATEST NUMBERS

— "Massachusetts reports 3 new coronavirus deaths, 76 cases as hospitalizations decrease," by Rick Sobey, Boston Herald: "Massachusetts health officials on Thursday reported three new coronavirus deaths and 76 new virus cases, as COVID hospitalizations ticked down across the Bay State. … More than 4.2 million people have been fully vaccinated."

DATELINE BEACON HILL

— "Appointing A State 'Secretary Of Equity' Is A Top Health Priority, Legislative Task Force Finds," by Arun Rath, GBH News: "The Massachusetts state legislature formed a task force to examine and make recommendations around improving health equity in the Commonwealth. After more than 10 months, the task force's final report was released on Thursday. Chief among its recommendations is the formation of a cabinet-level Secretary of Equity position, as well as better data tracking and an 'equity-in-all-policies' approach to governance." More on the report from CommonWealth Magazine's Shira Schoenberg.

— "After drownings, bill seeks to discourage unsafe swimming," by Steve LeBlanc, Associated Press: "In the wake of a series of recent drownings in Massachusetts, Gov. Charlie Baker filed legislation Thursday that would increase fines for swimming outside of designated waterfronts in the state."

— "Beacon Hill businesses still feel pandemic pressure as State House, offices remain closed," by Erin Tiernan, Boston Herald: "It's been 15 months since James and Vaios Grigas have seen a lunch rush at their Bowdoin Street cafe, Fill-A-Buster Luncheonette, which usually does a brisk business in the shadow of the State House."

— "Why child abuse commission got stuck," by Shira Schoenberg, CommonWealth Magazine: "In a very rare occurrence in state government, a special commission appointed by the Legislature spent 16 months investigating how child abuse should be reported and couldn't come to agreement on any recommendations."

— "Mass. AG Maura Healey announces new Student Loan Ombudsman to help 'struggling borrowers'," by Benjamin Kail, MassLive.com: "[State Attorney General Maura Healey] has appointed Arwen Thoman, deputy director of her office's Insurance and Financial Services Division, to the newly established role of Student Loan Ombudsman as part of the 'Student Loan Borrower Bill of Rights' sponsored by state Sen. Eric Lesser and state Rep. Natalie Higgins."

— "Massachusetts workers can now take up to 12 weeks of paid family leave to care for ill relatives," by Michelle Williams and Steph Solis, MassLive.com: "Massachusetts workers can apply to take up to 12 weeks of paid leave to care for a family member with a serious health condition."

VAX-ACHUSETTS

— "VaxMillions not driving up shots yet," by Lily Robinson, CommonWealth Magazine: "In the week before Gov. Charlie Baker announced the lottery on June 15, 175,071 doses were administered, or an average of 25,010 a day. In the first week after the announcement, the number of shots dropped to 114,437, or 15,625 a day. And in the week ending June 29 the total number of doses administered fell to 78,015, or 11,145 a day."

FROM THE HUB

— "Ex-Police Chief Dennis White Says He Was Victim Of Racial And Gender Discrimination," by Saraya Wintersmith, GBH News: "In his first substantive court filing since being dismissed last month, former Boston Police Commissioner Dennis White alleged Wednesday that his termination was improper in part because it was a result of gender and racial discrimination against him." More details from the Boston Herald's Sean Philip Cotter.

— "Rabbi reportedly stabbed outside Jewish building in Boston," by Rick Sobey, Boston Herald: "A rabbi was stabbed outside a Jewish building in Brighton this afternoon, sources tell the Herald. Rabbi Shlomo Noginski was stabbed multiple times outside the Shaloh House Jewish Day School in Brighton at around 1 p.m."

— "It Wasn't Just In Your Head — This Was The Hottest June On Record In Boston," by Miriam Wasser, WBUR: "The average temperature in Boston during June is 68 degrees Fahrenheit. This year, it was 74.4 degrees."

— This tracks: "A Dunkin' iced coffee has become a fixture at the Ashmont T station — and Boston Reddit is invested," by Dana Gerber, Boston Globe: "A plastic Dunkin' coffee cup has apparently been sitting on the median between the inbound and outbound trains at the Ashmont MBTA station for over a month, and Boston Reddit has taken notice."

THE RACE FOR CITY HALL

— "Records show tax woes for at least one top candidate for Boston mayor," by Andrew Ryan, Boston Globe: "City Councilor Annissa Essaibi George and her husband have been late paying property taxes on their Dorchester home every year since at least 2014, records show. The couple is currently up to date, but records show late tax payments are part of a longstanding, broader pattern that includes their cars and businesses."

— "Rick McKenna drops out of Framingham mayoral race; will back Sisitsky," by Jeff Malachowski, MetroWest Daily News: "Zoning Board of Appeals member and local builder Rick McKenna announced Thursday that he is suspending his campaign for mayor. … Mayor Yvonne Spicer, former City Councilor and Selectman Charlie Sisitsky and founder and CEO of the Brazilian Immigrants Family of America Carlos Valadares have each pulled papers for mayor."

JOIN TODAY FOR A PLAYBOOK INTERVIEW WITH ANITA DUNN: Anita Dunn, a senior White House adviser to President Biden and one of the most influential women in Washington, will join Playbook co-author Ryan Lizza to discuss the administration's legislative priorities, including getting the massive infrastructure plan through Congress, the latest on efforts to get 70% of U.S. adults vaccinated against Covid, and preparations for the White House's first big public event on Independence Day. Don't miss this Playbook Live event, REGISTER HERE.

FEELING '22

— "Chang-Diaz emphasizes the urgency of now," by Michael Jonas, CommonWealth Magazine: "When it comes to taking on the problems facing the state, Sonia Chang-Diaz regards patience far more as vice than virtue. … Running against the status quo Beacon Hill is probably the only path for a veteran legislator in a race for governor, but Chang-Diaz is also remaining true to the reputation she's earned at the State House. She's heard the criticism that she can be too hard-charging in her advocacy, but doesn't make apologies for it."

FROM THE DELEGATION

— Members of the state's congressional delegation were up in arms after the Supreme Court upheld Arizona voting restrictions in a blow to both the Voting Rights Act and efforts to combat new, Republican-led voting restrictions being passed across the nation.

Sen. Ed Markey swiftly called to expand the court — doubling down on legislation he filed that would add four seats to the bench. His bill has 27 House cosponsors, but still none in the Senate.

Markey also reiterated calls to abolish the filibuster to pass the For the People Act and the John Lewis Voting Rights Act in the Senate after both cleared the House. Warren, Pressley, Clark, Trahan, Moulton, and Reps. Bill Keating, Jim McGovern and Jake Auchincloss all voiced support for the bills in statements and tweets, though not everyone mentioned killing the filibuster as the means to the end.

— More: "After SCOTUS Upholds Arizona Voting Restrictions, Warren And Pressley Double Down On Ending The Filibuster," by Mike Deehan, GBH News: "U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren and U.S. Rep. Ayanna Pressley see the Supreme Court's Wednesday ruling upholding a restrictive Arizona voting law undermines the Voting Rights Act and means that Congress must act to expand voter protections, even if it means eliminating the Senate's filibuster."

— And more: "High Court Ruling Stokes Debate on Voting Rights," by Chris Lisinski, State House News Service (paywall): "''This is a green light to Republican legislatures around the country to go ahead and further restrict the rights of people to vote," [Secretary of State William Galvin] said. … MassGOP Chairman Jim Lyons said in a brief statement that the decision is 'an important victory for election law integrity.'"

— "Elizabeth Warren Says Child Care Is A Must-Pass," by Jonathan Cohn and Kevin Robillard, HuffPost: "Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) on Wednesday put down a political marker, telling HuffPost that a major child care initiative must be a part of the large economic package Democrats hope to pass this year."

DATELINE D.C.

— "Income tax battle between Massachusetts and New Hampshire spills into Congress," by Erin Tiernan, Boston Herald: "Without action from the high court, [N.H. Rep. Chris Pappas] — joined by members of Congress from New Hampshire and Connecticut — said 'the most effective path forward to protect workers from unfair, out-of-state taxes' is to pass a bill that will block states like Massachusetts from taxing remote workers on income earned while they're physically out of state."

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DAY IN COURT

— "SJC eases pandemic restrictions on court proceedings and trials," by Travis Andersen, Boston Globe: "...the SJC said the first order updates rules for people seeking entry to a courthouse and removes occupancy limits and distancing requirements in the buildings. Everyone will be required to continue to wear masks… The second order, the statement said, lets courts begin conducting business much as they did before the health crisis. Under terms of that order, courthouses will be open for in-person sessions, though certain proceedings may still be held virtually, the statement said."

FROM THE 413

— "Activists breathe easier as Springfield drops down list of 'asthma capitals'," by Peter Goonan, Springfield Republican: "Local officials and community activists said they were heartened this week to learn the Springfield area is no longer considered an 'asthma capital,' dropping to No. 12 on a national list."

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THE LOCAL ANGLE

— "New Bedford mayor unhappy with Baker pick for fish panel," by Ted Nesi, WPRI: "New Bedford Mayor Jon Mitchell is once again expressing frustration with Beacon Hill leaders for a lack of focus on the Whaling City. Last week, Plymouth resident Michael Pierdinock was named to a seat representing Massachusetts on the New England Fishery Management Council, a panel that sets rules for the fishing industry such as catch limits ... Pierdinock will replace former state Rep. John Quinn, a Dartmouth resident and longtime member who had years of expertise regarding commercial fishing issues in and around New Bedford."

— "Black women are largely shut out of coveted tenure-track positions at Mass. colleges and universities," by Ivy Scott and Jack Lyons, Boston Globe: "The University of North Carolina may have quelled one controversy when its trustees finally granted tenure to journalist Nikole Hannah-Jones on Wednesday, but across the country — and in Massachusetts — the number of Black women who are tenured faculty remains rare. At public and private nonprofit four-year colleges, slightly more than 2 percent of tenured professors in the US were Black women in the fall of 2019, according to the most recent federal statistics. For two- and four-year colleges in Massachusetts, the number was even smaller at 1.7 percent. Nearly half of the state's tenured faculty — 46 percent — were white men."

— "Potential reduction in polling locations causes stir in Lowell," by Alana Melanson, Lowell Sun: "The overarching goal of the voting rights lawsuit put forward by a group of Asian-American and Latino residents and the resulting election system changes is to increase participation, among both candidates for office and voters. So when the Election Commission recently approved a plan that would reduce the city's polling locations from 13 to eight, residents and candidates were angered, sensing that it would work to suppress voter participation instead."

— "'People want to make an impact': Organization wins municipal bottle bans in every Cape Cod town," by Doug Fraser, Cape Cod Times: "...like in 14 other Cape towns — Truro voters Saturday supported the article that prohibited town departments from buying single-use plastic bottled beverages. The article also prohibited the sale of non-flavored, non-carbonated drinking water in single-use plastic containers on town property."

— IN MEMORIUM: "Photo editor at UMass Amherst student newspaper dies in crash on Mass Pike in Boston," by Andrew Brinker, Boston Globe: "A student at the University of Massachusetts Amherst and photography editor at the school's student-run newspaper died last week in a single-vehicle motorcycle crash on the Mass. Pike in Boston. Lynus Erickson of Medford was traveling eastbound on I-90 on June 22 when he shifted his motorcycle into the left lane and struck the wall, State Police said in a statement."

SPOTTED: Markey at Logan Airport's terminal C yesterday afternoon. Pic.

TRANSITIONS: Boston Globe alum Joanna Weiss is a new contributing editor for POLITICO Magazine. Shelly Hinds joins The Italian Home for Children's Mary Savioli Pallotta Education Center as head of school.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY: to Melwood Global's David Guarino, Josh Cahan and U.S. Army Captain Chuck Nadd.

HAPPY (LONG) BIRTHWEEKEND: to lots of Playbookers:

July 3: state Rep. Mark Cusack, Barbara Lee, president and founder of the Barbara Lee Family Foundation; and Ted Steinberg.

July 4: the United States of America, Chris Ingerson, and the late Massachusetts governor and President Calvin Coolidge, who was born on July 4, 1872.

July 5: Pat Beaudry, Christian Greve, and Boston.com alum Chris Caesar.

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.

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