News : POLITICO Massachusetts Playbook: Baker's VAX MANDATE — Parsing the Boston mayor's race PACs

Friday, August 20, 2021

POLITICO Massachusetts Playbook: Baker's VAX MANDATE — Parsing the Boston mayor's race PACs — LONG LINES for COVID TESTS return

Aug 20, 2021

VAX, BUT NO MASK MANDATE — Gov. Charlie Baker issued one of the strictest vaccine mandates for state government workers in the country yesterday, going beyond the rules set out by Democratic leaders in Boston and New York and California.

Baker told roughly 42,000 executive department employees and 2,000 contractors to show proof of vaccination by Oct. 17 or face disciplinary action, potentially up through termination. That's a step further than the mandate Acting Mayor Kim Janey issued for the roughly 18,000 Boston workers under her purview, which calls for them to show proof of vaccination or submit to weekly Covid-19 testing.

The vaccine mandate may have relieved some of the pressure that's been building on Baker, but it quickly brought the threat of legal action from the Massachusetts Correction Officers Federated Union.

Some Republicans regard the growing number of vaccine mandates from local and state officials as a slippery slope. Eight GOP lawmakers have signed onto Spencer state Rep. Peter Durant's bill to prohibit requiring proof of vaccination to enter the state, schools, public buildings and businesses — a small minority of House legislators, but a signal of potentially messy times to come after House Speaker Ron Mariano and Senate President Karen Spilka both indicated yesterday they're pursuing vaccine requirements as they plan a return to working at the State House.

Durant told me he's vaccinated, but that "we all need to make personal choices that are right for us." And for Durant, that means not providing proof of that vaccination to enter the State House.

Baker's also still being deluged with calls to issue a statewide school mask mandate like Democratic Rhode Island Gov. Dan McKee did yesterday, reversing course under pressure after weeks of saying he wanted local school districts to decide for themselves.

GOOD FRIDAY MORNING, MASSACHUSETTS. The five major Boston mayoral candidates each have independent expenditure PACs supporting them now, creating the potential for a massive spending blitz in the final weeks before the Sept. 14 preliminary election.

Some of the PACs — which can raise and spend unlimited sums but can't coordinate with the campaigns — have been more active than others and so far have each focused on different goals.

Among those making moves: The "Better Boston" IEPAC supporting City Councilor Andrea Campbell has drawn big bucks from wealthy executives and charter-school supporters and shelled out more than $900,000 on production and largely television ad buys, according to campaign finance records and new analysis from Rivera Consulting.

The Environmental League of Massachusetts Action Fund IEPAC supporting City Councilor Michelle Wu is focusing on digital ads and plans to spend up to $100,000. Because the IEPAC is being funded by ELM's 501(c)(4), a classification with less stringent reporting requirements, it's "difficult" to tell where the money originated, Rivera Consulting said.

Janey's bid is being backed by the Hospitality Workers IEPAC, which is pulling funds associated with UNITE HERE and its Local 26. So far the IEPAC's put more than $9,000 toward fliers for canvassers, working the ground game for the candidate who was the last major entrant to the race. The IEPAC has hundreds of thousands more dollars saved up to spend, and the funds set up to back City Councilor Annissa Essaibi George and former city economic development chief John Barros could spring into action, setting the stage for saturated airwaves and flurries of fliers as the preliminary hurtles toward the finish line.

TODAY — Barros announces the final installment of his education policy platform at 9:45 a.m. at Bunker Hill Community College. Janey holds a press conference to share updates on Boston's coronavirus response at 10 a.m. at City Hall, hosts a Neighborhood Coffee Hour series at the James P. Kelleher Rose Garden at 10:30 a.m. and gives remarks at a landmark designation for Shirley-Eustis Place grounds in Roxbury at 1:30 p.m. Sen. Ed Markey and Boston City Council at-large candidate Ruthzee Louijeune visit the Gourmet Kreyòl food truck fundraiser for Haiti at Boston City Hall. Markey holds a media availability there at 10 a.m. and hosts a press conference at Union Station in Springfield to discuss the bipartisan infrastructure bill and budget resolution at 1 p.m. Campbell is a guest on Boston Black News on Boston Praise Radio at 11 a.m. and attends the Turn It Around Charlestown Meeting at 4 p.m. The Legislature's Special Commission on Qualified Immunity will be hosting a virtual public comment meeting at 11 a.m.

THIS WEEKEND — Rep. Jake Auchincloss makes his Sunday show debut on "Full Court Press with Greta Van Susteren." Former Weekly Dig editor and Boston magazine columnist Joe Keohane, author of "The Power of Strangers: The Benefits of Connecting in a Suspicious World," discusses approaches to bridging the country's political divide on "Keller At Large," 8:30 a.m. Sunday, WBZ. Essaibi George is this week's guest on WCVB's "On the Record" at 11 a.m. Sunday.

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THE LATEST NUMBERS

– "Massachusetts coronavirus cases rise 1,373, hospitalizations keep increasing amid delta variant," by Rick Sobey, Boston Herald: "Massachusetts health officials on Thursday reported a spike of 1,373 coronavirus cases, as COVID-19 hospitalizations also continued to increase amid the delta variant."

– "Town-by-town COVID-19 data in Massachusetts," by Ryan Huddle and Peter Bailey-Wells, Boston Globe.

DATELINE BEACON HILL

– "Report Warns School Funding System Still Inequitable," by Katie Lannan, State House News Service: "The Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce and Massachusetts Business Alliance for Education renewed their calls Thursday for the state to phase out some elements of its school funding formula that they say perpetuate inequities. ... In a new brief released Thursday, they said that this fiscal year, the state's 'least wealthy districts will receive the smallest portion of this needs-blind aid, both in aggregate and on a per-pupil basis.'"

VAX-ACHUSETTS

– "Baker Reverses Course, Orders State Employees To Get Vaccines," by Sarah Betancourt, GBH News: "Governor Charlie Baker is ordering the state's 42,000 executive branch employees to be vaccinated, or face potential termination. All employees will be required to provide proof of having been vaccinated by October 17. The new mandate applies to employees working remotely and those in-person. … Baker earlier this year had resisted calls to mandate vaccines for state workers."

– "Long coronavirus testing lines and appointment backlogs return in Massachusetts," by Erin Tiernan, Boston Herald: "The long lines and appointment backlogs that defined coronavirus testing at the peak of the pandemic are creeping back as the delta variant outbreak overtakes Massachusetts, driving cases up. More than 150 people lined up in the second-floor parking garage at the CambridgeSide mall in Cambridge on Thursday morning, some waiting as long as 40 minutes to take a self-administered nasal swab test."

– "COVID-19 Cases Jump In Massachusetts Prisons And Jails," by Deborah Becker, WBUR: "In its most recent report to the State Supreme Judicial Court, the Department of Correction says there are now 41 active coronavirus cases among those incarcerated at the Souza-Baranowski Correctional Center. That's up from 29 cases reported there last week. A separate report says a dozen correction officers at Souza also have tested positive."

– "Archdiocese of Boston schools faces backlash after issuing restrictions on mandating masks for vaccinated people," by Felicia Gans, Boston Globe: "Parents are pushing back against an Archdiocese of Boston mandate that restricts local Catholic schools from requiring vaccinated students or staff members to wear masks."

– "DPH Stepping In To Help Vaccinate Casino Workers," by Colin A. Young, State House News Service (paywall): "After hearing concerns that members of the Gaming Commission expressed over the vaccination rates among gaming center employees, the Department of Public Health launched conversations with the state's casinos and slots parlor about ways to promote vaccination."

– "She Lost Her Husband To COVID. His Death Could Help Other Families Sue Nursing Homes," by Paige Sutherland, WBUR: "David Hoey is known as the guy to call if you have a problem with a nursing home in Massachusetts. So, as you might imagine, his law office has been busy over the past year."

– "VaxMillions fourth round winners: Lilly Guttenplan of Lowell nabs $1M prize and Nadia Dutton of Rockland wins $300K scholarship," by Benjamin Kail, MassLive.com.

FROM THE HUB

– "A look inside a Boston phenomenon: Storrowing," by Julia Taliesin, Boston.com: "A box truck innocently enters Storrow Drive — maybe students renting a U-Haul or a delivery from out of town — and doesn't take heed of the signs noting a 10-foot height limit. Before they know it, the top is shorn off the truck or they're stuck under a bridge with traffic backing up behind them."

– "Boston Police, Rachael Rollins criticize sentence for would-be cop killer," Sean Philip Cotter, Boston Herald: "District Attorney Rachael Rollins, the Boston Police Department brass and the cop unions have had their disagreements, but all were firmly on the same page against the decision by a judge to sentence an admitted would-be cop-killer to as little as five years behind bars."

– "Bar Manager At Popular Boston Spots Fired Over Sexual Misconduct Allegations," by Tori Bedford, GBH News: "The bar manager of a popular restaurant and speakeasy in Boston's Leather District has been fired following allegations of sexual abuse and harassment, according to the owner. Chris Campbell, the owner-manager of Troquet on South restaurant and nearby OFFSUIT speakeasy, said Matt Marini, 31, was dismissed Tuesday evening after an investigation by outside lawyers. "

– "This Boston woman wants to break the Guinness world record for fastest time traveled to every MBTA station," by Steve Annear, Boston Globe: "In a few weeks, [Maya Jonas-Silver] is moving to New York City with her fiance, Jack, to start a new chapter in their lives. But before she leaves her hometown, she'll attempt to win the Guinness World Records title for stopping at every MBTA station in the quickest time possible."

– "Tenants to start occupying The BEAT in spring 2022," by Katie Trojano, Dorchester Reporter: "Work to repurpose the former Boston Globe headquarters hit a key milestone on Thursday as the developers behind the BEAT announced that life science, medical and high-tech companies will start occupying the building this coming spring. The opening comes amid high demand for lab space in the Boston area."

THE RACE FOR CITY HALL

– "John Barros's mayoral campaign pushes TV station to include him on popular political show," by Meghan E. Irons, Boston Globe: "The campaign of Boston mayoral candidate John Barros is pressing WCVB-TV to reconsider its decision to exclude Barros from appearing on the Sunday morning program 'On The Record' in the run-up to the preliminary election on Sept. 14. "

– FIRST IN PLAYBOOK: State Rep. Liz Miranda has endorsed Carla B. Monteiro for Boston City Council at-large, per her campaign. "Carla Monteiro is a friend, colleague, and leader," Miranda said in a statement: "As we navigate from the COVID-19 pandemic, it's critical to elect leaders who deeply understand the systematic inequities that caused such disparate impact in our communities. She has leveraged the power of her own lived experience to serve others and step into leadership. Carla's background as an expert in social work uniquely prepares her to serve on the city council with an equity-lens, centered in dignity and justice for all Bostonians."

– FIRST IN PLAYBOOK: United Auto Workers Region 9A has endorsed City Councilor Michelle Wu for mayor of Boston, per her campaign. "She has a proven track record of fighting for working people and so many of the issues our members care most about, from affordable housing in our city, to workers' rights and safety, to the environment and climate justice. We are ready to mobilize behind Michelle's candidacy so that we can ensure we have a fighter for the rights of workers and all Bostonians in City Hall," Beverley Brakeman, Regional Director of United Auto Workers Region 9A, said in a statement.

DATELINE D.C.

– "'It's a tragedy and it was completely avoidable': Immigration advocates blame Biden for Afghan refugee mess," by Jess Bidgood, Boston Globe: "Refugee advocacy organizations and some of [President Joe] Biden's fellow Democrats say the chaos was preventable, that they have been warning the administration for months to move faster on visa processing and evacuations. It further deepens their distrust after Biden's decision in May to keep overall refugee admissions at the historic lows favored by Trump, a decision Biden reversed following an outcry. ... 'In the last few months I've been extremely direct with the administration that they need to conduct an evacuation...' said Representative Seth Moulton, a Salem Democrat, in an interview earlier this week."

DAY IN COURT

– "AG sues fire exam prep company, worrying civil service testing process 'has been compromised'," by Sean Philip Cotter, Boston Herald: "State authorities say they fear the civil-service promotional testing process 'has been compromised' as the AG's office files suit against an exam-prep company whose 'practice' exams they say 'bear a troublingly close resemblance' to the real tests, which are supposed to be sealed to the public."

FROM THE 413

– "Lawyers group, local NAACP branch seek termination of Williamstown police officer over Hitler photo," by Scott Stafford, Berkshire Eagle: "A growing list of groups is calling on town officials to terminate the employment of a police officer over the fact that he had a photograph of Adolf Hitler hanging in his locker at the station for years. But the officer claims it was hung as a practical joke over a fellow officer who looked a bit like him."

– "MGM Springfield set to bring back poker by the end of the year," by Amy Sokolow, Boston Herald: "Bay Staters will soon be able to play poker in-state again, when MGM Springfield opens its doors to poker players by the end of the year. … The [Massachusetts Gaming Commission] noted last month that it had seen a tenfold increase in complaints, many of them over the lack of poker options in the state, which had been taken away during the pandemic to prevent the spread of the virus."

THE LOCAL ANGLE

– "Tornado Touched Down In Clinton, NWS Confirms," by Christina Hager, WBZ: "The National Weather Service confirmed a tornado touched down in Clinton on Thursday, causing extensive damage. 'We did see a funnel cloud with stuff going up – shingles or something. We really don't know because it was about 200 yards away,' said David Trinque, who was at work in Clinton at the time. That's when his wife, Diane, called, frantic."

– "Deal between nurses, Saint Vincent Hospital falls apart after Tenet Healthcare refuses to allow employees to return to their previous positions," by Michael Bonner, MassLive.com: "A deal that appeared to be on the verge of ending a more than 165-day nurses strike fell apart after Tenet Healthcare said it wouldn't allow nurses to return to their previous positions, the Massachusetts Nurses Association said."

– ICYMI: "Dracut School Committee meeting turns chaotic over masks," by Prudence Brighton, Lowell Sun: "At a turbulent School Committee meeting marked by angry shouts and emotional pleas from more than 20 parents, the School Committee voted to open schools under a universal mask mandate with the intent of lifting it as soon as COVID-19 numbers permit. The meeting was so raucous that at one point a parent was warned he would be removed by the police if he didn't stop shouting. And as the meeting ended, a group of parents started chanting 'Vote them out. Vote them out.'"

MEDIA MATTERS

– "Boston 25 morning anchor Sara Underwood will step away from full-time role," by Travis Andersen, Boston Globe.

IN MEMORIUM – "A tribute to Nonnie S. Burnes," by Ian Thomsen, Northeastern; "Harry Spence, trusted official who repaired flawed state institutions, dies at 74," by Bryan Marquard, Boston Globe.

SPOTTED – At public-relations guru George Regan's engagement party to Elizabeth Akeley Miller in Mashpee: Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito, UMass President Marty Meehan, former Boston police commissioner William Gross; former Boston, NYC and LA PD chief Bill Bratton; former ambassador and Boston mayor Ray Flynn, City Councilor Ed Flynn, restaurateurs Steve DiFillippo and Roger Berkowitz, Cape and Islands DA Michael O'Keefe, Mashpee Police Chief Scott Carline, former Boston Celtic Walter McCarty and Boston Herald executive editor Joe Dwinell. Former ambassador and senator Scott Brown performed with the James Montgomery Band.

ALSO SPOTTED – at Hampden County Sheriff Nick Cocchi's annual cookout Wednesday: GOP gubernatorial candidate and former state Rep. Geoff Diehl, state Rep. Brian Ashe and state Sen. Adam Hinds.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY – to the Boston Herald's Erin Tiernan, Boston.com's Nik DeCosta-Klipa, Daily Hampshire Gazette photog Carol Lollis, Targeted Victory CEO Zac Moffatt and Rachel Lea Fish. Happy belated to Trey McNinch, Rep. Smitty Pignatelli's district director.

HAPPY BIRTHWEEKEND – to Brendan Kennedy, Sara Seinberg, Cheryl Chen, GBH alum and Bloomberg Washington correspondent Joe Mathieu; Jana Winter, 2018-2019 Boston Globe Spotlight fellow and Yahoo contributor; Kelley Vickery, Amy Dow, director of public relations and government affairs at New Balance; and David A. Heifetz, who celebrate Saturday; and to Sunday birthday-ers Alvin Buyinza, Greg Shanahan and Margie Berkowitz.

NEW POD ALERT – Catch me on "The Cod Cabin" podcast chatting about the Boston mayor's race and the state of journalism with hosts Adam Bass, Jessy Han and Logan Rabe. Link.

REWIND – I joined MassINC Polling Group President Steve Koczela and GBH News' Adam Reilly on "Greater Boston" to talk about MassINC's poll showing support for a statewide school mask mandate. Link. [And belated congrats to Reilly on his national Murrow Award.]

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