News: POLITICO Massachusetts Playbook: More bad news for Essaibi George

Tuesday, October 19, 2021

POLITICO Massachusetts Playbook: More bad news for Essaibi George

Oct 19, 2021

NEW POLL SHOWS WU IN COMMANDING POSITION — Michelle Wu leads Annissa Essaibi George 62 percent to 30 percent, according to a new Suffolk University/Boston Globe/NBC10 poll of the Boston mayor's race.

The poll spells some bad news for Essaibi George beyond the top line. Despite Essaibi George's more aggressive style in the first televised debate last week, Wu kept her commanding 32-point lead for the second straight survey.

Wu also outperformed Essaibi George across every racial group surveyed, and saw majority support for rent control — one of her key policies in this campaign and one Essaibi George has assailed.

While Essaibi George plays up her Boston roots (to some controversy) 59 percent of those surveyed said it doesn't matter where a candidate was born. Wu is from Chicago.

In one bright spot for Essaibi George, 48 percent of respondents said Boston needs her brand of "thoughtful, incremental change" compared to 36 percent who support the "bold, transformational change" Wu is calling for, per Suffolk pollster David Paleologos.

The poll adds to the air of inevitability around a Wu victory in two weeks. But she isn't unassailable. The Boston Globe's James Pindell and Joan Vennochi have both noted in recent days that Wu tends to talk about her bold plans in broad strokes, rather than specifics. Essaibi George has yet to fully capitalize on those openings for criticism. Look to see if she does in tonight's debate at 7 p.m. on NBC10.

GOOD TUESDAY MORNING, MASSACHUSETTS. Last December, Massachusetts GOP Chair Jim Lyons asked five state and federal agencies to investigate the state Republican Party's financial dealings under his predecessors.

Now a state grand jury appears to be looking into potential campaign finance violations by Lyons, Republican state Sen. Ryan Fattman and his wife, Worcester County Register of Probate Stephanie Fattman, according to a person who was subpoenaed in September and testified before the panel. The witness provided the subpoena to POLITICO. The grand jury was first reported by the Globe.

Some state committee members want Lyons, the frequently embattled party chair, to step aside until the grand jury process is complete. But short of a criminal indictment, they and other party insiders believe it's unlikely that Lyons would step down or that the state committee would get the votes necessary to remove him as chair. Just because a grand jury is impaneled doesn't mean charges are coming.

If the grand jury does find prosecutors have enough evidence for an indictment, the potential legal and political fallout for Lyons could be a boon for GOP Gov. Charlie Baker.

A former Baker ally, Lyons has become quite the thorn in Baker's side. He's railed against Baker's vaccine mandate for state employees, fundraised off Baker calling for his resignation and needled the Republican governor to "reconsider his party affiliation" — and that's just in the past few days. Removing Lyons from the equation would equal one less headache for Baker should he decide to run for a third term.

State committeeman Todd Taylor, a Lyons ally, dismissed the probe into possible campaign finance violations as a "political hit job" by those who want Lyons out as party chair and said it's "not going to work." Lyons didn't respond to a request for comment.

Some committee members are more focused on what the grand jury could mean for the party's already-suffering fundraising. "Who is going to give money to Jim Lyons and the MassGOP knowing their donation is going to be scrutinized by the attorney general and a grand jury?" state Rep. Shawn Dooley, who unsuccessfully challenged Lyons for party chair, said.

TODAY — Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito and EEA Sec. Kathleen Theoharides visit Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational Technical High School at 9:30 a.m. Polito visits the Mass Maritime Academy at 11:15 a.m. and a Weymouth elementary school at 1 p.m. Boston Acting Mayor Kim Janey visits the flu and Covid-19 vaccination clinic on City Hall Plaza at 11:30 a.m. and shares a public health announcement at 1:30 p.m. Rep. Lori Trahan visits UMass Medical Center at 12:30 p.m. Rep. Katherine Clark moderates a meeting between the White House and members of the Progressive Caucus at 2 p.m. Sen. Elizabeth Warren chairs a subcommittee hearing on protecting companies and communities from private equity abuse at 2 p.m.

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

STEP INSIDE THE WEST WING: What's really happening in West Wing offices? Find out who's up, who's down and who really has the president's ear in West Wing Playbook, the insider's guide to the Biden White House and Cabinet. For buzzy nuggets and details that you won't find anywhere else, subscribe today.

THE LATEST NUMBERS

– "Massachusetts reports 2,815 coronavirus cases over the weekend, a major drop from previous weekends," by Rick Sobey, Boston Herald: "The three-day total of 2,815 cases — a daily average of 938 infections — was a drop from last weekend's daily average of 1,117 cases."

DATELINE BEACON HILL

– "Launching Senate bid, state Rep. Paul Mark aims to help 'working families'," by Danny Jin, Berkshire Eagle: "State Rep. Paul Mark is running to represent the Berkshires in the state Senate, he says, 'to really make a difference for working families.' And he's doing so with the support of his fellow Berkshire County representatives, local labor leaders and other area Democrats. Mark, 42, a Peru Democrat first elected in 2010, announced his candidacy for the Senate on Monday in Pittsfield's Park Square. State Reps. Tricia Farley-Bouvier, D-Pittsfield; John Barrett III, D-North Adams; and William 'Smitty' Pignatelli, D-Lenox, endorsed Mark at the event, which was attended by more than 30 people, including local Democratic officials and activists."

– "Beacon Hill eyeing tradeoffs on offshore wind," by Bruce Mohl, CommonWealth Magazine: "A major policy debate is taking shape on Beacon Hill between those who see offshore wind as the key to meeting the state's climate change goals, and those who see the industry as needing to do more than that – specifically, spurring significant economic development in the state. The debate centers around the price of electricity."

– "Restaurant, Service Workers' Wages Would Rise To $15 Under Mass. Bill," by Mike Deehan, GBH News: "Some lawmakers want to fully eliminate the lower $5.55 rate for service staff after a legislative compromise in 2018 retained a separate minimum wage for tipped workers in Massachusetts. 'We know that the sub-minimum wage is certainly not sufficient. People just cannot live on that,' Pittsfield Rep. Tricia Farley-Bouvier told GBH News. Her bill would align tipped workers' salaries with other workers' at $15 an hour by 2028, regardless of extra income they receive through tips. … Farley-Bouvier's bill will be heard by the Labor Committee Tuesday."

– "Lawmakers seek more funds for recovery schools," by Christian M. Wade, CNHI/Eagle-Tribune: "Recovery high schools are helping hundreds of teens struggling with drug and alcohol addiction to get clean and sober, but advocates say more money and resources are needed to meet the growing demand."

VAX-ACHUSETTS

– "State employees who missed vaccine deadline face suspension and eventual termination," by Matt Stout, Boston Globe: "Nearly 1,600 state employees have not proven they've been vaccinated against COVID-19 or sought an exemption and now face being suspended and potentially fired under Governor Charlie Baker's inoculation mandate, his administration said Monday. It wasn't clear how many of the 1,571 executive branch employees will be punished a day after the deadline passed for 42,000 workers and 2,000 contractors to prove their vaccination status, though at least one union official told the Globe that a handful of his members had been suspended by midday Monday."

Baker told reporters that "the fact that 95 percent of our employees have attested to either being vaccinated or having filed for an exemption — and the vast, vast, vast majority have been vaccinated — I think is an indication from the state workforce that they agreed with us" on the vaccine mandate. WBUR's Amy Gorel and Deborah Becker have the details — or lack thereof — facing the unvaccinated.

– More from the Boston Herald's Erin Tiernan and Rick Sobey: "State workers seeking exemptions to a new coronavirus vaccine mandate are speaking out against a chaotic process that has left their job statuses in limbo as the state takes weeks to work through hundreds to thousands of requests. … Sgt. Michael Cherven, president of the State Police Association of Massachusetts, blasted the administration's slow response, accusing Baker's administration of having 'strung along' workers who are left with 'looming questions' about their employment status as the Baker administration drags its feet on exemption decisions."

– From CommonWealth Magazine's Shira Schoenberg and Bruce Mohl: "At the State House press conference, Senate President Spilka indicated her branch's vaccine mandate is proceeding smoothly. She said all 40 senators and their staff have responded, and indicated only 4 percent of them were finalizing their second shot or seeking an exemption."

– And from State House News Service's Matt Murphy: "House Sets Nov. 1 Vax Proof Deadline for Returning Employees"

– "Mass General Brigham employees sue hospital system for denying COVID-19 vaccination exemptions," by Nick Stoico, Boston Globe: "A group of Mass General Brigham employees are suing the health care system for denying their medical or religious exemptions for getting a COVID-19 vaccine, arguing that the denials are discriminatory and violate protections under the Americans with Disabilities Act, according to court documents."

FROM THE HUB

– "Boston Struggles To Boost Minority, Female Labor Force In Construction," by Daniel Kool and Lily Kepner, Boston University/GBH News: "Four years after the City of Boston established more ambitious goals for equitable hiring in construction jobs, none of the city's top projects hit the standard for hiring women and less than a third met the standard for hiring people of color, according to five years of city data obtained by GBH News."

– "Rat-borne bacteria investigated on Mass and Cass poses health threat to dogs, deadly in some cases," by Meghan Ottolini, Boston Herald: "The bacterial infection under examination — leptospirosis — poses a threat to dogs that can be deadly if left untreated."

THE RACE FOR CITY HALL

– "Flaherty, Mejia, Louijeune win likely, but fourth at-large seat uncertain, poll shows," by Tiana Woodard, Boston Globe: "Incumbents Michael Flaherty and Julia Mejia are leading in the race for four at-large seats on the Boston City Council, with newcomer Ruthzee Louijeune in third position, according to a new Suffolk University/Boston Globe/NBC10 poll. 'The top three contenders in the eight-way race are pretty solid,' said David Paleologos, director of the Suffolk University Political Research Center, which conducted the poll of 500 likely voters in the November final election from Friday through Sunday. 'The real fight is for that fourth seat, between David Halbert, Erin Murphy, and Carla Monteiro.'"

– "Campbell Endorses Council Candidates, Stays Mum On Mayoral Race," by Saraya Wintersmith, GBH News: "Former Boston mayoral contender and outgoing city councilor Andrea Campbell is rolling out a slate of endorsements Tuesday — but a mayoral candidate's name will be conspicuously missing from that list. Campbell, who placed third in the city's preliminary mayoral election last month, will back the At-Large bids of incumbent councilor Julia Mejia, David Halbert, Ruthzee Louijeune and Carla Monteiro, as well as Brian Worrell in the race for the District 4 seat she currently holds."

– Worrell's District 4 rival, Evandro Carvalho, a former state representative, was endorsed yesterday by SEIU 1199, 32BJ and 509, per the campaign.

– FIRST IN PLAYBOOK: Boston state Rep. Aaron Michlewitz has endorsed David Halbert for Boston City Council at-large, per Halbert's campaign.

– From the opinion pages: "Michelle Wu silent on luxury development project headed by her close friend," by Joe Battenfeld, Boston Herald: "Mayoral candidate Michelle Wu, who has boasted of her leadership on the City Council, was silent on a massive South End luxury development project spearheaded by a close friend and former housemate of hers. Wu has no record of weighing in on the $365 million, 585-unit 345 Harrison Ave. project, which was recently completed across from the InkBlock, the former site of the Boston Herald. "

THE LOCAL ELECTIONS ROUNDUP

– NEW THIS AM: Rep. Ayanna Pressley has endorsed Damali Vidot for Chelsea City Councillor at-large, Marisol Santiago for District Three Councillor, Maria Belen Power for District Eight Councillor and Roberto Jiménez Rivera for Chelsea School Committee at-large, saying in statement the candidates have "devoted themselves to advocating for every Chelsea resident, to laying out a more inclusive, equitable vision for the City, and then fighting to make it a reality."

– FIRST IN PLAYBOOK: Newton Mayor Ruthanne Fuller has been endorsed by Becky Grossman, Josh Krintzman, Alison Leary, Andreae Downs, Deb Crossley, Holly Ryan and Vicki Danberg, the chairs of the Newton City Council committees, in her reelection bid, per Fuller's campaign.

MAPMAKER, MAPMAKER

– "Advocates suggest Mass. Legislature may be breaking the law by refusing to draw majority-minority Senate district for Brockton," by Nick Stoico and Emma Platoff, Boston Globe: "Advocates on Monday said the Massachusetts Legislature may be violating voting rights law by refusing to draw a majority-minority state Senate district based in Brockton, New England's only majority-Black city. They said they are 'keeping all legal options on the table.'"

– Lawyers for Civil Rights Boston and the Haverhill Latino Coalition also sent letters urging mapmakers to go back to the drawing board over a proposed state Senate district they say would "needlessly" split downtown Haverhill off from the rest of the Merrimack Valley city and combine it with Lawrence and Methuen to create a Latino-centric district. While state Sen. William Brownsberger, who leads the Senate redistricting effort, said lawmakers identified a Voting Rights Act violation, LCR Boston said mapmakers have some flexibility in how they draw the district and Latino Coalition advocates warned that the currently proposed district would divide Haverhill's Latino community.

ROLLINS REPORT

– "Woman serving life for 1990 murder urges Suffolk DA Rollins to support her release," by Shelley Murphy and Andrew Brinker, Boston Globe: "Thirty years after Angela Jefferson was found guilty of first-degree murder for fatally stabbing her boyfriend and sentenced to life in prison, Suffolk District Attorney Rachael Rollins is considering her lawyer's request to support a motion to reduce her sentence and set her free. On Monday, after Jefferson's relatives and supporters rallied outside Rollins's office in support of her release, the district attorney released a statement that her integrity review bureau 'is actively and thoroughly reviewing her case at this time.'"

DAY IN COURT

– "Haitian Families In Massachusetts File Complaint Against Biden Administration Over Border Camps," by Sarah Betancourt, GBH News: "Two dozen Haitian families living in Massachusetts filed a civil rights complaint Monday against the Biden administration, demanding an investigation into inhumane conditions they faced while they were detained at the border."

DATELINE D.C.

– "Biden quietly deciding how to restart student loan payments," by Michael Stratford, POLITICO: "The Biden administration is developing plans for how it will restart federal student loan payments early next year when the pandemic pause on monthly payments for tens of millions of Americans ends, according to documents obtained by POLITICO and two sources familiar with the plans."

– "These Republicans torpedoed vaccine edicts — then slipped in the polls," by Lisa Kashinsky, POLITICO: "In states with vaccine mandates, 52 percent of people approve or strongly approve of their governors' handling of the pandemic, according to the latest survey from the Covid States Project, which has been tracking gubernatorial approval ratings for the past year and a half. That coronavirus approval rating drops to 42 percent for governors in states with no vaccine requirements. And it takes yet another hit — dropping to just 36 percent — in states where governors have barred vaccine mandates."

Sixty-four percent of respondents approved of Gov. Charlie Baker's handling of the pandemic, the second-highest rating for any governor, behind Vermont Gov. Phil Scott. That's still lower than Baker's typically sky-high ratings, though, and it's down from the 80 percent approval he enjoyed in late April 2020, per the Covid States Project.

THE LOCAL ANGLE

– "Advocates Welcome FBI's Anti-Hate Crime Effort, Saying Cases Are Dramatically Underreported," by Marilyn Schairer, GBH News: "The Anti-Defamation League of New England and members of New England's Chinese American Alliance are applauding the FBI's new public awareness campaign against hate crimes, but caution that fear and distrust of law enforcement in minority communities leads to underreporting of incidents."

– "'We will not return to work': Striking Saint Vincent Hospital nurses respond to CEO's open letter, call for guarantee of old jobs," by Tom Matthews, MassLive: "Saint Vincent Hospital CEO Carolyn Jackson has issued an open letter to the hospital's striking nurses asking for them to accept its final offer and return to work after the hospital invoked its right under federal labor law to unilaterally implement its last, best and final offer on Friday. The terms of that final offer were implemented on Sunday, Oct. 17."

– "Safety plan unveiled for LHS after fights, arrests," by Jill Harmacinski, Eagle-Tribune: "After the start of a school year marked by fights and arrests, students at Lawrence High will start each day talking with their teachers about the school's 'culture and climate.' Safety measures will also include an increased police presence, shorter lunch periods, staggered dismissal time and strict enforcement of the school's uniform policy. A task force to "review and revise" school safety issues will also be launched this week, according to Lawrence Public Schools Superintendent Cynthia Paris."

– "Massachusetts' flu season is starting more active than the past 3 years," by Rick Sobey, Boston Herald: "The percent of influenza-like illness visits in Massachusetts was 1.32% during the first week of October, which was the state Department of Public Health's first weekly flu report of the 2021-22 season. The 1.32% figure is higher than the same week in the previous three seasons."

– "A street performer was singing 'All of Me' at Faneuil Hall. That's when John Legend showed up," by Mia McCarthy, Boston.com.

TRANSITIONS – Acting Assistant Secretary and MassHealth Director Amanda Cassel Kraft has been appointed to the role permanently. Sarah Betancourt is now a staff reporter at GBH News.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY – to POLITICO's Kyle Cheney, state Rep. Alan Silvia, Michael Goodman, Kate Donaghue, Isaac Simon and Mark Cote.

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.

BECOME A GLOBAL INSIDER: The world is more connected than ever. It has never been more essential to identify, unpack and analyze important news, trends and decisions shaping our future — and we've got you covered! Every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, Global Insider author Ryan Heath navigates the global news maze and connects you to power players and events changing our world. Don't miss out on this influential global community. Subscribe now.