News : Don’t call it a comeback ... or do

Wednesday, April 27, 2022

Don’t call it a comeback ... or do

Apr 27, 2022

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NEW: THE RETURN OF THE PEOPLE'S PLEDGE — Quentin Palfrey is calling on his rivals for state attorney general to sign a "People's Pledge" to limit third-party spending in the race.

"The attorney general's office is not for sale," Palfrey said in a statement. "The 'people's lawyer' needs to be truly independent. That's why I am calling on the 2022 AG candidates from both parties to join with me to commit to a campaign free of special interest money."

Sound familiar? Elizabeth Warren and then-Sen. Scott Brown signed a pledge to curb outside spending in their 2012 Senate brawl. Then-Reps. Ed Markey and Stephen Lynch signed a similar pact in the next year's Senate race. Warren resurrected it in 2018, as did Jay Gonzalez, the Democratic gubernatorial nominee who ran with Palfrey as his lieutenant governor. And it became a flashpoint in the 2020 Senate primary between Markey and then-Rep. Joe Kennedy III.

Palfrey wants his rivals to agree to donate their own campaign funds to charity each time an outside group spends money on their behalf. If a third party airs an ad or sends mail in support of a candidate, that candidate has to pay half the cost of the ad buy to a charity of his or her rivals' choice within three days. If it's an attack ad or mailer, the targeted candidate gets to pick the charity. There are penalties for late payments.

Palfrey's calling on all the AG candidates — Democrats Shannon Liss-Riordan and Andrea Campbell, and Republican Jay McMahon — to take the vow.

But it's a move that seems tailored toward Campbell, whose bid for Boston mayor last year was bolstered by $1.6 million in super PAC spending and who was just endorsed by Kennedy.

Liss-Riordan is also in an interesting spot here; she signed Kennedy's ill-fated pledge before dropping out of the 2020 Senate primary.

GOOD WEDNESDAY MORNING, MASSACHUSETTS. Dianne Wilkerson has reentered the Second Suffolk chat.

Wilkerson told Playbook she's pulled papers to reclaim the state Senate seat the once-ascendant Boston pol lost to Sonia Chang-Díaz in a 2008 primary and later resigned from after she was indicted for taking $23,500 in bribes. Wilkerson, who was caught on video stuffing bribe money into her bra, pleaded guilty to federal corruption charges and served 30 months in prison.

She reemerged as a prominent activist, co-founding the Black Boston Covid-19 Coalition and landing a spot on Boston magazine's annual power list just last week. Her political comeback has long been floated, and she foreshadowed a Second Suffolk return in December.

If she returns her papers, Wilkerson would join an already crowded Democratic field that includes state Reps. Liz Miranda and Nika Elugardo, who welcomed Wilkerson's seeming entrance, and the Rev. Miniard Culpepper.

TODAY — Gov. Charlie Baker, Boston Mayor Michelle Wu, AG Maura Healey, Chang-Díaz and U.S. Attorney Rachael Rollins participate in King Boston's groundbreaking for "The Embrace" memorial at 2 p.m. on the Boston Common.

Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito attends the WTS Boston leadership award ceremony at 8 a.m. Healey testifies at a 10 a.m. U.S. House oversight committee hearing on the opioid epidemic. Baker attends the Jamaica Pond trout stocking at 11 a.m. The Massachusetts Caucus of Women Legislators marks international Denim Day for sexual assault awareness. Healey and Chang-Díaz square off at a WBUR/Environmental League of Massachusetts forum at 6 p.m.

Tips? Scoops? Email me: lkashinsky@politico.com.

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THE LATEST NUMBERS

— "Massachusetts reports jump in new COVID cases, virus hospitalizations rise," by Rick Sobey, Boston Herald: "The state Department of Public Health reported 2,372 COVID-19 cases, a 39% increase from 1,712 infections recorded two Tuesdays ago. … In the state's weekly breakthrough report, the state reported 7,789 breakthrough infections last week — a 27% drop from the 10,624 fully vaccinated cases during the prior week."

DATELINE BEACON HILL

— "Child Marriage Ban, Judicial Salary $$$ Added To House Budget," by Colin A. Young, State House News Service (paywall): "Tackling the second amalgamated amendment package of the second day of budget debate, representatives added about $27.26 million in new spending targeted towards public safety and the court system to the House's fiscal year 2023 budget plan Tuesday afternoon. In addition to the new spending, the amendment adopted on a 155-0 vote also outlaws child marriage in Massachusetts, an occurrence that lawmakers and advocates have been drawing attention to for years on Beacon Hill. Current law allows anyone under the age of 18 to get married with parental consent, but lawmakers said that minors who marry cannot always access the legal and social services they would need to end a marriage."

— "State to borrow more to keep jobless fund solvent," by Christian M. Wade, Gloucester Daily Times: "Massachusetts is preparing to borrow billions of dollars more to help replenish a state fund that pays out unemployment benefits. The borrowing, which is authorized by the state Legislature, is aimed at addressing a structural deficit in the Unemployment Insurance Trust Fund, which has ballooned in the past two years following a crush of COVID-19 pandemic-fueled layoffs and business closures."

— "Mass. education leaders propose raising MCAS graduation requirements," by Naomi Martin and Adria Watson, Boston Globe: "Massachusetts education leaders on Tuesday approved seeking public input on a proposal to raise state standardized test scores needed for students to graduate high school, starting with this year's eighth graders. The vote by the Massachusetts Board of Elementary and Secondary Education started a public comment period on changes proposed by education Commissioner Jeff Riley before members take a final vote in June."

— "Lowell City Council, Tom Golden reach agreement on city manager contract," by Jacob Vitali, Lowell Sun: "Tom Golden will officially become the 18th city manager on Thursday. After a nearly two-hour executive session during the City Council meeting Tuesday, councilors emerged just before 10:30 p.m. to announce a deal had been finalized with the 16th Middlesex District state representative. Golden, 51, will enter City Hall on a five-year contract with a starting salary of $235,000 per year. ... After the meeting, Golden said he would hold true to his promise of resigning from the State House after he is sworn in for his new position."

VAX-ACHUSETTS

— ACTION PLAN: Vaccine justice activists plan to rally outside Moderna's Cambridge headquarters during its annual shareholder meeting on Thursday to demand that the company "stop hoarding vaccine science, put people over profit, and license mRNA vaccine technology to the hundreds of companies in the Global South ready to add to global vaccine supply," according to a statement from a coalition of groups including Justice Is Global, Massachusetts Peace Action, Massachusetts Communities Action Network and the Boston Democratic Socialists of America.

— "More than half of Massachusetts residents have been infected with COVID-19, and an even higher percentage nationwide," by Kay Lazar, Boston Globe: "More than half of Massachusetts residents and nearly 60 percent of all Americans have been infected with COVID-19, and many of those have occurred just since December, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Tuesday."

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FROM THE HUB

— "Massachusetts Department of Labor Relations tosses parts of Boston firefighters' vaccine complaint against city," by Sean Philip Cotter, Boston Herald: "The water further muddied on Boston's vaccine-mandate front as the state Department of Labor Relations tossed many of the public-safety unions' larger complaints that the city had broken the law but let others continue. While the probable-cause ruling in the case of International Association Fire Fighters Local 718 against the city from DLR investigator Gail Sorokoff does begin with, 'Based on the evidence presented during this investigation, I find probable cause to believe that violations of the Law occurred and, for the reasons stated below, dismiss the remaining allegations,' it focuses almost entirely on what it's dismissing rather than finding violations."

— "67 Boston North End restaurants apply for outdoor dining," by Sean Philip Cotter, Boston Herald: " Mayor Michelle Wu's administration said Tuesday that 67 of the old Italian neighborhood's restaurants applied to be part of the outdoor-dining program, which for the first time this year includes a North End-only $7,500 fee to go toward services in the neighborhood. That's in comparison to the 77 that the city said participated last year, when there was no fee for them."

— "Boston councilor pushes for official city holiday for Eid al-Fitr," by Danny McDonald, Boston Globe: "City Councilor Tania Fernandes Anderson, who made history last fall when she became the first Muslim elected to Boston's legislative body, is pushing to make Eid al-Fitr, which marks the end of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, an official city holiday."

— "Boston Police increasing Mass and Cass patrols after 5 stabbed in 3 days," by Sean Philip Cotter, Boston Herald: "Police are increasing patrols in the still-troubled Mass and Cass area after a spate of stabbings, including at the Boston Public Health Commission-run Engagement Center, that again has roiled the South End neighborhood."

ON THE STUMP

— FIRST IN PLAYBOOK: Jesse Mermell is endorsing Brookline Select Board Vice Chair Raul Fernandez for state representative in the 15th Norfolk district. Mermell, a former congressional hopeful and past Brookline Select Board member, said Fernandez is "the true progressive Brookline needs" on Beacon Hill.

— ENDORSEMENT ALERT: Members of the Upper Cape Women's Coalition have endorsed Donna Buckley for Barnstable County sheriff and are encouraging supporters to attend her campaign kickoff on May 12 in Falmouth, per her campaign.

— GETTING IN: Quincy Democrat and small business owner Casey Dooley is challenging state Rep. Bruce Ayers in the 1st Norfolk district.

— NOT GETTING IN: North Andover state Rep. Christina Minicucci won't seek another term in the House, in large part because of redistricting, the Record Citizen's Bryan McGonigle first reported . Minicucci's 14th Essex district changed by more than 50 percent in last year's redistricting process, swapping Lawrence, Methuen and Andover for Boxford, Groveland, West Newbury and Amesbury, she wrote in a Facebook post. "The existing 14th Essex continues to face challenges both big and small, and meeting those needs while campaigning in a largely different district is not something I feel I could responsibly juggle," she added.

— "Democratic gubernatorial hopeful AG Maura Healey secures endorsement from labor union representing more than 115,000 Massachusetts workers," by Alison Kuznitz, MassLive: "The announcement marks the first time in 20 years that the State Council, comprised of six separate labor unions across Massachusetts, has released a unified endorsement in an open gubernatorial primary, SEIU Local 509 spokeswoman Megan Piccirillo told MassLive."

PLANES, TRAINS AND AUTOMOBILES

— "East-west rail: Gov. Charlie Baker, US Rep. Richard Neal call for commission; federal funds to be sought," by Jim Kinney, Springfield Republican: "Gov. Charlie Baker and U.S. Rep. Richard Neal called Tuesday for a Western Massachusetts passenger rail authority that would apply for federal funds and evenly administer expanded east-west commuter rail. 'This is an agreement on a path forward here,' Baker said. Amtrak, which has been vocal about its plans to expand in the Northeast, would run the trains, Baker said in a news conference with Neal at Springfield Union Station."

DAY IN COURT

— "Son of famed American artist charged in Jan. 6 Capitol riot," by Steve LeBlanc and Ben Fox, The Associated Press: "For years, Vincent Gillespie waged a legal battle to try to gain control of hundreds of paintings by his father — renowned postwar American artist Gregory Gillespie. On Jan. 6, 2021, prosecutors say, Gillespie engaged in a very different kind of battle, joining rioters as they tried to wrest control of the U.S. Capitol from the federal government in one of the most violent confrontations of the riot."

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BALLOT BATTLES

— "Boston Chamber of Commerce joins suit against millionaire's tax," by Matthew Medsger, Boston Herald: "The Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce joined with other business groups Tuesday in voicing their opposition to a ballot question which will ask voters to change the state's constitution in November to hike taxes on high incomes. … The Pioneer Institute filed a lawsuit in March alleging that the 2022 ballot question to tax the state's millionaires is misleading voters. On Tuesday the chamber, along with other business groups, filed an amicus brief with the court saying they support the Pioneer Institute's suit."

WARREN REPORT

— "Warren tries to 'light the fire of urgency' for Democrats," by Burgess Everett, POLITICO: "[Sen. Elizabeth] Warren has often kept her head down during Joe Biden's presidency, popping up strategically at times to try and move the needle on issues like student loan cancellation and labor issues. But the onetime presidential candidate is going all-out to try to push her party to emerge from a morass of bad polling and stalled priorities to change its trajectory before Election Day."

— "'Joe Biden Is Running': Sen. Warren Responds To Speculation About 2024 Presidential Bid," by Jon Keller, WBZ: "Keller: 'That's not just a placeholder statement, you're committed to the idea of another eight years?' Warren: 'I gotta lotta work I want to do, and I'm loving this part of the work.'"

IT'S NOT EASY BEING GREEN

— "Municipal electric companies lag on using clean energy," by Sabrina Shankman, Boston Globe: "As Massachusetts races to wean utilities off fossil fuels in order to hit its climate targets, the municipal light companies that provide electricity to some 50 communities collectively have far less clean energy in their portfolios than the major for-profit utilities. That's the upshot of a new report from the Massachusetts Climate Action Network, which found, for example, 33 of the municipal providers had less than 1 percent of clean energy sources such as wind and solar in 2020."

JOIN US ON 4/29 FOR A WOMEN RULE DISCUSSION ON WOMEN IN TECH : Women, particularly women of color and women from disadvantaged socioeconomic backgrounds, have historically been locked out of the tech world. But this new tech revolution could be an opportunity for women to get in on the ground floor of a new chapter. Join POLITICO for an in-depth panel discussion on the future of women in tech and how to make sure women are both participating in this fast-moving era and have access to all it offers. REGISTER HERE.

FROM THE 413

— "Springfield outlines plans for $7.2M from opioid settlement," by Ray Kelly, Springfield Republican: "Mayor Domenic J. Sarno indicated that the payments will go toward more than a dozen initiatives and programs that will enhance and expand the city's opioid response, and create systems in partnership with local nonprofits, health organizations and community stakeholders."

THE LOCAL ANGLE

— "'This report is unflinching': Harvard University confronts its ties to slavery," by Mike Damiano, Boston Globe: "For nearly 400 years, Harvard's most famous motto has been a single word, Veritas, or truth. In the spirit of that slogan, university officials said, Harvard on Tuesday published the first full accounting of the institution's historical ties to slavery. In a sweeping report, the university also acknowledged its complicity in 19th-century 'race science' and 20th-century racial discrimination, and announced the creation of a $100 million fund to address the legacies of slavery, including inequalities in educational outcomes, that persist to this day."

— "After questions, Healey OK's Fenway's new cashless payment system," by Diti Kohli, Boston Globe: "A day after questioning the legality of the new cashless payment system at Fenway Park, Attorney General Maura Healey on Tuesday gave it the all clear."

— "St. Vincent nurses' union accuses hospital of violating labor agreement, files charge with NLRB," by Sam Turken, GBH News: "The nurses' union at St. Vincent Hospital in Worcester has filed an unfair labor practice charge with the National Labor Relations Board, alleging the hospital violated the new labor agreement that ended the union's historic 301-day strike."

— "Two years into the pandemic, nearly $800 million lost in Mass. cultural sector, new report finds," by Dana Gerber, Boston Globe.

— "FEMA reimburses state RMVs $2.2 million for emergency measures during height of COVID-19 outbreak," by Stephanie Barry, Springfield Republican.

— "Dan Cence buys out mentors' lobbying firm, Murphy Donoghue Partners," by Jon Chesto, Boston Globe.

— "Maine bans Mass. trash at regional landfill," by Christian M. Wade, Eagle-Tribune.

MEANWHILE IN NEW HAMPSHIRE

— "New Hampshire starts with lead for first place on Dems' 2024 voting calendar," by Elena Schneider and Lisa Kashinsky, POLITICO: "New Hampshire is the leading contender to replace Iowa at the beginning of the Democratic presidential calendar, according to interviews with more than a dozen Democratic power brokers who are involved in the party's bid to reorder its nominating process."

— "New Hampshire creates voter confidence commission," by Kathy McCormack, The Associated Press: "New Hampshire has a good track record when it comes to elections, but it would benefit from a voter confidence commission to address residents' concerns in a time of political polarization, its new secretary of state said Tuesday."

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MEANWHILE IN RHODE ISLAND

— "Fung kicks off bid to be first Republican elected in RI's 2nd District since 1988," by Ted Nesi, WPRI: "Republican Allan Fung on Tuesday kicked off his campaign to represent Rhode Island's 2nd Congressional District, promising an inclusive approach if his party recaptures the seat for the first time in decades. … [T]he surprise retirement this year of 11-term Democratic incumbent Jim Langevin, combined with a dismal political environment for his party, has the GOP hoping to score an upset."

TRANSITIONS — Justin Curtis has been promoted from state Sen. Barry Finegold 's legislative director to his chief of staff; Tom Mahoney has been promoted from director of constituent services to legislative director; and 617MediaGroup's Yvette Sei has joined Finegold's reelection team as campaign manager.

— MaryRose Mazzola is now director of Planned Parenthood League of Massachusetts' new Center for Sexual and Reproductive Health.

— The Boston Herald's Meghan Ottolini joins WEEI full time on May 4.

— The Lowell Sun's Tréa Lavery will cover Worcester for MassLive beginning next week.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY — to Lou Mandarini, executive director of Massachusetts Laborers Benefit Funds; Patrick Bench, president of Benchmark Strategies; Brendan Joyce, Seth Mnookin and Jessica Ruby.

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