POLITICO Massachusetts Playbook MASS. connection to Alabama special — SPEAKER’s office shake-up — CAPUANO’s wife’s ID stolen to lobby against net neutrality
12/13/2017 07:03 AM EDT
By Lauren Dezenski (ldezenski@politico.com; @LaurenDezenski) with Rebecca Morin (rmorin@politico.com; @RebeccaMorin_)
GOOD MORNING, MASSACHUSETTS.
EVEN IN ALABAMA, THERE'S ALWAYS A MASSACHUSETTS CONNECTION - The outcome of yesterday's special Senate election in Alabama reverberated in Massachusetts, where efforts to equate Democrat Doug Jones' historic win with the 2010 special election upset that sent Republican Scott Brown to the Senate over Democrat Martha Coakley was met with some skepticism by local Democrats.
From CK Strategies' Kate Norton: "Yes, though lets not ignore the differences: Most notably that Martha Coakley - Brown's opponent in Massachusetts - was not accused of being a child molester, for example."
And Kevin Franck, spokesperson for Setti Warren's gubernatorial campaign: "Not buying the ... Scott Brown analogy. A Dem winning Alabama isn't like a Republican winning Massachusetts, it's like a Republican winning Cambridge."
Jones' victory was cause for celebration for even Gov. Charlie Baker, who came out against Republican Roy Moore and, unlike in the presidential race in 2016, in support of the Democratic candidate.
Baker's senior adviser Jim Conroy emailed me on Jones' win last night: "The Governor commends the voters of Alabama, and the women who bravely came forward to share their stories, for successfully defeating a candidate who is unfit to serve. He is thankful that tonight commonsense and decency prevailed over divisive partisanship."
Despite that, Democratic challenger Setti Warren still whacked Baker for not extricating himself from MassGOP's joint fundraising agreement that bundles money to the RNC, which backed Moore.
Meanwhile, Sen. Elizabeth Warren placed the goal posts for her next fight: "I call on Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to listen to the people of Alabama and seat @GDouglasJones without any delay."
The Boston Globe's Matt Viser adds some context: "Some differences here: MA race was largely seen as referendum on health care (in a way AL wasn't on taxes). And Brown's win meant Dems no longer had 60 votes, forcing them to take longer using reconciliation."
Have a tip, story, suggestion, birthday, anniversary, new job, or any other nugget for the Playbook? Get in touch: ldezenski@politico.com.
TODAY - Gov. Charlie Baker and LG Karyn Polito announce filing new legislation that is "aimed at modernizing and streamlining parts of the Massachusetts National Guard," according to Baker's office and mark the National Guard's 381st birthday with a ceremony and swearing-in at the State House - The Cannabis Control Commission continues its week of meetings on policy and draft regulations to be filed with the state later this month - Acting Senate President Harriette Chandler travels to Washington D.C. for the Milbank Memorial Fund's Reforming States Group steering committee meeting. She's in Washington until Friday.
DATELINE BEACON HILL -
BIG CHANGES IN THE SPEAKER'S OFFICE - "Speaker DeLeo shakes up staff, promotes new chief," by Joshua Miller, Boston Globe : "[Seth] Gitell - whose lighthearted discussions about the state of newspapers, food, Boston-area history, and current events with journalists are almost always preceded by a question-delivered-as-command 'we're off the record' - will succeed current chief of staff James Eisenberg. Long seen as one of the most powerful aides in state government, Eisenberg is joining high-octane government relations and public affairs firm Preti Strategies. ... Whitney Ferguson, DeLeo's director of strategic initiatives and a onetime public affairs official at Steward Health Care, will become deputy chief of staff. Current deputy chief of staff Toby Morelli is joining the Karol Group, a government affairs firm."
A LOCAL REPUBLICAN WEIGHS IN ON ROSENBERG - "William E. Johnson: Supports character of Stanley Rosenberg," by Daily Hampshire Gazette: "I comment on the controversy surrounding Stan Rosenberg, a man who I have know since 1987. We agree on some political issues and disagree on others. However, the one thing I know for sure about the senator is that he is a man of integrity and honor."
- "Puerto Rican Students Allowed In-State Tuition At Massachusetts State Colleges," by Mike Deehan, WGBH: "Puerto Rican students who fled the island after this year's disastrous hurricane season will now be eligible for in-state tuition rates at Massachusetts state colleges and universities. The board of higher education voted unanimously to let Puerto Ricans who fled the aftermath of the hurricanes pay in-state rates at state universities, community colleges and the UMass system. Students will have to offer documentation of their displacement and meet the transfer requirements for the public schools' spring semester."
'TIS THE SEASON - "Statehouse Nativity display stirs controversy," by Christian M. Wade, Eagle Tribune: "For the second year, Rep. Jim Lyons plans to set up a temporary Nativity scene inside the Statehouse, but his intentions are drawing protests from a secular group that accuses the Andover Republican of a 'politically motivated' stunt meant to stir controversy."
ON THE STUMP -
- FIRST IN PLAYBOOK: "US Senate candidate Beth Lindstrom launches countdown clock until Senator Warren's medical device tax resumes," from the Lindstrom campaign: "Today, U.S. Senate Candidate Beth Lindstrom launched a countdown clock to January 1st, when Elizabeth Warren's medical device tax resumes. The medical device tax is devastating to Massachusetts. It will negatively impact the 200 firms in the Commonwealth and approximately 15,000 jobs." Check out the clock.
VIDEO WATCH... "US Senate candidate Beth Lindstrom's headquarters are now open," from the Lindstrom campaign: "On Sunday, U.S. Senate candidate Beth Lindstrom officially opened her campaign headquarters in Needham, Massachusetts. Surrounded by her supporters, Lindstrom spoke about strengthen the Massachusetts economy, cracking down on illegal immigration, and making Washington work for us. She also attacked Senator Warren's lack of leadership for Massachusetts families."
DUKAKIS BACKS SETTI - In a video of former Gov. Michael Dukakis, posted on Facebook by the Setti campaign: "We need leadership in this state that's dynamic, that's committed, and that surrounds itself with excellent people... that's what we're going to get from a Setti Warren as governor."
TRUMPACHUSETTS -
- "Thousands of Mass. IDs stolen to lobby for more expensive internet," by Eric Rasmussen and Erin Smith, Fox 25: "Many of the victims - including a 13-year-old North Shore boy, a Lexington realtor, a marketing professional from Jamaica Plain and the wife of U.S. Congressman Michael Capuano - were all unaware someone had used their names and addresses to urge the Federal Communications Commission to get rid of so-called net neutrality protections until 25 Investigates contacted them."
- "President Trump said to be 'disappointed' that Tom Brady has distanced himself," by Mark Shanahan, Boston Globe: "For a lot of people, the takeaway from The New York Times's lengthy profile of President Donald Trump was the revelation that the leader of the free world watches as much as eight hours of television a day. But there was something else that caught our eye. Trump, the Times reports, 'expresses disappointment' that Patriots QB Tom Brady, an occasional golfing buddy whom the president considered a friend, has distanced himself."
- "Kennedy: GOP tax bill not written for local towns," by Christopher Gavin, MetroWest Daily News: "As Washington lawmakers hammer out differences in a sweeping, Republican-backed tax reform bill, U.S. Rep Joe Kennedy III said the proposal reflects zero-sum politics, and that it would not benefit towns like Milford or Newton. Sitting in on an editorial board with the Daily News Monday, Kennedy said the bill serves a dangerous mentality growing in national politics: There must be winners, and losers, in taxes, legislation and government."
- "Rep. Clark Calls Trump An 'Insecure Sexual Predator,'" by Lisa Mullins, WBUR: "U.S. Rep. Katherine Clark from Melrose is criticizing President Trump for his comments on Twitter about New York U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand. The president tweeted Tuesday that Gillibrand is a 'lightweight,' who used to come to his office 'begging' for donations before he became president - and 'would do anything' to get them. Clark tweeted that Trump an 'insecure sexual predator' who bullies women."
THE WARREN REPORT -
- "Elizabeth Warren slams Trump for trying to 'slut-shame' Kirsten Gillibrand," by Christina Pignano, Boston Globe: "Senator Elizabeth Warren jumped to the defense of her Senate colleague on Tuesday morning after President Donald Trump said that Senator Kirsten Gillibrand would 'do anything' for campaign contributions. Warren didn't mince words in her response, and accused Trump of trying to bully and 'slut-shame' Gillibrand. Warren also included a warning: 'Do you know who you're picking a fight with?'"
- "Treasury Department backs GOP tax plan in 1-page analysis, Elizabeth Warren calls report 'bogus,'" by Shannon Young, Masslive.com: "U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Massachusetts, called the report 'pathetic' and argued that it shows Mnuchin 'has no basis for claiming that the tax plan 'will pay for itself with growth.'' 'In this bogus report, (the Treasury) was supposed to use its economic models to project how the GOP tax plan would affect economic growth. It didn't do that. It just made up the numbers,' she tweeted Monday."
WOOD WAR - Herald: "NO MOORE!" "A BLAST FROM THE PAST" - Globe: "Democrat knocks off Moore in Ala. upset," "LOST ON CAMPUS, AS COLLEGES LOOK ABROAD," "Recalibrating punishment, mental illness," "A day for couples to celebrate how they struck marital gold," "Companies lag on responses to harassment."
THE LOCAL ANGLE -
- "After Tweaks To Charges, Judge Bumps Trial Of City Hall Aides To March," by Isaiah Thompson, WGBH: "The judge presiding over the anticipated trial of two senior aides to Boston Mayor Marty Walsh charged with extortion has ordered that the trial date be moved back two months, from this January to March. Former city tourism director Kenneth Brissette and former intergovernmental affairs director Timothy Sullivan were indicted by federal prosecutors in 2016 and charged with extortion for allegedly pressuring the Boston Calling music festival to hire union labor."
FOURTH INSTALLMENT OF THE GLOBE'S SERIES ON RACE IN BOSTON - "Lost on campus, as colleges look abroad," by Nicole Dungca, Boston Globe : "In this Athens of America, packed with top colleges, the enrollment of African-American students in Greater Boston's universities was less than 7 percent in 2015, notably less than most other major metro areas, according to the most recent federal data on students at every level. Nationally, the average for black enrollment is 11 percent. ... At the 10 largest private universities that give this region its renowned reputation in higher education, it was even lower: about 5 percent. ... Perhaps most troubling: In some universities, the percentage of African-American student enrollment has barely budged since 1980."
- "NLRB Rules Against Harvard in Student Unionization Appeal," by Phelan Yu, Harvard Crimson: "Harvard may have to hold a new election to determine whether eligible students can form a union after the National Labor Relations Board ruled against the University's appeal Tuesday. Harvard had appealed a previous NLRB decision requiring the University to hold a new election, arguing that the results of the Nov. 2016 election-the initial results of which showed more students voting against unionization than in support of it-should stand."
- "Republican Legislation Could Prevent Harvard from Enforcing Sanctions," by Mia C. Karr, Hannah Natanson, and Claire E. Parker, Harvard Crimson: "Harvard could be prevented from enforcing its sanctions on members of single-gender social groups under a measure included in amended legislation proposed by Republicans in the United States House of Representatives. The proposal, an amendment included in legislation to reauthorize the Higher Education Act, would ban schools that have 'a policy allowing for the official recognition of a single-sex student organizations' from imposing penalties on members of the groups. Because Harvard does not have a policy officially recognizing final clubs and Greek organizations, it remains unclear if the legislation-still subject to change- would apply to Harvard."
- "Tribe, state and town will have to wait," by George Brennan, Martha's Vineyard Times: "The U.S. Supreme Court has kicked the can down the road on a decision of whether it will hear a case involving a gambling hall for the Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head (Aquinnah). The case between the tribe and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, the town of Aquinnah and the Aquinnah/Gay Head Community Association was "distributed for conference" on Friday, but was not one of the many cases the nation's highest court made a decision to either hear or deny, according to a listing of the court's orders posted this morning ."
- "Kitchen workers sue McCormick & Schmick's, alleging sexual harassment," by Katie Johnston, Boston Globe: "Five Latina kitchen workers filed a sexual harassment lawsuit Tuesday against the national seafood chain McCormick & Schmick's, alleging that they were subjected to lewd comments and groping by male employees, including several supervisors, at the Faneuil Hall location in Boston. The charges are explicit and wide-ranging."
- "With New Cannabis Cafes, You Can Smoke 'Em Where You Bought 'Em," by Steve Brown, WBUR: "Sometime soon in Massachusetts, you'll be able to walk into a cafe, ask for a marijuana product, and consume it right there without heading home first. The state agency responsible for regulating legalized marijuana approved a policy on Monday that will allow for such establishments, so-called 'cannabis cafes,' to open - where one can buy a cannabis product and then legally consume it on the premises, just like buying a drink at a bar."
HAPPY BIRTHDAY - to Nancy Fitzpatrick, owner of The Red Lion Inn in Stockbridge, and to the National Guard which turns 381.
HAPPY BELATED - to Colleen Quinn, spokesperson at the governor's Executive Office of Education, formerly of the Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development and State House News Service, celebrated on Monday.
THE HOME TEAMS DID NOT PLAY.
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