POLITICO Massachusetts Playbook BAKER’s good news — State House INTERNS ‘not covered’ by harassment policy — MARKEY’s history with acronyms
02/16/2018 07:07 AM EDT
By Lauren Dezenski (ldezenski@politico.com; @LaurenDezenski) with Brent D. Griffiths (bgriffiths@politico.com; @BrentGriffiths)
TGIF, MASSACHUSETTS. PROGRAMMING NOTE: It's a long weekend for the Massachusetts Playbook thanks to President's Day - I'll be back in your inbox on Tuesday.
BAKER'S FAVORED AMONG MA-7 DEMS - There was a surprising bright spot for Republican Gov. Charlie Baker in yesterday's poll taking the temperature on Democratic primary voters in the MA-7 congressional race between Rep. Michael Capuano and Boston City Councilor Ayanna Pressley: Baker has stronger favorability among those voters than either candidate.
Baker had a 66 percent favorability rating with only 18 percent unfavorable, while Capuano had 60 percent favorable with 7 percent unfavorable and Pressley had 42 percent favorable and 7 percent unfavorable, according to the poll from WBUR and MassINC Polling Group released Thursday.
Let's not forget - this is one of the bluest congressional districts in the country, and a district that produced one of Donald Trump's weakest performances in the nation in 2016. Not only did it deliver 83 percent support for Hillary Clinton in 2016, only 12 percent of its voters actually went for the Republican nominee. Not to mention Somerville, Cambridge, and Boston went to Baker's Democratic opponent Martha Coakley in 2014.
The poll wasn't a true head-to-head matchup - voters contacted in the poll weren't asked about Baker's three Democratic contenders (including Somerville resident Bob Massie). But it is a welcome data point for Baker's team as they head into November in search of signs that show the governor has made inroads - and successfully evaded Trump's taint - among the state's bluest Democrats.
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, Secretary of Labor and Workforce Development Rosalin Acosta, Secretary of Education Jim Peyser, Lynn Mayor Thomas McGee, members of the state Legislature and officials from Lynn Vocational High School are on hand in Lynn to announce grants for technical and public high schools across the state - Senate President Harriette Chandler attends a Worcester Public Library legislative breakfast.
FOR YOUR DANCE CARD - Sen. Ed Markey is holding a town hall in Framingham on Sunday afternoon to talk immigration, the opioid crisis, climate change, and tax reform and take questions from the audience.
DATELINE BEACON HILL -
- "Beacon Hill interns not covered by sexual harassment policy," by Christian M. Wade, Gloucester Times: "Interns working in legislative offices at the Statehouse are not covered by sexual harassment policies, which has emerged as a key issue for lawmakers seeking protections for accusers amid claims of unwanted sexual advances by men on Beacon Hill."
- "AG Healey, legislators pile on cannabis commission," by Dan Adams, Boston Globe: "Political pressure on the state Cannabis Control Commission intensified Thursday, as Attorney General Maura Healey and 78 state legislators joined Governor Charlie Baker in pressing the independent agency to roll out a more limited recreational marijuana industry this summer. In letters sent at the close of a public comment period on the commission's draft rules for pot companies, Healey and the lawmakers urged cannabis regulators to delay their provisional plans to license marijuana cafés, delivery services that don't also operate a physical storefront, and 'mixed-use' businesses such as art galleries and theaters that want to sell cannabis on the side."
- "Massachusetts marijuana legalization advocates to protest 'intimidation campaign' against pot regulators," by Gintautas Dumcius, MassLive.com: "'We are witnessing a coordinated intimidation campaign that threatens the independence of the Cannabis Control Commission and calls into question the appropriate relationship between the administration, the Legislature and the body charged with regulating this new industry,' Jim Borghesani, a spokesman for the 2016 ballot campaign that broadly legalized marijuana for adults ages 21 and over."
- "Gun control advocates push bill to let guns be confiscated if person poses a risk," by Shira Schoenberg, MassLive.com: "A group of gun violence survivors and gun control advocates gathered at the Statehouse Thursday to push for a bill that would allow someone's guns to be temporarily taken away if the person poses a danger to himself or others. Supporters of the bill, including Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey, say the legislation could prevent tragedies like Wednesday's school shooting in Florida, which killed 17 people."
- "Healey unveils new renewable energy targets," by Bruce Mohl, Commonwealth Magazine: "Attorney General Maura Healey on Thursday said Massachusetts should meet 50 percent or more of its electric power needs with renewable energy by 2030 and 100 percent by 2050. She also clarified her position on building new natural gas pipeline capacity."
- "Find Mass. money - and then wait," by Jack Sullivan, CommonWealth Magazine: "If you have unclaimed property listed with the state treasurer's office, don't make plans to spend it - or even get it - any time soon. After years of urging people to search the listings and put in a claim for money or property they may have forgotten about or been unaware of that was left by a deceased relative, officials in the office's Unclaimed Property Division are slowing down the process and ratcheting back the formerly ubiquitous radio ads because the department is overwhelmed with inquiries."
DATELINE DC -
- "The astonishingly long history of Ed Markey's made-up acronyms," by Nik DeCosta-Klipa, Boston.com: "Former Rep. Barney Frank once called the use of acronyms in Congress 'an abuse of the English language.; But don't tell that to Frank's fellow former Massachusetts representative, now in Congress' upper chamber, Sen. Ed Markey. [The senator] has coined more than 50 different repurposed acronyms (the number is far greater including duplicates) in social media posts and press releases dating back to the beginning of 2006 ..."
- "Congressman Capuano: Democrats will need Republicans to pass gun reform," by Jason Turesky, WGBH News: "Democrats, including Rep. Michael Capuano (D-Mass), have pointed to [Wednesday's] shooting, as another in the long line of horrific examples that show the United States needs gun reform. Capuano sees this as a simple issue that should pass without controversy, yet it's difficult to get legislation to move through the floor of the House."
THE KENNEDY COMPOUND -
- "Rep. Joe Kennedy has a message for millennial voters," by Cheddar.com: "Rep. Joe Kennedy III says millennial voters will be the defining factor in this year's midterm elections. Kennedy, a 37-year-old political scion, delivered the Democratic response to this year's State of the Union."
WARREN REPORT -
- "Biden & Sanders lead Democratic field; GOP primary voters rally around Trump," University of New Hampshire Granite State Poll: "Two years away from the 2020 New Hampshire presidential primary, most Democratic primary voters are still trying to make up their minds on which candidate to support, but Joe Biden, Bernie Sanders, and Elizabeth Warren remain the early frontrunners. Support for Biden (35%) has increased since October 2017 (24%) while slightly fewer respondents support Sanders (24% in February 2018, 31% in October 2017) and support for Warren is largely unchanged (15% in February 2018,13% in October 2017)."
EYE ON 2020 -
- "Democrats Lead by 8 Points On Generic House Ballot Nationally," by Public Policy Polling: "Trump has the highest approval rating we've found for him in a long time this month, with 44% of voters approving of him to 50% who disapprove. Even so he trails Joe Biden 51-42, Bernie Sanders 48-44, Cory Booker 46-42, and Joe Kennedy 46-43 in hypothetical contests. He ties Elizabeth Warren at 44 ..."
ON THE STUMP -
- "GOP candidate wants payback from state party for supporting Baker," by Frank Phillips, Boston Globe: "Gadfly GOP gubernatorial candidate Scott Lively is hopping mad over what he says is the state party's "blatant violation" of its rules in organizing nomination petition drives for Governor Charlie Baker and not providing the same help to him. And he wants some serious compensation for the snub."
- "Setti Warren endorses Ayanna Pressley for Congress," by Danny McDonald, Boston Globe: "Setti Warren, a former Newton mayor who is running for governor, has endorsed Boston City Councilor Ayanna Pressley in her bid to unseat US Representative Michael E. Capuano. Warren, in a statement released Thursday, said Pressley is 'the kind of advocate we need in Congress right now.'"
TSONGAS ARENA -
- Lori Trahan Campaign Opens Headquarters in Downtown Lowell, Expands Team, from the Trahan campaign: "Lori Trahan's Campaign for Congress ... announced the opening of new campaign headquarters at 58 Prescott Street in in downtown Lowell. The campaign will host an Open House at the new space this Saturday, February 17."
WOOD WAR - Herald: "REAL-LIFE SUPERHEROES." - Globe: "WE KNOW WHAT WILL HAPPEN NEXT," "Cruz told police he shot students, 'in the hallways,'" "In Mass. schools, fear, frustration, safety reminders."
THE LOCAL ANGLE -
- "WBUR Poll: Boston-area residents support Amazon HQ2, but worry about housing and traffic," by Zeninjor Enwemeka, WBUR: "A new WBUR poll shows strong support for bringing Amazon to the Boston area, but residents are skeptical about giving the tech giant tax incentives and worry about its potential impact on housing and traffic. In the poll, 71 percent said they approve of the idea of bringing Amazon's second headquarters to the area. Just 18 percent said they disapprove."
- "Hurricane evacuees in Worcester face uncertainty as federal aid nears end," by Bill Shaner, Worcester Magazine: "Officials have announced three times the final deadline for FEMA assistance keeping [Nilsa Albert, a hurricane evacuee from Puerto Rico]and others in hotels. Most recently the deadline was extended to March 20. FEMA officials have said the newest deadline is final, and argue the assistance was only meant to be temporary."
- "In her own words: Dorcena Forry reflects on her public life, and what's ahead," by Jennifer Smith, Dorchester Reporter: "'As she continues her segue into the private sector, readying for her farewell speech before the legislature, Dorcena Forry took time out recently for a wide-ranging breakfast discussion at McKenna's Café in Savin Hill. A lot of times people don't remember that I've been in public service for 22 years I've been thinking about transitioning, because I think it's important to be well-rounded, and to be that I have to have private sector experience,' [Forry said]."
- "How diverse are Massachusetts courts?," by Shira Schoenberg, MassLive.com: "Female employees are well-represented in the state's court system, but that is driven by the fact that the overwhelming majority of office and clerical workers are women. Minorities are also well-represented in the court, but with the biggest concentration in maintenance."
- "Groups want a change in how Boston Fire And Police hire military veterans," by Yasmin Amer and Ally Jarmanning, WBUR:"Minority firefighter and police officer associations say military veterans from outside of Boston are able to skirt residency requirements and get hired by the city's fire and police forces. In a filing today, the groups asked the Massachusetts Civil Service Commission to launch an investigation into how the Massachusetts Human Resources Division, Boston fire and Boston police hire and rank potential recruits."
- "Councilors: MBTA takes city for ride," by Dan Atkinson, Boston Herald: "Boston isn't getting bang for its buck on MBTA service, according to city councilors who say it's time to reconsider the city's multimillion-dollar annual transit assessment as the agency once again mulls jacking up fares."
- "The 'Black Panther' hype is real - and it's a cultural moment for the region's blacks," by Meghan E. Irons, Boston Globe:"The excitement greeting Marvel's "Black Panther" movie is surging from Boston to Springfield, where legions of fans are wowed by its focus on black people from a highly advanced black country taking charge of their destiny. People are buying out movie theaters for private screenings. They are raising thousands of dollars so that children - some with faces painted like the characters - can see it for free. And they are putting black-owned businesses in the limelight."
HAPPY BIRTHDAY - to the commonwealth's first lady Lauren Baker, Diana Hwang, a former state senate candidate and executive director of the Asian-American Women's Political Initiative and POLITICO's own Kevin Robillard.
THE HOME TEAMS DID NOT PLAY YESTERDAY
ICYMI - A NEW HORSE RACE PODCAST EPISODE: This week it's all about challenges: special guest Lawrence Friedman, professor of law at the New England Law Boston explains the details of the supreme judicial court case regarding the so-called millionaire's tax, Steve breaks down his latest WBUR poll on the primary race between Mike Capuano and challenger Ayanna Pressley, and Setti Warren shares delegates with his fellow gubernatorial challengers in Newton. Subscribe and listen on iTunes and Sound Cloud
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