POLITICO Massachusetts Playbook: More change for AMHERST — CONLEY is out — SYRUP not officially sweet
02/21/2018 07:25 AM EDT
By Lauren Dezenski (ldezenski@politico.com; @LaurenDezenski) with Brent D. Griffiths (bgriffiths@politico.com; @BrentGriffiths)
AMHERST'S DEMOCRATIC DEPARTURE - The State House delegation from the Pioneer Valley in western Massachusetts is going through yet another shift - Rep. Solomon Goldstein-Rose, an Amherst Democrat, announced yesterday he is ditching his Democratic Party affiliation.
Goldstein-Rose said in his announcement the move is not a rebuke of the state Democratic Party, but instead, a chance "to be truer in letter to the nonpartisan spirit he has sought to embody through his legislative work."
The took most by surprise, including Rep. Ellen Story who preceded Goldstein-Rose and represented the Amherst-based district for 24 years. As Story put it to NEPR yesterday, "I just don't completely understand his reasoning for this. Yes, it is difficult."
The now-unenrolled state rep. has also just opened himself up to a challenge from whomever emerges from a potentially competitive and wide-open Democratic primary. Goldstein-Rose entered the State House after besting a six-way primary in 2016, and already the second and third place finishers say they are looking at running this fall. For their part, Democratic party leaders say they're focusing their resources elsewhere this fall. Party Chair Gus Bickford says the Dems will focus on replacing "people that don't have Democratic values as Goldstein-Rose does."
Goldstein-Rose now becomes the second member of the House's unenrolled or independent caucus, joining Rep. Susannah Whipps, a former Republican from Athol. Goldstein-Rose said he consulted her about his decision to drop the Democratic Party, after he was inspired by her move in 2017. But the decision still represents a loss of clout for western Mass. in the tightly held Democratic House - the region recently saw two veteran lawmakers, state Rep. Stephen Kulik and state Rep. John Scibak recently announce their retirements. Then there is the demoted former state Senate President Stan Rosenberg , also of Amherst, Goldstein-Rose says at least now he's reflective of the state's voters - more than half of whom have no party affiliation.
Have a tip, story, suggestion, birthday, anniversary, new job, or any other nugget for the Playbook? Get in touch: ldezenski@politico.com.
TODAY - The Massachusetts Gaming Commission meets - Boston City Councilor Michelle Wu hosts a Lunar New Year celebration at the Fairmont Copley, with Mayor Marty Walsh expected as a special guest - Maine Republican Sen. Susan Collins attends a Tufts University event on politics and public service tonight.
DATELINE BEACON HILL -
- "Former Senate President Stan Rosenberg: 'I have a vote and a voice'," by Shira Schoenberg, MassLive.com: "Former Massachusetts Senate President Stan Rosenberg is now simply a Democratic state lawmaker from Amherst: He has no committee assignments, a basement office and no title other than senator. Asked if he was contemplating a return to the Senate presidency, Rosenberg said he's taking things 'one step at a time.'"
BEHIND THE CURTAIN - "'OMG!': Emails reveal shock as the Massachusetts Gaming Commission reacted to Steve Wynn allegations," by Dan Glaun, MassLive.com: "MassLive has obtained thousands of pages of the Gaming Commission's emails from the week the story broke, following a public records request. A review of the emails offers a glimpse into how the state's gaming regulators reacted to the growing controversy."
- "Complaint seeks to force Mass. Fiscal Alliance disclosure," by Michael P. Norton, State House News Service: "Lawmakers who say they've been targeted recently in their districts by the Massachusetts Fiscal Alliance plan to call on state regulators Tuesday to force the non-profit group to register as a political committee and disclose its donors. The Massachusetts Democratic Party joined the lawmakers in filing the complaint with the Office of Campaign and Political Finance, which asks the independent agency to conduct an investigation and also to fine MassFiscal for failing to disclose the top five donors behind the flier campaign."
- "House sour on syrup as sweetener," by Matt Murphy, State House News Service: "[Rep. Ted Speliotis], whose committee controls the flow of House bills to the floor, released a redrafted version of Rep. Stephen Kulik's maple syrup bill on Tuesday that avoided answering the sticky question of whether maple syrup should be the official sweetener of Massachusetts. The House passed Kulik's bill (H 3735) without the official designation for maple syrup, but it still would declare March as Massachusetts Maple Month 'in recognition of the vital role maple sugaring plays in the agriculture industry, as well as the culture, heritage and economy of the Commonwealth.'"
- "T's payroll move to state system brings 'organization'," by Joe Dwinell and Dan Atkinson, Boston Herald: "The MBTA's payroll has been moved under the state's system in a move to open up the books at the beleaguered transit agency, according to the comptroller. he move comes as the T is trying to control overtime. The comptroller site updates overtime costs for all to see a few days after employees are paid. As the Herald reported last weekend, nearly one-third of T employees raked in more than $100,000 last year - an increase of 18 percent from 2016."
DATELINE DC -
- "Dems decry ObamaCare change as new attempt at 'sabotage'," by Rachel Roubein, the Hill: "Three high-ranking Democrats blasted the Trump administration's move Tuesday to expand access to plans that don't meet ObamaCare's requirements, calling it the 'latest step' in the White House's 'effort to sabotage our nation's healthcare system.' 'Today's action will leave families on the hook for thousands of dollars in uncovered healthcare costs and allow insurers to once again discriminate against individuals with pre-existing conditions,' said the statement from ... Ways and Means ranking member Richard Neal (Mass.)."
- "Praising students, Markey says, 'We've reached a turning point' on guns," by Joshua Miller, Boston Globe: "'I don't think these children are going to accept no for answer. I think we've reached a turning point," [Senator Edward J. Markey] said at a Roxbury news conference, pointing to the many students who are now calling for action to prevent more mass shootings. About 100 Stoneman Douglas students are set to march in Tallahassee this week to press Florida lawmakers to take action against gun violence. And many other young people are planning a broader march on Washington in March."
WARREN REPORT -
- "A decade after meltdown, Senate moves to roll back bank rules," by Zachary Warmbrodt, POLITICO: "U.S. senators are planning to mark the 10th anniversary of Wall Street's meltdown this year with a gift to the nation's banks: a bill that would unravel regulations put in place after the crisis. 'I'm amazed that, on the 10th anniversary of the 2008 financial crisis, some Democrats are supporting the Trump administration and Senate Republicans on a bill to roll back the financial rules we put in place,' [Elizabeth] Warren, a Massachusetts Democrat, said in an interview."
ON THE STUMP -
- "Conley won't seek reelection as Suffolk DA," by Michael Jonas, CommonWealth Magazine: "Suffolk County District Attorney Daniel Conley shook up the legal landscape on Tuesday with word that he won't seek reelection this fall. The news came as a longtime Boston defense attorney [Shannon McAuliffe] was preparing to mount the first challenge to Conley in the 16 years since he won the post in 2002."
- WOOD WAR - Herald: "HAPPY DAYS!" - Globe: "Conley says he won't seek releection," "Cash-only policy has limits," "Trump seeks ban on gun bump stocks," "For those in need, there's really no choice."
THE LOCAL ANGLE -
- "Arrests of undocumented immigrants in Boston are up 50 percent," by Akilah Johnson, Boston Globe: "Arrests of undocumented immigrants in the Boston area rose more than 50 percent in the last fiscal year, according to federal data, signaling that President Trump is pushing to fulfill a campaign vow on bolstering enforcement. Still, the total number of arrests was far lower than during President Barack Obama's first term."
- "Trooper alleges Worcester DA complicit in judge's daughter case," by James F. Russell, Worcester Telegram: "Documents filed Tuesday in federal court in Boston allege Worcester District Attorney Joseph D. Early Jr. was part of a 'nefarious plot' to 'destroy official documents' in the case of a local judge's daughter arrested in October. Two troopers have filed civil rights lawsuits alleging that the state police commander at the time, Col. Richard McKeon, and others engaged in "corruption that chills to the bone" to protect the reputation of the judge's daughter. The colonel, who has since resigned, filed a motion seeking to dismiss the suits."
- "Federal broadband solicitation could help rural unserved Massachusetts census tracts, says FCC," by Mary C. Serreze, MassLive.com: "The Federal Communication Commission says it will launch an auction on July 24 for private telecom firms to provide broadband to 13,000 rural premises in Massachusetts that still don't have high-speed internet service. The news comes as the administration of Gov. Charlie Baker, working with local officials, works to wrap up individual 'last mile' broadband plans for 44 communities that have struggled without high-speed connectivity for years."
- "Medical marijuana patients worried about shortages when legal recreational sales begin," by Shira Schoenberg, MassLive.com: "According to experts who have been following the marijuana industry in other states, Massachusetts is likely to face a shortage of marijuana once legal sales begin in July. That is because it will take time for the industry to ramp up and develop enough growing facilities to meet the demand."
SO MANY HEADLINE OPPORTUNITIES - "State spends $100,000 for small bathroom in transportation building," by Jon Wells and Karen Anderson, WCVB 5: "5 Investigates uncovered a tiny bathroom tucked away in a state office building that cost the taxpayers more than $100,000. The bathroom and kitchenette were installed last year inside the new MassDOT and MBTA board room and office area in the State Transportation Building."
- "MBTA Green Line 'stretched to limit' " by Dan Atkinson and Matt Stout, Boston Herald: "A recent report blasts the Green Line as 'stretched to the limit' and in danger of more derailments - saying the only fix is an infusion of cash and workers to the MBTA. The Green Line saw four derailments through October of last year, according to federal records, and recorded eight derailments in 2016 - the most in the nation for light rail."
THE LOCAL CONNECTION - "Katie Guay's Olympic goals reached as Westfield native officiates women's hockey tournament in Pyeongchang," by Meredith Perri, MassLive.com:"After roughly a decade of work, Guay is one of four American women to go to the Olympics as a women's ice hockey official. 'I think if (NHL commissioner) Gary Bettman is ever interested in breaking the glass ceiling, she's got a combination of all the right stuff,' said Paul Stewart, the ECAC's Director of Officiating] of the chance a woman could officiate in the NHL one day."
MAZEL! - The Novus Group has hired former Rasky Partners Senior Vice President Mark Horan to create a new strategic communications and content division. ... In another move to expand its current services, the firm also announced it has hired Gregory Maynard and Kate Crowther to provide strategic campaign consulting for both political and corporate clients.
DID THE HOME TEAM WIN? YES! The Bruins beat the Oilers 3-2.
ICYMI - THE LATEST 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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