POLITICO Massachusetts Playbook: STORM disruptions — GATES nixes Boston trip — Another DA retires
STORM disruptions — GATES nixes Boston trip — Another DA retires
03/02/2018 06:58 AM EDT
By Lauren Dezenski (ldezenski@politico.com; @LaurenDezenski) with Brent D. Griffiths (bgriffiths@politico.com; @BrentGriffiths)
GOOD MORNING, MASSACHUSETTS.
STORM REPORT - Massachusetts is battening down the hatches ahead of the major storm that's projected to bring heavy rain, snow, high tides, and high winds to parts of the state - and it's even disrupted campaign efforts for one Democratic candidate for governor.
Jay Gonzalez planned to travel from Gov. Charlie Baker's neighborhood in Swampscott to the State House to highlight the importance of public transportation. Gonzalez planned a similar transit experience during the last major winter storm in the beginning of January to highlight Baker's shortcomings on the transit system - and experienced an uncontroversial smooth ride.
This time, Gonzalez is skipping the trip, citing the weather event that's expected to be even worse than the January storm and postponing until Monday.
And in case you needed any other indication this nor'easter storm is serious: legendary meteorologist Jim Cantore will broadcast from Scituate this morning.
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, Marlborough Mayor Arthur Vigeant, U.S. Rep. Niki Tsongas, and community members will be on-hand at the 495/MetroWest Partnership's 2018 Annual Conference in Marlborough - Rep. Seth Moulton addresses the New England Council this morning on key issues and his legislative priorities before Congress - Rep. Joe Kennedy III is in the district with stops at Newton's Communities United, Inc. and Attleboro's Thatcher School where he'll read to elementary school students.
DATELINE BEACON HILL -
- "Report finds Mass. House staff reluctant to report harassment," by Matt Stout, Boston Herald: "The Massachusetts House of Representatives has an 'imbedded power dynamic' that discourages sexual harassment complaints, suffers from 'insufficient' policies and leaves staffers fearful their reports won't be kept confidential, according to a new internal report that calls for lawmakers to overhaul how they address harassment. The report, compiled by the House's legal office in response to an order from Speaker of the House Robert DeLeo, points to the need of a structural and cultural shift in the legislature regarding harassment complaints, including touting its 'zero tolerance policy.'"
- "Healey's 2016 crackdown on copycat assault weapons took those firearms off market," by Heather Bellow, the Berkshire Eagle: "While a state assault weapon ban in 1998 took name-brand semiautomatics like the Colt AR-15 and the Kalashnikov AK-47 off the market, semiautomatic assault rifles with similar operating systems were still being sold in a sort of firearms loophole, as manufacturers made tweaks for state compliance. So, the month after a mass shooting at an Orlando, Fla., nightclub, Healey issued an enforcement directive to the state's 350 gun dealers that clarified what constitutes a copycat weapon, in the hopes of reducing access to what she called "combat-style" guns, though people could keep those purchased before July 20, 2016."
WHERE IS CHARLIE BAKER ON THIS DOR FAILURE?
- "Revenue Dept. failed to deliver timely child support payments," by Michael Levenson and Joshua Miller, Boston Globe: "The state Department of Revenue, already under fire for a data breach of sensitive tax information, acknowledged Thursday that it has failed to deliver timely child support payments to about 1,500 parents in Massachusetts since the beginning of the year. Revenue officials blamed the problem on a faulty computer system implemented in January and said it affected only a tiny percentage of the state's 160,000 child support recipients."
- "Hundreds gather in Northampton to remember state Rep. Peter Kocot," by Bera Dunau, Daily Hampshire Gazette: "State Rep. Peter V. Kocot was remembered Tuesday at his funeral Mass as a kind, intelligent and devoted family man who lived life with passion and a deep sense of purpose. He was described by House Speaker Robert DeLeo as 'the epitome of what a public servant should be' who fought for transparency and integrity in government."
TRUMPACHUSETTS -
- "Rick Gates nixes family trip to Boston after threats," by Josh Gerstein, POLITICO: "Rick Gates, the former Trump campaign aide who entered a guilty plea last week and agreed to cooperate with special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation, is canceling a planned family trip to Boston because of threatening comments posted online. Because of the comments, Gates proposed taking his family to another location, which was not disclosed in public court filings. "
- "Feds say Boston's sanctuary city policy is 'serious risk'," by Dan Atkinson, Boston Herald: "Federal officials asked Boston police to detain 68 suspected illegal immigrants last year, a 353 percent increase over 2016 that has an advocacy group seething - but the feds are blasting the city for not honoring any of the detainment requests and letting numerous 'criminal aliens' out on bail. Ivan Espinoza-Madrigal, of the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights and Economic Justice, said it was unclear if any of the 68 people posed a threat to the community and slammed the increase in detainers as federal fearmongering."
THE WARREN REPORT -
- "Elizabeth Warren, Katherine Clark release report criticizing Betsy DeVos' work at Education Department," by Shannon Young, MassLive.com: "Members of Massachusetts' congressional delegation who have previously raised concerns about Betsy DeVos leading the Department of Education, released a new report Thursday suggesting that the secretary's tenure has 'been a boon for shady for-profit colleges, student loan companies and school privatization advocates.'"
ON THE STUMP -
- "Berkshire County District Attorney David Capeless announces retirement," by Shannon Young, MassLive.com: "At an awkwardly timed press conference on Thursday, Berkshire County District Attorney David F. Capeless announced he was planning to retire. The news, that was billed as a "major announcement" on Wednesday afternoon, came as police reported that apparent human remains were found in Hatfield."
- "3 candidates emerge for Rep. Steve Kulik's 1st Franklin District seat," by Mary C. Serreze, MassLive.com: "[Kulik], vice chairman of the House Committee on Ways and Means, announced in February he will not seek re-election after 25 years on Beacon Hill."
The 3 are:
- Casey Pease is chairman of the Worthington Democratic Town Committee, and was the youngest paid staff member on Bernie Sanders' 2016 presidential campaign.
- Natalie M. Blais, of Sunderland, is executive director of the Franklin County Chamber of Commerce.
- Kate Albright-Hanna, of Huntington, is an Emmy Award-winning documentary filmmaker, producer and media entrepreneur.
- WOOD WAR - Herald: "GRIM DISCOVERY" - Globe: "Glitches on child support raise questions," "Trooper who shot made racist posts," "Woman, 3 children found dead in home," "It's time for fund giants to step up on gun laws," "Trump offers his opioid solutions," "Nor'easter may be more severe than Jan. 4 storm."
AS GOVERNOR, CHARLIE BAKER IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE STATE POLICE. WHERE'S CHARLIE BAKER'S OVERSIGHT?
THE LOCAL ANGLE -
- "Trooper involved in shooting has history of racist online posts," by Evan Allen and Andrea Estes, Boston Globe: "The Massachusetts State Police trooper who fired his rifle during a police confrontation in which a Cape Verdean ATV driver was injured in Boston on Saturday has a long history of posting racist and profane comments on a website called MassCops, including some in support of police officers who shoot suspects. State Police spokesman David Procopio said in a statement that the department has opened an 'immediate investigation' into the posts."
- "Daniel Frisiello, accused of mailing letter laced with powder to Donald Trump Jr., is an 'overwhelmed young man,' attorney says," by Melissa Hanson, MassLive.com: "Authorities say Frisiello sent the letters containing the powder to the president's eldest son, California U.S. Attorney Nicola T. Hanna, Stanford University Professor Michele Dauber, Sen. Deborah Stabenow and California Republican Congressional candidate Antonio Sabato Jr. The white powder found inside all five letters was deemed not hazardous."
- "5 Cape, Islands towns take steps to sue drug companies," by Mary Ann Bragg, Cape Cod Times: "Five towns on the Cape and Islands could recoup the cost of opioid rescue calls and police drug enforcement in a nationwide effort to hold pharmaceutical manufacturers and wholesale distributors financially responsible for what was estimated last year by the White House to be a $500 billion drug abuse epidemic. With the selectmen's vote, Truro joins Brewster, Sandwich, Provincetown and Nantucket on the Cape and Islands in the national initiative, attorney J. Tucker Merrigan of Sweeney Merrigan Law, another [Massachusetts Opioid Litigation Attorneys] firm, said."
- "Children and Swat Raids: An Unintended Consequence," by Seth Kershner, Boston Institute for Nonprofit Journalism: "An analysis of police agency records by the Boston Institute for Nonprofit Journalism revealed SWAT raids to serve search warrants in Massachusetts frequently involve children. While sometimes, as in the Hillside case, children are an unexpected element officers encounter, SWAT raids in the state are also routinely planned and carried out even when police know in advance the suspect's children will be present and possibly placed in harm's way."
- "Helipad proposal for Roxbury shelved by Suffolk Construction," by Matt Stout, Boston Herald: "Suffolk Construction is 'indefinitely' postponing its proposal to put a private helipad next to its Roxbury headquarters, according to the city, in a surprise decision that comes just days before it was slated to make its case to a city board. The company notified Mayor Martin J. Walsh's office of its decision [Thursday] afternoon."
- "Money for sugar: BU students turn to dating for extra cash," by Cynthia Fernandez, Daily Free Press: "Gina is one of more than 300 sugar babies at BU registered on SeekingArrangement, according to Josette D'Espyne, a spokeswoman for SeekingArrangement. In a series of interviews, The Daily Free Press found that BU students become sugar babies for a variety of reasons - to pay for college, go on trips, buy expensive clothing or to have someone who's looking out for them."
WEEKEND LISTENING - "Patrick And Granholm Find What Works In America, Like A Birth Control Program For Teens," by Katherine Brewer, WBUR: "In this special podcast episode from WBUR's iLab, former Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick and former Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm - both Democrats - explore what is working well in America, across the aisle and across the country."
HAPPY BIRTHDAY - to Joe Gravallese, Assistant Director, Annual Giving, Classes at Boston College, WBZ political analyst Jon Keller, former Rep. Brian Donnelly, and Dr. Seuss.
HAPPY BELATED BIRTHDAY - to Bob Durand, former Mass. Sec. of Environmental Affairs and state senator from Marlborough, who celebrated on Wednesday.
HAPPY BIRTHWEEKEND - to Rep. Carole Fiola of Fall River and Maura Sullivan communications director Will Rasky, who celebrate on Saturday and Sunday birthday-ers Sara Lavoie, MassDOT RMV Director of Enforcement Services and Henry Barrett, development manager at Kearsarge Energy and a Smitty Pignatelli alum.
DID THE HOME TEAM WIN? - Yes! The Bruins beat the Penguins 8-4.
HAVE YOU HEARD? - THE LATEST HORSE RACE PODCAST EPISODE: Former State Senator Ben Downing joins us this week to explain the turmoil on Beacon Hill, its impact on senate function and the significance of state and local primary challenges. Then, Steve's got a new transportation poll with hot takes on traffic, and Lauren explains why Massachusetts' drop in the U.S. News and World Report ranking is fair game for Governor Baker's critics. Subscribe and listen on iTunes and Sound Cloud
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