POLITICO Massachusetts Playbook: KENNEDY’s Florida dinner — POT lobbying hits new high — DEVAL on reinvesting in America
Republican Charlie Baker is incapable of LEADERSHIP!
This is solely ONE issue and ignores Charlie Baker's MISMANAGEMENT that caused a BOND RATING DOWNGRADE.
Why has the media given Charlie Baker a FREE RIDE?
- "Battenfeld: Statie scandals may roil Baker's re-election bid", by Joe Battenfeld, Boston Herald: "Multiple scandals in the state police have put Gov. Charlie Baker's administration in a politically perilous position, just as the governor's re-election campaign is gearing up."
KENNEDY’s Florida dinner — POT lobbying hits new high — DEVAL on reinvesting in America
03/05/2018 07:31 AM EDT
By Lauren Dezenski (ldezenski@politico.com; @LaurenDezenski) with Brent D. Griffiths (bgriffiths@politico.com; @BrentGriffiths)
GOOD MORNING, MASSACHUSETTS.
KENNEDY'S FLORIDA DINNER - Rep. Joe Kennedy III made his first high-profile out-of-state visit since his State of the Union response speech this weekend, visiting Florida for the Broward County Democrats' Obama Roosevelt Legacy Dinner.
The distinguished Democratic dinner was held in the same county as Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. Kennedy addressed the shooting, students' activism, and standing up to the NRA before and throughout his remarks. "We will answer 'thoughts and prayers' with footsteps," Kennedy said during the speech. "We will show the Republican Party this isn't political: it's personal."
A local report of the dinner said the event hall fell completely silent as Kennedy spoke - everyone in the room hanging on Kennedy's every word as he stated 'our nation's heart is with Broward County.'"
Before the dinner, which took place in the county that's home to the largest concentration of Democratic voters in the state, Kennedy privately met with more than a dozen Parkland students for just shy of 30 minutes alongside the local Democratic congressman, Ted Deutch. The students asked about how Kennedy thinks they should approach their activism and whether there is any hope of compromise on gun control - and in return, Kennedy presented them with a bust of his grandfather, Robert F. Kennedy, as a gift. The Kennedy family had a few copies of this particular bust made and have given them out to a different civil rights and social justice leaders over the years, according to Kennedy's office.
It was an unexpectedly quick trip to Florida for Kennedy, who planned to fundraise as well as hold a mental health and opioid event with Deutch. Instead, three canceled flights, a canceled train, and a final very delayed flight finally got Kennedy to the event just in time for the speech - and to turn around back to Boston right afterward.
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 is in Washington D.C. for the morning to address the International Association of Firefighters' legislative conference. He'll be back in Boston this afternoon - Democratic gubernatorial contender Jay Gonzalez kicks off another commute to highlight the state's transit deficiencies, this time from Gov. Charlie Baker's home in Swampscott to the State House - UMass President Marty Meehan delivers a second annual "State of the University" address at the UMass Club.
DATELINE BEACON HILL -
- "Governor Charlie Baker Declares State of Emergency in Mass.," by Kaitlin McKinley Becker, New England Cable News: "Governor Charlie Baker declared a state of emergency in Massachusetts Saturday afternoon, effective immediately. The declaration comes after the fierce early March nor'easter that slammed into New England with torrential rain, heavy wind gusts, coastal flooding and snowfall."
- "Pot lobbying on Beacon Hill reaches new high," by Christian M. Wade, Salem News: "More than $1.1 million was spent lobbying on marijuana in 2017, according to public disclosures filed with Secretary of State William Galvin's office. That's more than three times the $250,000 spent by mostly medical marijuana-related lobbyists two years earlier."
- "Senators win jackpot with power vacuum," by Hillary Chabot, Boston Herald: "The power vacuum in the Massachusetts Senate has meant a paycheck bonanza for several pols who've pocketed a combined $220,000 from their new posts after they were tapped for key leadership roles amidst an ongoing battle to replace former Senate President Stanley C. Rosenberg."
- "Lawmakers seek ban on non-disclosure agreements," by Christian M. Wade, Salem News: "DiZoglio's proposal also would bar forced arbitration clauses - under which workers waive their rights to sue in court over issues such as discrimination, and instead agree to private, confidential proceedings. Such clauses favor abusive employers, said DiZoglio, because they're allowed to censor and threaten workers with impunity."
- "Fitchburg's Dean Tran continues to defy odds as freshman senator," by Nick Neville, Boston University Statehouse Program: "Sen. Dean Tran, R-Fitchburg, has spent his entire life breaking boundaries. He's the first Republican to occupy his seat in more than 20 years and the only Vietnamese-American in the state Senate."
THE WARREN REPORT -
- "Elizabeth Warren's national profile makes her a target for local Republicans," by Victoria McGrane, Boston Globe: "She has $14 million in the bank and can raise thousands more at the click of the send button. She's a prominent face of resistance to President Trump in a state that really doesn't like him. She has a coast-to-coast fan base and can command a television spotlight seemingly at will. ... So why would anyone - let alone a Republican in Massachusetts - want to challenge US Senator Elizabeth Warren?"
- "Warren's consumer dream dismantled," by Liz Goodwin, Boston Globe: "Eight years ago, Elizabeth Warren fought tooth and nail for a strong federal consumer protection agency that would be free from political influence, with a budget outside Congress's grasp and a single, independent director appointed to a lengthy five-year term. [President] Trump budget czar Mick Mulvaney, temporarily named to run the agency, is systematically defanging the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau she dreamed up - and taunting her while he does it."
MOULTON MATTERS -
- "Rep. Moulton comments on gun policy at Town Hall," by Christina Haines, Wilmington Town Crier: [Rep. Seth] Moulton has been vocal on his gun policy positions in the wake of several recent mass shootings in the U.S. Among the aspects of gun policy on which Congressman Moulton is focused include bans on 'bump stocks,' lifting federal restrictions on funding for research on the causes of gun violence, and increased background checks. Moulton, who served four tours of duty in Iraq as a Marine before being elected to Congress has been vocal on his views on what he terms 'weapons of war.'"
- "Cong. Moulton addresses big crowd at North Andover Democratic Committee annual breakfast," by Kelsey Bode, Eagle-Tribune: "Congressman Seth Moulton told the partisan crowd at the North Andover Democratic Town Committee breakfast Sunday that the country needs new leaders to face the challenges of the future. Speaking to a huge crowd at the North Andover Country Club, Moulton told his fellow Dems that the old ways of doing things no longer work."
THE TSONGAS ARENA -
FIRST IN PLAYBOOK - NEW HIRES: Barbara L'Italien Announces New Campaign Staff: "State Senator Barbara L'Italien is announcing two top hires in her race for Congress. Campaign Manager Dan Hoffer, who left his position as political director for SEIU Local 888, and Field Director Joe Thibodeau, who left the State House office of Senator L'Italien to begin this role. Hoffer and Thibodeau start today and they join Finance Assistant Melissa Rynning and Deputy Finance Director Annette Grams."
- Pipefitters Local 573 endorses Koh for Congress, from the Koh campaign: "Citing Dan Koh's 'focus on job creation and wage growth,' Pipefitters Local 537 today endorsed Koh in the race for the 3rd Congressional District. Local 537 represents close to 3,000 members and is the eighth union endorsement that Koh has received, more than any other candidate. Koh has also been endorsed by Laborers Local 175, IBEW Local 96, Laborers Local 609, IUEC Local 4, IUOE Local 4, Laborers Local 88, and Wreckers Local 1421."
- "L'Italien reports show support from colleagues, lobbyists," by Peter Francis, Eagle-Tribune: "Along with Lawrence state Rep. Juana Matias, state Sen. Barbara L'Italien is one of two active legislators currently in the running to succeed Niki Tsongas in the 3rd District. So far, of the over $319,000 in contributions she has received so far in her congressional run, the Andover Democrat has received more than $50,000 from Massachusetts lobbyists along with current and former Beacon Hill colleagues."
- "Malone calls jobs, health key in 3rd District race (VIDEO)," by Alana Melanson, Lowell Sun: "Bopha Malone may not live in the 3rd District, but she hopes her strong ties to the Lowell community and desire to give back will help her overcome that hurdle in her run for Congress. 'I really appreciate the community for what they've done for me, because I wouldn't be where I am if it wasn't for the community,' the Bedford Democrat said in a meeting with Sun editors Thursday."
ON THE STUMP -
- "Crop of liberal candidates look to rattle normally sleepy DA races," by Maria Cramer, Boston Globe: "Against the backdrop of last year's district attorney's race in Philadelphia, which drew national attention when a former civil rights lawyer with no background as a prosecutor and little support from law enforcement won a decisive victory, a wave of new candidates for top prosecutor positions is emerging, with many vowing to carry the mantle of criminal justice reform."
- "As Primaries Begin, Divided Voters Weigh What It Means to Be a Democrat," by Jonathan Martin and Alexander Burns, New York Times: "... No lawmakers may be more vulnerable to the rising left than Mr. Lipinski and, in Massachusetts, Representative Michael E. Capuano, a far more liberal Democrat who is nevertheless confronting a restless electorate in his Boston-based district. In a district once held by John F. Kennedy and Tip O'Neill, where college campuses abound and minority communities now make up most of the population, Ms. Pressley argues that voters should demand an activist lawmaker who is more than a 'reliable vote.'"
- "Born To Run: Ayanna Pressley's Road To Congress," by Veronica Hilbring, Essence: "Ayanna Pressley can't remember the moment she decided to enter politics, but it has always been in her DNA. Now she's ready to tackle the next frontier: Congress. Pressley is challenging US Representative Michael E. Capuano for the 7th Congressional District in the Democratic primary."
- "GOP Senate hopeful Beth Lindstrom hopes to thwart Elizabeth Warren, bring business-focused policies to Washington," by Shannon Young, MassLive.com: Although Beth Lindstrom has never previously run for political office, the former manager of Scott Brown's 2010 campaign said she knows what it takes for a Republican to win a U.S. Senate seat in Massachusetts. Lindstrom, a 56-year-old Groton business owner and longtime political operative, said she's not fazed by the challenge of beating out other 2018 GOP Senate hopefuls, or the possibility of a general election matchup against incumbent Democrat Elizabeth Warren -- a prodigious fundraiser and oft-rumored 2020 presidential candidate."
- "Battenfeld: Statie scandals may roil Baker's re-election bid", by Joe Battenfeld, Boston Herald: "Multiple scandals in the state police have put Gov. Charlie Baker's administration in a politically perilous position, just as the governor's re-election campaign is gearing up."
- WOOD WAR - Herald: "SENATE LEADERS CA$H IN," "OSCAR POWER!" - Globe: "Offices survive Trump's pledge," "BEST PICTURE: 'THE SHAPE OF WATER,'" "Typically sleepy races for DA heat up this year," "Sidewalks tell of two Bostons," "To GOP hopefuls, Warren's signature a Mass. mirage," "Foes unite to battle offshore drilling build."
THE LOCAL ANGLE -
- "PILGRIMS: 50 Years of Anti-Nuclear Mass: An Oral History," by Miriam Wasser, Boston Institute for Nonprofit Journalism: "For those on the Cape, the Pilgrim question is hard to ignore - and not only because of regular public demonstrations like the annual Labor Day and Memorial Day rallies at the bridge. Massachusetts' sole nuclear power plant has been in the news for several problems, including during the most recent winter storms."
- "Trump plan to allow oil drilling off New England unites foes in opposition," by David Abel, Boston Globe: "For decades, they have done battle - through street protests, in courtrooms, on Beacon Hill. It takes a lot, something broadly and viscerally opposed, to unite the traditional foes. But the Trump administration's new plan to allow drilling for oil and gas off the shores of New England has done just that, forging a bipartisan coalition of fishermen, environmental advocates, industry groups, and scientists against the plan."
- "An Evening with Deval Patrick: Reinvesting in America," by Beth Welsh and Shelly Yang, and Colleen McCain Nelson: "Deval Patrick, former governor of Massachusetts and now a managing director of Bain Capital Double Impact, was the featured speaker at this American Public Square event, held Thursday, Mar. 1, 2018 at the Community of Christ Auditorium in Independence, Mo."
- "Boston police spokesman moving on to investigative unit," by Meghan E. Irons, Boston Globe: "After a series of controversies rattled the Boston Police Department last month, Lieutenant Detective Michael McCarthy, the public voice and face of the force ... stressed that the decision was his and has nothing to do with recent controversial incidents ..."
- "Massachusetts State Police suspend Trooper Matthew Sheehan without pay indefinitely after racist posts on MassCops site," by Gintautas Dumcius, MassLive.com: "The Massachusetts State Police suspended Trooper Matthew Sheehan, according to a spokesman for the law enforcement agency. The agency ordered that he be suspended without pay indefinitely after a Boston Globe report named Sheehan as the author of multiple racist posts on MassCops under the username 'Big Irish.'"
- "North Adams sees first sparks of interest from marijuana businesses," by Adam Shanks, the Berkshire Eagle: "As the city races to pass marijuana zoning regulations, it has already received interest from prospective businesses. One of the interested businesses would be multipurpose, potentially including retail, while the other includes "cultivation as a possibility," Mayor Thomas] Bernard said."
- "DACA Uncertainty Felt In Berkshires," by Josh Landes, WAMC Northeast Public Radio: "Fierce national debate about immigration is weighing heavily on some Massachusetts residents as the fate of DACA consumes the lives of those it protects. 'To be brutally honest, it is very scary. It is terrifying,' said Ivan, 24, a Dreamer."
- "New era arrives for MassHealth patients in Berkshires," by Stephanie Zollshan, the Berkshire Eagle: "Tens of thousands of low-income Berkshires residents face changes in the MassHealth program, part of the state's first Medicaid overhaul in two decades. The MassHealth revamp, required through a 2016 agreement with the federal government, is designed in part to stabilize finances of the program, which serves 1.9 million residents."
HAPPY BIRTHDAY - to Lowell Rep. Thomas Golden, Campaign Manager for Charlie Baker for Governor 2018 Brian Wynne, Bentley University's Chris Joyce, Campaign Manager for Tedeschi for Congress Chris Lane, NYC Department of Transportation Director of State Legislative Affairs Justin Backal Balik, Neighborhood Network News' Adam Boyajy, and Tamsin True-Alcalá.
DID THE HOME TEAM WIN? - Yes and No! The Bruins won Saturday over the Canadiens 2-1 in OT, but the Celtics lost 123-120 to the Rockets on Saturday.
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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