POLITICO Massachusetts Playbook: The temperature in MA-3 – More STATE POLICE scandal – CALTER could exit House
The temperature in MA-3 – More STATE POLICE scandal – CALTER could exit House
04/19/2018 07:09 AM EDT
By Lauren Dezenski (ldezenski@politico.com; @LaurenDezenski) with Brent D. Griffiths (bgriffiths@politico.com; @BrentGriffiths)
A POLL IN THE VALLEY - A new poll of likely Democratic voters yesterday shook up the 3rd Congressional District race in the Merrimack Valley - giving the first substantive look at how the candidates vying to replace Rep. Niki Tsongas are doing, and showcasing the depth of support for both Sen. Elizabeth Warren AND Gov. Charlie Baker among Democrats.
The UMass Lowell and Boston Globe poll found 81 and 80 percent approval ratings for Warren and Baker respectively, an eye-popping level of support for both candidates. It's a high number specifically for Baker - and shows he's still polling well with the Democrats he'll need in November. That's similar to what we saw in the February poll of MA-7 Democrats and independent voters which found Baker had a 66 percent favorability (still higher than either Democratic candidate in the race).
But a closer look at the numbers reveals the intensity of support for Warren and Baker isn't the same. While both have approval at around 80 percent, 60 percent of MA-3 Democratic voters strongly approve of Warren's handling of her job in the US Senate, while 21 percent somewhat approve. For Baker, that number evens out to 40 percent strong approval and 40 percent somewhat approval.
Meanwhile, the MA-3 race may be closely watched by insiders, but voters in the district appear to be tuned out. Only 12 percent say they're following the race very closely and 59 percent remain undecided about support among the 13 candidates.
Among those voters who have begun backing candidates, it's good news for Rufus Gifford, who is leading the still-crowded pack with 11 percent support, followed by 7 percent for state Sen. Barbara L'Italien, 5 percent for Lori Trahan, and 4 percent for Dan Kohand state Rep. Juana Matias. The rest were between three and zero percent.
And for those eager to see all 13 candidates in action, the Boston Globe and UMass Lowell are hosting a debate with all invited on April 29 - format still to be announced.
Have a tip, story, suggestion, birthday, anniversary, new job, or any other nugget for the Playbook? Get in touch: ldezenski@politico.com.
TODAY - LG Karyn Polito heads to Martha's Vineyard for a bevvy of community compact signings with Tisbury, Edgartown, Chilmark, Oak Bluffs, Gosnold and Mattapoisett - New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu is in Cambridge to keynote the Harvard Kennedy School of Government school choice luncheon - AG Maura Healey heads to Rutgers University in New Jersey to talk about her office's work at Rutgers' Eagleton Institute of Politics.
TSONGAS ARENA -
FIRST IN PLAYBOOK - "Representative Carmine Gentile Endorses L'Italien for Congress," from the Barbara L'Italien campaign: "Today State Representative Carmine Gentile announced his support for State Senator Barbara L'Italien in her race for Congress. Gentile represents Sudbury and parts of Marlborough in the 3rd Congressional District, where L'Italien is running for Niki Tsongas' open seat. ... Gentile is L'Italien's fifth endorsement just this week."
- "New England Regional Council of Carpenters Endorsing Dan Koh for Congress," from the Dan Koh campaign: On Wednesday night "in Haverhill, the New England Regional Council of Carpenters (NERCC) announce[d] its endorsement of Democrat Dan Koh in the 3rd District Congressional race. The NERCC, which represents 22,000 members, will endorse Dan at a meeting at American Veterans Post 147 on 576 Primrose Street in Haverhill."
DATELINE BEACON HILL -
- "Mass. State Police payroll director Denise Ezekiel on unpaid leave amid allegations she stole funds from department," by Dan Glaun, MassLive.com: "The payroll director for the Massachusetts State Police has been on unpaid leave for over five months amid an investigation into allegations that she stole money from the department. Denise Ezekiel, the civilian head of the agency's payroll department, was placed on leave on Nov. 1, according to a list of suspensions obtained by MassLive in a public records request."
'cleaning up its own house' ??? GOOD THING TOO, CHARLIE, SINCE WE CAN'T DEPEND ON YOU TO GOVERN.
- "Allegation against Mass. State Police payroll director show agency is 'cleaning up its own house,' Gov. Charlie Baker says," by Gintautas Dumcius, MassLive.com: "The Massachusetts State Police's discovery that the law enforcement agency's payroll director allegedly used her job to steal $23,000 is an indication that the agency is righting itself, Gov. Charlie Baker said. Asked about allegation against Holbrook's Denise Ezekiel, who has been suspended from her job since Nov. 1, Baker said the allegation was leveled against 'somebody who works for the State Police by people who run the State Police.'"
- "Cannabis Control Chairman Steven Hoffman: Regulations will protect supply for medical marijuana patients," by Shira Schoenberg, MassLive.com: "Cannabis Control Commission Chairman Steven Hoffman said he believes existing regulations are adequate to protect patients' supply of medical marijuana once the recreational industry opens. But, Hoffman said of the regulations, 'If they need to be adjusted, they will be adjusted.'"
- "Students give up vacation day to lobby for school funding," by Katie Lannan, State House News Service: "Students from Chelsea, East Boston, Everett and Revere made a vacation-week trip to the Statehouse on Wednesday to ask lawmakers to boost the state funding provided to their schools. The lobby day coincided with a Massachusetts Education Justice Alliance 'week of action' involving phone calls and emails to legislators who are preparing to consider next year's budget."
- "Budweiser parent absolved of pay-to-play charge in Mass.," by Dan Adams, Boston Globe: "In a case closely watched by the US beer industry, Massachusetts alcohol officials have determined that a local beer wholesaler owned by Anheuser-Busch is not liable under state anti-pay-to-play rules for giving away nearly $1 million in equipment to beer retailers. Tuesday's ruling by the state Alcoholic Beverages Control Commission is the latest example of the agency's struggle to effectively enforce its prohibition on pay-to-play arrangements, in which brewers and distributors give money or valuable equipment to bars and liquor stores in exchange for dedicated taps or shelf space."
- "Out-of-state drivers owe Massachusetts $15M in unpaid tolls," by Associated Press: "The state is owed more than $15 million by out-of-state drivers who used the Massachusetts Turnpike without E-ZPass transponders, and much of it will likely never be collected. The state Transportation Department tells MassLive.com that since the cashless system replaced toll booths in October 2016, about $54 million has been collected from about 2 million out-of-state drivers who traveled Interstate 90 without transponders."
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- "Rep. Calter could be Kingston's new town administrator," by Kathryn Gallerani, the Patriot Ledger: "Tom Calter (D-Kingston) could soon be leaving the House of Representatives to serve as Kingston's next town administrator. Contract negotiations are pending, but Calter said he is likely to choose a resignation date in the coming weeks. The Kingston resident was selected as the next town administrator by a majority of the board of selectmen Tuesday night. Calter would replace former Town Administrator Robert Fennessy, who was fired by selectmen in March. Calter has served as representative for the 12th Plymouth District since 2006, an area that includes Kingston, Plympton and parts of Plymouth, Duxbury, Halifax, and Middleboro."
TRUMPACHUSETTS -
LEWANDOWSKI HALLUCINATIONS!
FOX NEWS = FAKE NEWS
- "Lewandowski (falsely) claims Comey was partly responsible for Boston Marathon bombing," by Martha Schick, Boston Globe: "Corey Lewandowski, President Trump's former campaign manager, blamed former FBI director James Comey - without evidence - for failing to stop the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing in a Fox News segment on Monday, the day after the fifth anniversary of the attack. However, Lewandowski didn't quite have his facts straight: Comey was actually a private citizen at the time of the April 2013 Marathon bombings. In fact, Comey wasn't even nominated to the FBI director position until the summer, and wasn't sworn in until September."
THE WARREN REPORT -
- "Massachusetts could get $120 million to fight opioid abuse under Elizabeth Warren-sponsored bill," by Shannon Young, MassLive.com: "Massachusetts could receive nearly $120 million in annual federal funding to help cities and towns combat opioid abuse under legislation U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Massachusetts, and U.S. Rep. Elijah Cummings, D-Maryland, introduced Wednesday. The bill, entitled the "Comprehensive Addiction Resources Emergency Act," calls for federal lawmakers to combat opioid abuse similar to how Congress addressed the HIV/AIDs epidemic under the Ryan White Comprehensive AIDS Resources Emergency Act nearly 30 years ago."
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- "The Committee to Destroy Elizabeth Warren," by Jaime Fuller, Boston Magazine: "She's near the top of every list and poll of probable presidential contenders in 2020, and despite her regular claims that she sees no further than her race for reelection to the Senate in November, it's fair to view 2018 as merely act one of her likelier-by-the-day campaign for the White House. Republicans, here and afield, are sharpening strategies to puncture Warren's image as a straight-talking liberal crusader-branding her as a rich hypocrite, or Che Guevara in a cardigan. If it works here, that means it could work everywhere."
WOOD WAR - Herald: "HERO PILOT PRAYS FOR FAMILY," "YARMOUTH OFFICER LAID TO REST." - Globe: "TWO LIVES. NOTHING IN COMMON." "State Police payroll chief is accused," "Now it's a matter of the money," "DA says law firm did not break campaign laws," "Andover shop looking for the right fit in sale."
THE LOCAL ANGLE -
- "For months, A Boston federal courtroom has been spotlighting MS-13's brutal violence," by David Boeri, WBUR: "For months now, federal Courtroom 2 in Boston has been spotlighting savagery, murders and the brutal recruitment of teenagers by an international gang with hooks into the Boston area. The criminal case in Boston is the largest in the country against MS-13. A sweeping indictment has charged 61 people with being members or associates of the gang."
- "Killing of Yarmouth Police Officer renews calls for death penalty," by Steve LeBlanc, Associated Press: "The killing of a Massachusetts police officer has some Republicans calling for the reinstatement of the death penalty for the murder of law enforcement officers. Recent attempts to restore capital punishment in the state have faltered, most recently after the killing of another police officer two years ago and in 2013, after the Boston Marathon bombing."
- "Crumbling bridge adds to infrastructure woes," by Dan Atkinson, Boston Herald: "Massive chunks of concrete falling from a state bridge onto commuter rail tracks outside South Station are putting the public at risk - as well as the state's economy, as another sign that Massachusetts needs to make heavy investments in its infrastructure, transit advocates said. The facade under the Albany Street bridge partially collapsed yesterday, dropping huge concrete blocks onto the commuter rail tracks below and delaying trains for hours."
- "Airbnb has targeted Michelle Wu. She and her supporters are not having it," by Tim Logan, Boston Globe: "In the brewing fight over short-term rental regulations in Boston, Airbnb just took a big shot at City Councilor Michelle Wu. And now her supporters are firing back. Wu's defenders, and Airbnb's critics, jumped all over the claim Tuesday, taking to social media to blast the company for 'spreading misinformation to seemingly 1000s of Boston residents,' as housing activist Grace Holley put it on Twitter."
- "BPDA gives nod to Globe HQ revamp; developers working on expansive community benefits package," by Jennifer Smith, Dorchester Reporter: "The Boston Planning and Development Agency (BPDA) approved the proposed $200 million redevelopment of the former Boston Globe headquarters at 135 Morrissey Blvd. into an 'urban innovation campus" at its monthly board meeting Thursday. Nordblom Co. plans to transform the site into a 695,000-square-foot hub of technological development, office space, and public amenities.'"
- "800 marijuana businesses interested in priority review for Massachusetts recreational licenses," by Shira Schoenberg, MassLive.com: "More than 800 potential marijuana businesses have submitted at least partial applications for priority certification, which would give them a leg up in applying for a recreational license. Three-quarters of them are economic empowerment applicants, from areas that have been disproportionately affected by marijuana enforcement."
- "MGM Resorts a 'good fit for Boston,' analyst tells investors, of Wynn Boston Harbor," by Michelle Williams, MassLive.com:"The potential sale of Wynn Resorts' yet-to-be-finished Boston-area casino project, Wynn Boston Harbor, to MGM Resorts International received a nod of approval from a gaming industry analyst. John DeCree of Union Gaming told investors this week that purchasing Wynn Boston Harbor could result in a double-digit increase in return on investment for MGM than their casino project in Springfield, the Las Vegas Review-Journal reports."
- "Rob Gronkowski Acquires Stake in Gronkowski (the Horse)," by Jim Chairusmi, Wall Street Journal: "New England Patriots star Rob Gronkowski will acquire a minority stake in Gronkowski, a 3-year-old colt named after him that is slated to run in the Kentucky Derby on May 5."
- "When it comes to cannabis, compassion stops at the state line," by Andy Gaus, DigBoston: "The need for cooperation between states has become apparent only slowly, as Keith Stroup, legal counsel for NORML (the National Organization for Reform of Marijuana Laws), explained in an email: 'None of the early medical use states included reciprocity with other states, but several of the later states do. It is usually only available to patients from a state that itself offers reciprocity to patients from the visitor's state.' In other words, each state waits for the other states to move."
- "Barrett wants Mount Greylock State Reservation visitor center named for Cariddi," by Adam Shanks, the Berkshire Eagle:"State Rep. Gailanne Cariddi fought to support the Greylock Glen project for years. Soon, a piece of it could be named after her. State Rep. John Barrett III, D-North Adams, has filed a budget amendment to name the visitor center at the Mount Greylock State Reservation in Lanesborough the 'Representative Gailanne M. Cariddi Visitor Center.'"
- "For 4th time, Ipswich Pharmaceuticals again pitches pot facility in Becket," by Patricia LeBoeuf, the Berkshire Eagle: "For Ipswich Pharmaceutical Associates Inc., the fourth attempt for marijuana in town could be the charm. The organization has announced plans to open a marijuana establishment at 2727 Jacobs Ladder Road, after its three previous attempts to install marijuana facilities in the town failed to gain traction."
HAPPY BIRTHDAY - to Mass GOP National Committeeman and former Romney advisor Ron Kaufman.
DID THE HOME TEAM WIN? Yes! The Red Sox shut out the Angels 9-0.
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