POLITICO Massachusetts Playbook: SENATE’s shared representation — HEALEY’s transparency — MARKEY, LYNCH, WALSH unveil housing plan



SENATE’s shared representation — HEALEY’s transparency — MARKEY, LYNCH, WALSH unveil housing plan




5/07/2018 07:14 AM EDT
By Lauren Dezenski (ldezenski@politico.com; @LaurenDezenski) with Brent D. Griffiths (bgriffiths@politico.com; @BrentGriffiths)
GOOD MORNING, MASSACHUSETTS. Welcome to Monday.
SHARED REPRESENTATION IN THE SENATE - A special election isn't in the cards for the western Massachusetts voters once represented by former state Senate President Stan Rosenberg - his seat will remain vacant for the rest of the term. But a new form of shared leadership will take its place.
Four senators from surrounding legislative districts have pledged to band together to "collectively advocate for the regional needs and policy priorities" for the residents of the 24 cities and towns represented by Rosenberg, until his departure from the body became official at 5 p.m. on Friday. The lawmakers: Pittsfield Democrat Adam G. Hinds, Longmeadow Democrat Eric P. Lesser, Spencer Democrat Anne M. Gobi, and Westfield Republican Donald F. Humason, Jr.
Members of Rosenberg's staff will also remain on Beacon Hill and in Boston to act as resources for constituents and guide senators on the office's legislative priorities. "Senators Hinds, Lesser, Gobi and Humason will collaborate to ensure key priorities for the Hampshire, Franklin & Worcester District are presented and considered by the Massachusetts Senate for the remainder of this term," according to a joint statement issued by the four offices.
Senate President Harriette Chandler also vowed to step up for the residents of Rosenberg's old district: "As Senate President, I add my voice to theirs, and pledge to work with my colleagues in local, state and federal government to advocate for the issues vital to this Western Massachusetts District."
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, Health and Human Services Sec. Marylou Sudders, Boston Mayor Marty Walsh and others celebrate the opening of the new graduate house for Hope House, Boston's oldest long-term residential substance use program - The MBTA's Fiscal Management and Control Board meets - U.S. House Democratic Policy & Communications Committee Co-Chair Hakeem Jeffries, Sen. Edward J. Markey, Rep. Stephen F. Lynch and Boston Mayor Marty Walsh will hold a press conference at Anne M. Lynch Homes at Old Colony to unveil their comprehensive proposal to address the public housing crisis in America. The proposal, A Better Deal for Public Housing & Ladders of Opportunity for American Families, will focus on Democrats' commitment to reinvesting in America's public housing developments and offers solutions that will empower residents while fostering safer neighborhoods and creating economic opportunities.
DATELINE BEACON HILL -
- "AG Maura Healey promises transparency, but critics say her record falls short," by Todd Wallack, Boston Globe: "Healey, a popular Democrat running for reelection this year, initially won praise from open government advocates after she took office three years ago. She publicly embraced efforts to update the public records law and became the first attorney general in memory to file a lawsuit against agencies that withheld records. ... But some public records attorneys have become increasingly disenchanted with her record. Healey has repeatedly gone to court to defend agencies trying to withhold documents."
- "Worcester Democrat Harriette Chandler's rise to Senate presidency 'signal' for women in politics," by Nick Neville, Worcester Telegram: "If you ask Senate President Harriette L. Chandler about her current post as one of the highest-ranking elected officials in Massachusetts politics, she'll repeatedly tell you that it's something she never sought, let alone thought about. Chandler is only the second woman in state history to serve as Senate president."
- "This Is The Toughest Gun Law In America," by Jonathan Cohn, Huffington Post: "... Replicating the Massachusetts program would require persuading or overcoming resistance from gun rights advocates, starting with the members of the National Rifle Association who are meeting in Dallas this weekend. They are convinced that permit systems like the one in Massachusetts do little to deter violence, while doing a lot to undermine the Second Amendment."

- "Baker, Healey split on electricity sellers," by Bruce Mohl, CommonWealth Magazine: "Gov. Charlie Baker parted ways with Attorney General Maura Healey on Friday on the issue of how to rein in abuses by some 50 companies that sell electricity to residential customers, often through door-to-door solicitations. Healey said at the end of March that the industry as a whole has been so deceptive in its sales practices that it needs to be eliminated. Baker originally hedged on whether he favored Healey's approach, but his administration signaled on Friday that it favored more regulation as the answer to the problem."

ON THE STUMP -

- "Despite Chelsea Kline's clear path to Stan Rosenberg's Massachusetts Senate seat, she 'plans to earn every vote'," by Shira Schoenberg, MassLive.com: "Chelsea Kline is no stranger to struggle, whether as a poor teenage mother or a nontraditional college student. But this time, she appears to have gotten a lucky break. The political newcomer went from challenging a 27-year incumbent and recent Senate president to having a clear shot at the state Senate seat formerly held by Stan Rosenberg, D-Amherst."

- "In Roxbury forum, it's Capuano's record vs. Pressley's priorities in the 7th Congressional race," by Jennifer Smith, Dorchester Reporter: "U.S. Rep. Michael Capuano and City Councillor At-Large Ayanna Pressley staked out similar policy grounds at a racial justice forum Friday evening. Incumbent Capuano leaned heavily on his 10-term record and progressive bonafides, while Pressley, challenging him for his Massachusetts 7th congressional seat, argued that the district is in need of a candidate who will bring a demographically representative and empathetic lens to the federal stage."
TSONGAS ARENA -
- Ranked Choice Voting poll in MA-3 shows a tight race, lead for Alexandra Chandler: "RCV allows us to see which candidate wins with a majority of support among voters expressing a preference. The closeness of the race meant it took thirteen rounds (immediately calculated by computer ) to determine that winner. ... Congratulations to Alexandra Chandler, who won with a solid base of dedicated, first-choice supporters, as well as many high rankings from supporters of other candidates. This suggests that her message has been able to resonate broadly amongst the poll participants."
- FIRST IN PLAYBOOK - National Postal Mail Handlers Union Local 301 endorses Dan Koh, from the Koh campaign: "Today, the National Postal Mail Handlers Union (NPMHU) Local 301 endorsed Dan Koh in the Third District Congressional race. NPMHU Local 301 represents 3,000 workers, and is the fifteenth union endorsement that Koh has received, more than any other candidate."
- "Boston mayor lends his support to Dan Koh's congressional run," by Evan Allen, Boston Globe: "Boston Mayor Martin J. Walsh said he knew within five minutes of meeting his former chief of staff Dan Koh, now a congressional candidate, that Koh was the best man to join his team at City Hall and help him push through initiatives to lift the lives of Boston residents. Koh rattled off his business accomplishments during that first meeting about five years ago, Walsh said, but then pivoted to his real passion: how he could give back to the community."
WOOD WAR - Herald: "KILLER CLUES," "OT THRILLER!" Globe"Shots echo in complex, and two bystanders lay dying," "Moves shroud Healey's call for openness," "Left high and dry," "Giuliani says Trump can rebuff subpoena," "In this raffle, the giveaway may be your privacy," "SAD SKATE OF AFFAIRS."
THE LOCAL ANGLE -

- "Judge said 'reason to believe' Brian Joyce used lawyer to hide alleged corruption," by Maria Cramer, Boston Globe: "Prosecutors in the corruption case against former state senator Brian Joyce convinced a grand jury he likely used his lawyer, Howard Cooper, to hide alleged criminal behavior, a federal judge ruled Friday. Joyce, a lawyer and Democrat who once served as the Senate's assistant majority leader, faces 113 counts of corruption and racketeering."

- "Family asks for prayers for Felix D. Arroyo," by Evan Allen and Meghan Irons, Boston Globe: "The family of Felix D. Arroyo, the Suffolk County register of probate, asked for prayers on Saturday to help Arroyo through a medical emergency that sent him to the hospital on Friday. Felix D. Arroyo, who is 70, is a beloved figure in Boston who was the first Latino to serve on the City Council and the Boston School Committee and the first person of color serve as the committee's president."

ICYMI - "Kerry is quietly seeking to salvage Iran deal he helped craft," by Matt Viser, Boston Globe: "John Kerry's bid to save one of his most significant accomplishments as secretary of state took him to New York on a Sunday afternoon two weeks ago, where, more than a year after he left office, he engaged in some unusual shadow diplomacy with a top-ranking Iranian official. He sat down at the United Nations with Foreign Minister Javad Zarif to discuss ways of preserving the pact limiting Iran's nuclear weapons program."

- "Lawsuit challenges the high cost of calling from jail," by Maria Cramer, Boston Globe: "Pearson is among four plaintiffs, two of them inmates, who have sued Bristol County Sheriff Thomas M. Hodgson and Securus Technologies Inc., a Texas-based company that provides phone services for inmates across the country, over the high phone rates. The lawsuit alleges that the sheriff office's contract with Securus represented an illegal kickback scheme that has nearly doubled the cost of calls made from county jails."


- "Efforts to keep college grads in Worcester paying off, local leaders say," by Scott O'Connell, Telegram & Gazette Staff: "When this year's local college graduates step across the podium to receive their degrees, they won't just be saying goodbye to their alma mater - they're also more than likely bidding farewell to Worcester. While statistics are difficult to obtain - not all colleges track where their graduates end up - recent surveys indicate that the majority of the city's college graduates relocate after their four years are over, lured by jobs, family and friends, and the appeal of bigger, more popular cities."
- "Yarmouth rejects recreational pot sales," by Kristen Young, Cape Cod Times: "It was a winning day for parks, pickleball and school funding, but not for recreational marijuana, as voters at town meeting decided on 42 articles over a six-hour period Saturday."
- "Michael Childs: Urges Rosenberg to run for Amherst Town Council," by Michael Childs, Daily Hampshire Gazette: "Stan Rosenberg would be a great Town Council member-at-large in the new Amherst government. He would add some real dignity and authority in the first year of this townwide experiment. Come on Stan - we still need you."
HAPPY BIRTHDAY - to Boston Globe scribe Billy Baker.
DID THE HOME TEAM WIN? Yes and No! The Red Sox crushed the Rangers 6-1, but the Bruins fell to the Lightning 3-1, eliminating the B's from the playoffs. The Celtics edged out the 76ers 101-98 on Saturday and could clinch the series tonight.
CALL TO THE POST - FOR THE LATEST HORSE RACE PODCAST EPISODE: "We'll do it Lively." It's GOP week at The Horse Race. First, we recap the Republican state convention with CommonWealth Magazine's Michael Jonas. Then, some zesty candidate insight from two convention delegates: Ed Lyonsand Jon Fetherston. Subscribe and listen on iTunes and Sound Cloud
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