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Presented by Transportation for Massachusetts
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GOOD MORNING, MASSACHUSETTS.
MARKEY AND KENNEDY JUST CAN'T AGREE — A lengthy disagreement between Rep. Joe Kennedy III and Sen. Ed Markey over the role of outside spending in the Senate primary is spilling into another week.
Markey and Kennedy clashed over a so-called People's Pledge during a televised debate on WGBH last week. Kennedy called on Markey to sign a pledge to limit outside spending in the race, which Markey signed in his 2013 race for the seat.
Markey disagreed with Kennedy, instead calling for an updated version of the pledge that would allow for outside spending by groups that disclose their donors and use positive messaging, like environmental groups or labor unions.
But it's not clear how messaging would be deemed positive or negative under Markey's proposal. And even after the back-and-forth during the debate, Kennedy's campaign says it has not received a proposed version of Markey's pledge. The Kennedy campaign sent Markey's campaign a People's Pledge document in November, according to emails reviewed by POLITICO, and has asked Markey's campaign for its proposed version several times since.
"The dispute is not who wrote it down and who didn't," Markey campaign manager John Walsh said on Monday. "We've been communicating publicly. They have a public statement about what they're willing to do and we have a public statement about what we're willing to do." Walsh confirmed that the campaign has not sent its version of the pledge to the Kennedy campaign.
And Walsh took it a step further, saying Kennedy was willing to "silence" progressive voices to avoid negative advertising in the race. Kennedy outraised Markey by close to $1 million in the last quarter of 2019, putting him at a financial advantage. But Markey already has the backing of an environmental group which has pledged $5 million to support him.
"Every candidate gets to make their strongest case. Joe Kennedy's strongest case is that he is willing to shut out progressive voices to avoid negative advertising," Walsh added. "We're saying you don't have to ... sacrifice these progressive voices in order to do it."
During the debate last week , Markey suggested the media would decide whether messaging is positive or negative under his proposal, and that any outside groups that spend money in the race should disclose their donors. Kennedy balked at that suggestion, saying networks like Fox News and WGBH may have different standards of what messaging is positive or negative.
"There is no rationale to this whatsoever," Kennedy said. "You open the door to this, you open the door to an absolute landslide of money coming in to distort the electoral framework."
But Markey's campaign pointed to Sen. Elizabeth Warren's pivot on outside money as an example of why an updated pledge is necessary in a changing political climate. Warren signed a People's Pledge with former GOP Sen. Scott Brown in 2012. Warren disavowed super PACs early in her 2020 campaign, but is now receiving a boost from a pro-Warren super PAC.
"Elizabeth Warren is accepting help from a super PAC because the world has changed, not because she's evil," Walsh said. "It's not 2012 anymore ... the world has changed."
WHOOPS: BLOOMBERG SENDS BERNIE BACKER AN INVITE — Rhode Island Gov. Gina Raimondo is in Massachusetts today to stump for billionaire Michael Bloomberg's presidential campaign. She'll host a luncheon at Carrie Nation to engage with "legislative leaders" ahead of next week's presidential primary contest.
Raimondo endorsed the former New York City mayor at the beginning of February, so it's not surprising that she'd make a trip to Boston to make the case for him ahead of Super Tuesday.
What raised some eyebrows, though, is the invite list. The Bloomberg campaign sent a luncheon invitation to state Rep. Mike Connolly, who is a co-chair on Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders' campaign. Connolly was quick to tweet a photo of the invitation and throw some shade Bloomberg's way.
"Someone whose phone number I don't recognize actually just texted me this. LOL. LOL. LOL. LOL. LOL. LOL. NO." Connolly wrote on Twitter.
Have a tip, story, suggestion, birthday, anniversary, new job, or any other nugget for the Playbook? Get in touch: smurray@politico.com.
TODAY — Gov. Charlie Baker speaks at the Light of Dawnn Awards in Allston. Baker and Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito make a Skills Capital Grant announcement in Gloucester. Boston Mayor Marty Walsh is announced as the ambassador award recipient by the Saint Patrick's Committee of Holyoke.
The Democratic presidential candidates will debate in South Carolina. New Hampshire Rep. Annie Kuster holds a phone bank for Pete Buttigieg's presidential campaign in Jamaica Plain. Former Gov. Bill Weld campaigns in Leominster and Worcester. Rep. Joe Kennedy III speaks to the New England Council.
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A message from Transportation for Massachusetts:
Massachusetts is facing a transportation crisis. Roads, bridges, and transit statewide urgently need investment. The gas tax, which has increased by only 3 cents since 1991, is a proven, stable, and immediate solution to make our commutes better. Learn more. |
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 | DATELINE BEACON HILL |
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- "UMass's Collins lists $67,743 in expenses for one year," by Colman M. Herman, CommonWealth Magazine: "THE CHANCELLOR of the University of Massachusetts Medical School in Worcester racked up $67,743 in expenses over the course of a year, much of it for air travel for himself and his wife to destinations all over the world. Michael Collins, whose $1.1 million-a-year salary makes him the state's highest-paid employee, took 33 airline business trips between June 1, 2018, and May 31, 2019, and his wife went along on 16 of them, according to his state expense reports. Their destinations included New York, Chicago, New Orleans, Los Angeles, Seattle, Miami, London, and Hong Kong."
- "DeLeo Taking Wait-and-See Approach With Nangle," by Chris Lisinski, State House News Service: "House Speaker Robert DeLeo said Monday he plans to let charges of bank fraud and illegal campaign spending against Rep. David Nangle play out in court before the House would consider taking disciplinary action against the Lowell Democrat. Nangle resigned his committee assignments and his role as division chair on Wednesday, less than 24 hours after he pleaded not guilty to more than two dozen charges of misusing campaign funds on personal expenses and committing bank fraud. Asked if the House was considering an investigation or other action against Nangle, DeLeo on Monday said he would prefer to let the criminal case proceed before doing anything, which could include the launching of an Ethics Committee investigation."
- "Advocates sound alarm over proposed limits on abuse reports," by Shira Schoenberg, CommonWealth Magazine: "UNCOVERING ABUSE AGAINST people with disabilities may become more difficult, advocates worry, under a provision tucked into a seemingly innocuous bill slated for a vote in the state Senate on Thursday. The bill, sponsored by Sen. John Keenan, modernizes language about people with disabilities in state law. But it also contains a section that limits the extent to which files maintained by the state's Disabled Persons Protection Commission will be considered public records."
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| FROM THE HUB |
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- "'Common Ground' Illuminated Boston. Now It's Coming to the Stage." by Michael Paulson, The New York Times: "Common Ground," J. Anthony Lukas's Pulitzer-winning masterpiece about Boston's turbulent attempt to desegregate its schools via court-ordered busing, is inspiring a stage play. The Huntington Theater Company in Boston plans to present the drama, called "Common Ground Revisited," next winter, with performances starting in January. The adaptation is by Kirsten Greenidge and directed by Melia Bensussen; the two artists began collaborating on the project in 2011, when they jointly taught a class exploring the subject at Emerson College."
- "Walsh sets new rules for Boston's troubled zoning board," by Sean Philip Cotter, Boston Herald: "Mayor Martin Walsh announced changes to Boston's zoning board in an effort to restore trust to the scandal-plagued body. Walsh announced an executive order on Monday placing further restrictions on board members' business dealings and seeking more financial disclosures from board members and applicants, taking recommendations from an indepandent investigation of the board that issued a report on Monday. The executive order requires members and alternates of the Zoning Board of Appeal to disclose all properties that might come before the board in which they or their business partners have a financial stake."
- "'We are in America, speak English': Mother speaks out over attack she says she faced for speaking Spanish," by Steph Solis, MassLive.com: "It wasn't the first time Ms. Vasquez felt the derision of Americans who heard her speak Spanish, but she hopes the Feb. 15 incident that left her and her 15-year-old daughter injured after speaking their native language is the last in East Boston. Driven by that urgency to warn others, Vasquez told MassLive in an interview she felt compelled to share her story because she didn't want others to suffer from anti-immigrant attacks."
- "Immigrant advocates concerned with public charge rule," by Milton J. Valencia, Boston Globe: "Advocates in Massachusetts are looking to ramp up efforts to protect immigrant families after a federal court ruling cleared the way for the Trump administration to limit immigration of people it believes will depend on government assistance. At a City Hall teach-in Monday, the advocates said the court ruling will open the door for the administration to discriminate against classes of immigrants, such as those from poorer countries. The event, attended by dozens of community leaders, was organized as an effort to inform community members about the extent of the administration's effort."
- "In Push For Boston Transfer Tax, A Bigger Battle Brews Over Limits Of Local Powers," by Isaiah Thompson, WGBH News: "In his annual State of the City address earlier this year, Boston Mayor Marty Walsh announced a new, big-ticket housing agenda to thundering applause. Walsh has pledged to spend $500 million over the next five years on a raft of housing programs aimed at creating and preserving affordable housing, including housing for seniors, low-income and middle-income Bostonians. The plan, if carried out, would represent something like a four-fold increase in city spending for housing."
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| PRIMARY SOURCES |
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- "Bernie Sanders to visit Massachusetts, hold rally Friday in Springfield," by Lisa Kashinsky, Boston Herald: "Bernie Sanders is set to hold a rally Friday in Springfield, making his biggest play yet for voters in Elizabeth Warren's home state. The event kicks off at 7:30 p.m. at the MassMutual Center, 1277 Main St., in Springfield. Doors open at 6 p.m. The Vermont senator will visit Massachusetts on the eve of the South Carolina primary, as his focus shifts to the delegate-rich Super Tuesday states that vote just days later. Massachusetts is one of the 14 states that will cast ballots on March 3."
- "Rep. Joe Kennedy opens Senate campaign office in Springfield," by Jackson Cote, MassLive.com: "Rep. Joe Kennedy III, who is running a tight Senate race against incumbent Massachusetts Sen. Ed Markey, has opened up his newest campaign office in Springfield. The Massachusetts Democrat's campaign team announced Monday the opening of its fifth office on 1391 Main St. The campaign already has locations in Lowell, Roxbury, Watertown and Worcester. The office opening is part of an effort aimed at building a local presence in all parts of the state state and a "massive grassroots operation," according to Team Kennedy."
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| ALL ABOARD |
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- "Study: Rider, Revenue Ripples Seen From Low-Income MBTA Fare," State House News Service: "An income-based MBTA fare option could attract tens of thousands of new rapid transit and bus riders and could prompt hundreds of thousands more trips on the RIDE paratransit service, according to an ongoing T study. If the MBTA set the qualifying income at 200% of the federal poverty level, between 50,000 and 90,000 new commuters would ride the subway or bus every year, MBTA Deputy Director of Policy and Strategic Planning Lynsey Heffernan told the T's board Monday."
- "The MBTA has promised a lot of major upgrades. But can it afford them all?" by Adam Vaccaro, Boston Globe: "A revamped bus system with new routes and more bus-only lanes. A radical expansion of commuter rail service, with trains every 15 minutes on some lines. And, following an outside report documenting lax safety practices at the MBTA, a pledge to improve standards across the system. These are among the major initiatives the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority has promised in recent months, buoyed by new internal offices and staff to oversee the projects."
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| DAY IN COURT |
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- "'He's been terrorized, and now they're going to terrorize him some more': Lawyer urges U.S. Attorney to investigate alleged attack on Souza-Baranowski inmate," by Jackson Cote, MassLive.com: "An attorney representing an inmate at the Souza-Baranowski Correctional Center who claims he was assaulted by prison staff last month is now asking the U.S. Attorney's office to investigate the alleged attack. Robert Silva-Prentice, who is serving time at the maximum-security prison in Lancaster for his involvement in a 2017 murder, alleged that on Jan. 22 he was "brutally assaulted" by armed members of a tactical team stationed at the prison."
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| IT'S NOT EASY BEING GREEN |
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- "Cape coalition asks towns to declare 'climate change emergency,'" by Doug Fraser, Cape Cod Times: "Increasingly, town meeting voters are faced with petition articles asking how they stand on issues that go beyond town budgets and schools — national issues such as immigration, gun violence and plastics pollution. At annual gatherings this spring, voters will be asked about something of global import: whether they are willing, as a town, to declare a climate emergency and commit to reducing human-caused greenhouse gas emissions to zero."
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| FROM THE 413 |
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- "A growing challenge: Springfield Police Department struggles with attrition, luring new recruits," by Peter Goonan, Springfield Republican: "Police Commissioner Cheryl Clapprood didn't mince words as she spoke last week about the struggles of retaining officers and attracting new cops in a climate she believes has seen an increase in danger and disrespect. "I'm shorthanded and I got staffing issues," Clapprood said during a meeting with editors and reporters at The Republican."
- "Berkshire Voters Taking Advantage Of Early Primary Voting," by Josh Landes, WAMC: "Early voting in the March 3rd Massachusetts primary began this morning, and Berkshire County voters were ready. In Pittsfield, Massachusetts, participation in the 2020 election began bright and early Monday morning. "We had people waiting at the door when we got here this morning. We've processed probably 20 ballots in the past hour," said Pittsfield City Clerk Michele Benjamin. Registered voters in the Berkshire community of around 43,000 need only come to the registrar of voters' office at city hall and give their name and address to the staff."
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| THE LOCAL ANGLE |
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- "'A perfect storm of errors': Taxes are expected to rise in Taunton after an assessing tech snafu," by Christopher Gavin, Boston.com: "A seemingly small line error has created a major problem for Taunton's assessors — and it's going to cost taxpayers. Officials were forced to essentially reboot their billing process after a software upgrade meant that local public school property was added to the list of taxable properties, they say. The snafu came when the non-profit Head Start building, adjacent to Taunton High School, was added to the system as a taxable property, which generated invoices for all of the school buildings at the site, Assessor Richard Conti told the City Council last week."
- "Where counseling for depressed, anxious teens is a click away," by Kay Lazar, Boston Globe: "Ambling into a windowless office in his high school, Jerry plopped into a chair, cracked open a bottle of water, and casually greeted the woman whose image was on a computer screen in front of him. "How's it going?" he said to Leslie Matilainen, a mental health counselor smiling back at him from her home computer miles away. For the next 45 minutes, Jerry, an earnest 16-year-old junior in the Ralph C. Mahar Regional School District in Orange, alternately confided in and joked with Matilainen about his grades, the high cost of concert tickets, family issues, and his dream of attending culinary school ."
- "Last of The Codfather's boats are sold to New Bedford fishing company Blue Harvest," Associated Press: "Most of what's left of the boats owned by a fishing magnate known as the Codfather, who was forced out of the industry after committing an elaborate fraud, have been acquired by a Massachusetts company, it said Thursday. Blue Harvest, a fishing and processing company in New Bedford, announced it has reached an agreement to buy a dozen of Carlos Rafael's boats and his remaining permits for fish such as cod and haddock."
- "Fare-free bus idea gains traction in Worcester," by Nick Kotsopoulos, Telegram & Gazette: "Advocates for a fare-free Worcester bus system filled the City Council chamber Monday night to make their case. About 90 people, reflecting a wide cross section of the community, attended the first in a series of public hearings before the City Council Public Service and Transportation Committee to consider recommendations made by the Worcester Regional Research Bureau last May for a fare-free bus system. During 90 minutes of public testimony, 37 people spoke, a vast majority in favor of giving the fare-free system a try."
TRANSITIONS - Anthony Coley is starting his own consultancy, Corner Office Strategies, but will also be spending the next several months working with Democratic candidates, causes and campaigns. He previously was EVP for communications and senior adviser to the CEO at the Managed Funds Association and also served in the Obama Treasury Department and as communications director for the late Sen. Ted Kennedy.
- Amherst-Pelham School Committee Chairman Eric Nakajima is leaving his role to become director of government relations for the Massachusetts Teachers Association. Link.
HAPPY BELATED BIRTHDAY - to Sarah Keene, who celebrated Monday.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY - to Jack Dew.
FOR YOUR COMMUTE: DEBATE NIGHT AND THE FEELING'S RIGHT - On this week's Horse Race podcast, hosts Jennifer Smith and Stephanie Murray break down the debate between Sen. Ed Markey and Rep. Joe Kennedy III. Host Steve Koczela talks with state Sens. Cindy Friedman and Julian Cyr about the Senate's mental health legislation. Subscribe and listen on iTunes and Sound Cloud.
Want to make an impact? POLITICO Massachusetts has a variety of solutions available for partners looking to reach and activate the most influential people in the Bay State. Have a petition you want signed? A cause you're promoting? Seeking to increase brand awareness among this key audience? Share your message with our influential readers to foster engagement and drive action. Contact Jesse Shapiro to find out how: jshapiro@politico.com.
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A message from Transportation for Massachusetts:
In every corner of the Commonwealth, people are frustrated with our transportation system. From potholed and congested roads, to delayed trains, to regional transit buses that don't run on the weekends, transportation is holding back our economy, hurting our quality of life, and polluting our air. The gas tax must be part of the solution. Each one-penny increase in the gas tax raises $30 million per year for transportation improvements statewide, including an increase to Chapter 90 local road repairs, dedicated funding for Regional Transit Authorities, and upgrades to the MBTA. Learn more. |
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