Politico Massachusetts Playbook: WHERE’S JOE? — DeLEO sets the RECORD — Police prep for HANDS-FREE driving law

WHERE’S JOE? — DeLEO sets the RECORD — Police prep for HANDS-FREE driving law

By Stephanie Murray

Presented by Transportation for Massachusetts

GOOD MORNING, MASSACHUSETTS. Happy Monday! It's so good to be back in your inbox. A special thanks to my wonderful colleague Shannon Young, who held down the fort while I was in New Hampshire. THE N.H. PRIMARY IS ALMOST HERE — The New Hampshire primary is tomorrow, and you know what that means: Eager Massachusetts Democrats flooded the Granite State over the weekend to attend campaign events, knock on doors and frustrate the political reporters looking for New Hampshire voters to interview. Some Bay Staters have even cleared their schedules on Monday and Tuesday so they can head north to get out the vote for their Democrat of choice. While we don't vote until Super Tuesday on March 3, heading up to New Hampshire on I-93 is a way for diehard political activists to get in on the action a month early. Plus, Massachusetts voters don't get up-close access to the candidates the way New Hampshire voters do, a perk that comes with their home state's first-in-the-nation status. All of Elizabeth Warren's big-name political surrogates hit the trail in New Hampshire this weekend as she tried to stage a comeback from her disappointing third-place finish in Iowa. All, that is, except for one: Rep. Joe Kennedy III. The next-in-line Kennedy scion and fellow Massachusetts lawmaker — a former student of Warren's at Harvard Law School who introduced her when she formally announced for president — has made only two campaign appearances for Warren since then. Kennedy popped over twice to New Hampshire; he did not set foot in Iowa ahead of its caucuses. Kennedy's absence frustrated some Warren allies who feel he could be an eloquent and forceful presence on the trail in the final stretch, when she needs all the help she can get. "Where's Joe?," fumed one who was up in New Hampshire this weekend helping Warren. "Everybody should be here." 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 attends the National Governors Association Winter meeting in Washington, D.C. President Donald Trump holds a rally in Manchester. Sen. Elizabeth Warren holds campaign events in Rochester and Portsmouth. Former Gov. Deval Patrick holds campaign events in Concord and Henniker. Former Gov. Bill Weld visits the Red Arrow Diner in Manchester. Rep. Stephen Lynch speaks at a New England Council breakfast.

DATELINE BEACON HILL

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— "DeLeo on Eve of Record-Setting Speaker's Tenure," by Sam Doran, State House News Service: "How much does the House of Representatives like having Rep. Robert DeLeo as speaker? Let us count the days ... Four thousand and twenty-nine. That's the magic number DeLeo hits on Saturday when he becomes the longest-serving speaker in state history. Timothy Bigelow's 4,028 days clutching the gavel will be just a memory -- from 1820. Bigelow, a Federalist who served from Groton and then Medford, had three separate speakerships from 1805-1806, 1808-1810, and 1812-1820. His terms in office were interrupted when the House oscillated between Federalist and Democratic-Republican majorities." — "Spilka voices commitment to NDA reform," by Mary Markos, Boston Herald: "In an exclusive interview with the Herald, Senate President Karen Spilka called for reforms around public use of nondisclosure agreements after a bill to ban them was sent to the Senate for study. "I do believe that we need to protect the victim," Spilka said. "If the victim does not want to be silenced, which many NDAs do, I will not silence the victim and I will not protect the perpetrator who has been found to have committed the alleged action in this particular circumstance." Although the joint Judiciary Committee sent to study a bill to ban nondisclosure agreements earlier this week, Spilka was optimistic about adjusting the language to achieve reform."

FROM THE HUB

— "In Allston, impact of Mass. Pike reconstruction inspires second thoughts," by Adam Vaccaro, Boston Globe: "A little more than a year ago, Transportation Secretary Stephanie Pollack announced an ambitious reconfiguration of a tight stretch of land alongside the Charles River, to bring the Massachusetts Turnpike down to ground level through Allston and to elevate Soldiers Field Road above it. It was a decisive call after five years of debate about the next major Boston-area highway project. The compromise plan managed to please most of the legions of neighborhood activists and advocacy organizations that had been working to shape it. Until, that is, it became clear what the construction might actually entail: up to a decade of major disruptions for commuters and a temporary structure in the Charles to carry Soldiers Field Road." — "Boston to consider broker fees after New York City ban," by Sean Philip Cotter, Boston Herald: "Boston may follow New York City's lead in getting rid of broker fees, as Mayor Martin Walsh plans to create a working group to study the fees as sky-high rents continue to climb. Walsh said he's creating the group to study broker fees and "how they impact renters across the City of Boston." Fees paid by renters to real-estate brokers often cost the equivalent of another month's rent in Boston — and are often paired with three more months' rent needed upon the signing of the lease, with first, last and a security deposit for the landlord being the norm." — "Study: Women Are Unrepresented In Leadership At The Top Mass. Companies," by Zeninjor Enwemeka, WBUR: "Only one of the state's largest companies has reached gender parity in its leadership positions — and only one has a female CEO — according to a new study by the Eos Foundation. The report, released Thursday, examined leadership across the 25 largest public companies based in Massachusetts and ranked them based on the representation of women. It finds that while women make up more than half of the state's population and people of color make up 30%, they are hardly represented at the executive level of the state's biggest companies." — "Voc-tech schools facing scrutiny over admissions policies," by Michael Jonas, CommonWealth Magazine: "AFTER YEARS OF complaints from city officials and urban school superintendents that vocational-technical schools are turning away some of the students who might benefit most from their hands-on learning programs, state education officials are reviewing the selective admission standards used by vocational schools that draw higher-performing students. Education commissioner Jeff Riley is expected to propose changes that could dramatically alter voc-tech admission policies, which have become a flashpoint for tension across the state, particularly in urban areas."

PRIMARY SOURCES

— "Sanders glides toward primary day as moderates brawl," by Holly Otterbein and Stephanie Murray, POLITICO: "Bernie Sanders was battered in Iowa with more than $800,000 in TV attack ads that labeled him a socialist and argued he couldn't beat President Trump. Here in New Hampshire, the opposite has happened: The airwaves are free of anti-Sanders spots in the days before the first-in-the-nation-primary, and he's watching the moderates shank each other. Tom Steyer is largely training his advertising firepower onto Pete Buttigieg and Joe Biden. The former vice president is mocking Buttigieg's experience and targeting him in a digital spot. Fighting back against Biden, the ex-mayor says he's tired of being a punchline." — "Warren, out of spotlight after Iowa, undeterred," by Jess Bidgood, Boston Globe: "Elizabeth Warren often says she has wended a "twisty-turny" path through life, telling crowds she is a onetime college dropout and a divorcee who became a presidential candidate. Now, any path the Massachusetts senator can cut to the Democratic nomination could be just as convoluted, as she and her advisers face the possibility of leaving the first two states without a win or even a second-place finish. "There's lots of folks who are going to talk about what's not winnable, what can't be done, and definitely who can't do it," Warren said as she launched a wave of canvassers here on Saturday afternoon ." — "Deval Patrick, The Last Black Candidate In The 2020 Presidential Election," by Hannah Uebele, WGBH News: "Presidential candidate Deval Patrick joined Boston Public Radio in Manchester, N.H., on Friday. The former governor of Massachusetts gave his thoughts on whether New Hampshire should have the first primary election in the country. "We'll have time and we should take the time after this cycle to rethink this whole thing," Patrick said. "If I had my druthers, we'd all vote on the same day and maybe there would be less emphasis placed on this whole idea of momentum coming from places that don't necessarily represent the whole of the nation."

DAY IN COURT

— "After a change of heart by state officials, longtime convict Ben LaGuer walks free," by Adrian Walker, Boston Globe: "Two days after walking out of state prison for the first time in more than three decades, Ben LaGuer was, in his own words, "a little weak, a little tired." But his voice carried something else beyond fatigue: the sound of freedom. LaGuer, 55, was released Wednesday from North Central Correctional Center in Gardner, after Department of Correction commissioner Carol A. Micci — reversing her decision of two months ago — decided to grant him medical parole. According to medical reports submitted to the state, he's dying from liver cancer and cirrhosis of the liver. He had been incarcerated since 1983, when he was convicted of a heinous rape."

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.

ABOVE THE FOLD

— Herald: "DEAD HEAT," — Globe: "Retool of Mass. Pike stirs second thoughts," "Buttigieg surges in N.H. and draws fire." FROM THE 413 — "Lee takes a hard look at its government," by Clarence Fanto, Berkshire Eagle: "Should the town rule out members of the Select Board, Finance Committee and other local government employees from running for elected positions in Lee, except for town meeting representatives? That's the recommendation of a committee appointed to review the town's Special Act created in 1990 to redefine how local government operates in Lee. The committee's chairwoman, Janet Warner, presented the group's suggestions to the Select Board at a meeting this past week. The three-member board will review the recommendations and vote on them, with a final decision up to the elected town meeting representatives who speak and vote for the residents at the annual meeting in May." THE LOCAL ANGLE — "Local police preparing to enforce new distracted-driving law," by Anastasia E. Lennon and Wheeler Cowperthwaite, The Patriot Ledger: "Texting and driving has long been illegal, but a new Massachusetts law will soon nix taking a call, using a GPS or any other hands-on cell phone use. Local police officers are hopeful that a new distracted-driving law will keep people's eyes on the road — and off of their text messages, Facebook pages and emails. "It started with texting and driving, and now it seems to be everyone is on the phone while driving," Marshfield police Sgt. Liam Rooney said." — "State funding hike opens door for more public early ed, but challenges remain," by Scott O'Connell, Telegram & Gazette: "The new promise of additional funding from the state, as well as an encouragement from the state's education commissioner, has some school officials and early childhood education advocates hoping free preschool could be the next big push in public education in Massachusetts. But funding constraints, even with the passage of the Student Opportunity Act and its $1.5 billion for public schools, as well as logistical challenges could hinder local efforts to invest in prekindergarten programming, at least in the short term." — "Council chair: Solomon email shows 'self-dealing,'" by Bill Kirk, Eagle-Tribune: "City councilors are raising questions about a newly released email from police Chief Joseph Solomon to Patrolmen's Union President David Gardner in September 2017, in which Solomon suggested changes to the patrolmen's contract that also benefited him. On Wednesday, Sept. 6, 2017, Solomon wrote an email to Gardner saying, "Please read and send to attorney. Highlighted areas are additions or changes. I changed the wording on base pay calculations (per superiors wording) and some other wording that the MOU (memorandum of understanding) had. Let me know your thoughts tomorrow." Attached to the email was the patrolman's contract, with the highlighted changes suggested by Solomon." MEDIA MATTERS — "This New Hampshire bar will become a pop-up newsroom for the 2020 primary," by Kristen Hare, Poynter: "Chris Faraone first covered the New Hampshire primary 20 years ago. Politicians, issues and technology have changed a lot since then. One thing has not. There's no room for independent journalists to work, said Faraone, editor of DigBoston, an alt-weekly, and editorial director of the Boston Institute for Nonprofit Journalism. In Manchester, he said, the hotel where media outlets set up to cover the primary "is completely partitioned off for all the bigs." There are only so many coffee shops to work in, Faraone said, but "reporters are resourceful people. We figure things out." HAPPY BELATED BIRTHDAY - to David Cowan, who celebrated Saturday, and to Sunday birthday-ers Audrey Scagnelli, founder of Sanity Media, Larry Rasky, chairman and CEO of Rasky Partners; and Geoffrey Young. HAPPY BIRTHDAY — to Boston Globe columnist Jeff Jacoby, who is 61; Nolan O'Brien, regional director for Sen. Ed Markey; Christopher Hartman, Peter Douvris and Jonathan Pappas. DID THE HOME TEAM WIN? Yes and no! The Celtics beat the Thunder 112-111. The Wings beat the Bruins 3-1. FOR YOUR COMMUTE: NET ZERO TO HERO - On this week's Horse Race podcast, hosts Steve Koczela and Jennifer Smith talk with Senate President Karen Spilka and Sen. Mike Barrett about climate bills passed by the state Senate last week. Spilka also offers a look ahead at her chamber's next big priority: mental health. 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.   Follow us on Twitter Stephanie Murray @StephMurr_Jour   Subscribe to the POLITICO Playbook family Playbook  |  Playbook PM  |  California Playbook  |  Florida Playbook  |  Illinois Playbook  |  Massachusetts Playbook  |  New Jersey Playbook  |  New York Playbook  |  Brussels Playbook  |  London Playbook View all our politics and policy newsletters Follow us

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