|
|
| |
 |
|
|
GOOD MORNING, MASSACHUSETTS. It's Monday.
CANDIDATES SUPPORT MOVING MARCH 31 ELECTION — State lawmakers are gearing up to postpone the March 31 special election today due to the coronavirus pandemic. While candidates on the ballot next week largely agree it's the right thing to do, the move is creating some tension in Western Mass.
State Senate President Karen Spilka and state House Speaker Robert DeLeo are working on a bill to postpone the special election and allow for voters to use absentee or mail-in ballots because of the coronavirus state of emergency. There are four races on the ballot and 25 towns voting on March 31, according to Secretary of State Bill Galvin's office. The bill won't address concerns around signature-gathering requirements to get on the ballot in September, though lawmakers say that issue is on their radar.
"The news obviously hurts initially," said state Rep. John Velis, the Democrat running for a Senate seat vacated by Westfield Mayor Don Humason. "But public safety for these people must come first." Velis previously opposed moving the election.
Republican John Cain was happy to point out the change of heart, saying he was "disappointed" in Velis, and that moving the election would be too costly and leave the region without representation in the legislature.
"Absentee ballots and proper precautions at the polls including hand sanitizer, maintaining a safe distance, and the use of gloves would allow for the election to proceed so that we have needed representation," Cain said.
But in other races, postponing the election has bipartisan support. Both candidates running to replace former Rep. Jennifer Benson — Republican Cathy Clark and Democrat Danillo Sena — told me they support postponing the March 31 election.
The same is true for the candidates running to fill former Sen. Vinny deMacedo's seat. Republican James McMahon said it's clear "seniors are going to be disenfranchised if the election is held" next week, and that he was concerned for the safety of town clerks and poll workers. Democrat Susan Moran agreed, saying the move was "in the interest of protecting" voters.
But delaying an election means campaigns will have to stretch their budgets further — and get the message out when voters have retreated from daily life. Velis already ran two television ads in the Springfield-Holyoke media market on Friday, which encouraged people to vote on March 31.
Massachusetts isn't the only state looking to move an election in the face of the coronavirus outbreak. But as the postponements pile up, they raise concerns about setting a precedent for future elections, including the presidential election in November. That issue is on Secretary of State Bill Galvin's mind.
"He does have concerns about the precedent, especially in the current atmosphere, but he also understands that this is a unique situation," said Galvin spokesperson Debra O'Malley. "Secretary Galvin has not hesitated to seek to move elections in the past when weather made it necessary, but those delays were usually only for a few days."
"This situation is different, but he hopes that the delay will be as brief as is safe and practicable, so that the citizens of these districts can have representation as soon as possible," O'Malley added.
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 meets with Senate President Karen Spilka and House Speaker Robert DeLeo. Boston Mayor Marty Walsh and Rep. Katherine Clark are guests on WBUR's "Radio Boston." Senate candidate Kevin O'Connor is a guest on Fox News.
|
 | FIRST THINGS FIRST |
|
- RIP LARRY RASKY: "A longtime Biden adviser reveled in his comeback. He won't see how it ends." by Natasha Korecki, POLITICO: "It was Super Tuesday, and Joe Biden had just pulled off the seemingly impossible, transforming a near-dead campaign to romp across 14 states. Watching his old boss' moribund campaign roar back to life as the returns rolled in, Biden's longtime friend and confidant Larry Rasky picked up the phone and laughed before he even started speaking. Rasky called it one of the greatest feats he'd seen in his lifetime. But he won't get to see how the story ends."
- FROM THE ARCHIVES: Larry Rasky on Joe Timilty's campaign for mayor of Boston in the 1970s. Pic.
|
| DATELINE BEACON HILL |
|
- "Mass. now has 646 confirmed coronavirus cases and five deaths," by Andy Rosen, Boston Globe: "The state added three men to its count of coronavirus fatalities on Sunday, bringing the total to five as the known cases of the dangerous illness continue to rise in Massachusetts. The state Department of Public Health said it had recorded 646 cases in Massachusetts, up from 525 a day earlier. The newly reported fatalities included a man in his 70s from Hampden County, a man in his 70s from Berkshire County, and a man in his 90s from Suffolk County, according to the Department of Public Health."
- "State asks hospitals not to release coronavirus testing totals," by Jessica Bartlett, Boston Business Journal: "The Massachusetts Department of Public Health has asked the state's hospitals not to disclose the number of patients waiting on coronavirus testing results or the results of the patients they have seen. Some say that's helping obscure the true size of the epidemic. According to multiple hospital officials and spokespeople, the Massachusetts Department of Public Health said in an email that it would prefer if hospitals and others don't release information on the number of tests they were sending to the state lab or the results the hospitals received back."
- "Poll shows Mass. residents bracing for crisis to worsen," by Michael Jonas, CommonWealth Magazine: "Massachusetts residents overwhelmingly view the coronavirus outbreak as a serious and worsening threat, with many bracing for an extended disruption of their daily lives, according to the first poll to examine how state residents are reacting to the global pandemic. Eighty-eight percent of state residents view the crisis as either a 'very serious' (58 percent) or 'somewhat serious' (30 percent) threat to Massachusetts residents."
- "State Police troopers accused of overtime fraud will get to keep their pensions," by Matt Rocheleau, Boston Globe: "Fourteen retired Massachusetts State Police troopers who have been implicated — but not criminally charged — in a widespread payroll fraud scheme can keep receiving their pension payouts, according to the Massachusetts State Retirement Board. The governor and State Police Colonel Christopher Mason had asked the board to strip the pensions of the 14 retired troopers, who, along with 32 others, have been accused by their own agency of fleecing taxpayers. But because they haven't been charged criminally, the retired troopers can continue to receive their pensions, the board said in a March 6 memo."
- "State will hold virtual town halls on how to file jobless claims after call center is swamped," by Max Jungreis, Boston Globe: "State officials will hold town halls in the coming week on how to apply for unemployment assistance as a growing number of Bay Staters lose their jobs. Department of Unemployment Assistance officials will guide residents through each step of filing a claim during streamed meetings and answer questions from callers, according to the agency's website."
|
| FROM THE HUB |
|
- "Hospitals crowdsource protective equipment," by Shira Schoenberg, CommonWealth Magazine: "Hospitals are asking the public to donate protective face masks. Construction workers are handing over supplies from building sites to medical personnel. Emergency room doctors are asking their friends to buy them protective goggles on Amazon. And a group of nurses are running a massive collection and distribution center for protective equipment from their homes. A global shortage of personal protective equipment is threatening Massachusetts hospitals' ability to care for the expected surge of patients ill with COVID-19."
- "Majority of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Massachusetts are people under 50 years old," by Douglas Hook, MassLive.com: "As the number of Massachusetts residents tested for coronavirus continues to rise, a new trend has arisen in testing data. The majority of people confirmed as positive for COVID-19 have been under 50 years old, according to the Department of Public Health. Of the total 646 confirmed cases in Massachusetts, 357 are 49 years old and younger.
- "Why Isn't Boston's Housing Market Slowing Down?" by Sofia Rivera, Boston Magazine: "It's hard to reconcile a relatively thriving housing market with a city that all but has tumbleweeds rolling through the streets. So how is real estate essentially continuing with business as usual, while most other industries are closed for business? For one, interest rates are incredibly low."
- "Amid coronavirus pandemic, neighbors delivering what government cannot," by Dan Adams, Boston Globe: "For so-called mutual aid groups now springing up across Massachusetts, no ask is too small or too large. Collectively, leaders of this grass-roots movement believe, local residents already have much of the expertise and many of the resources their neighbors will need to survive the coronavirus pandemic. To get the job done, the helpers are relying on free time, anxious energy, their trust in each other — and online spreadsheets."
- "She attended the Biogen conference, got miserably sick, and came through it," by Tonya Alanez, Boston Globe: "For Lara Woolfson, the worst part about testing positive for COVID-19 wasn't her bedridden week of feverish chills, shallow breathing, and diarrhea. It was the dread, shame, and embarrassment of notifying clients, neighbors, and friends she had seen in the week before the appearance of her first dry little cough. 'You know it's the responsible thing to do, but that was heartbreaking,' Woolfson, a 36-year-old photographer, said in an interview Sunday."
|
| PRIMARY SOURCES |
|
- FIRST IN PLAYBOOK: MERMELL REVAMPS WEBSITE — Congressional candidate Jesse Mermell is relaunching her website today to "serve as a digital campaign headquarters during the COVID-19 pandemic." The website includes policy positions, campaign news, an interactive district map and ways to help the campaign virtually. "This new digital headquarters will empower the campaign to continue to connect with voters where they are - at home - and preserve public health," her campaign says.
|
| ALL ABOARD |
|
|
|
| DAY IN COURT |
|
- "Mass. DOC putting prisoners' lives at risk amid coronavirus outbreak, advocates say," by John Hilliard, Boston Globe: "Massachusetts is putting the lives of terminally ill or medically infirm prisoners at risk for COVID-19 by failing to quickly identify those who qualify for medical parole and release them before the virus could spread though the lockup facilities, advocates for inmates said Sunday."
|
| WARREN REPORT |
|
- "Mystery Warren super PAC funder revealed," by Alex Thompson, POLITICO: "The vast majority of the super PAC millions backing Elizabeth Warren in the final days of her presidential campaign came from one person: Karla Jurvetson, a wealthy doctor based in the Bay Area who donated a massive $14.6 million to the main group that supported Warren. In the last weeks of Warren's struggling presidential bid, a super PAC called Persist PAC hastily formed and then swooped into Nevada, South Carolina and Super Tuesday states to run over $14 million in ads trying to resuscitate Warren's campaign."
- "How a bill co-sponsored by Elizabeth Warren and signed by Trump could reshape the next presidential transition," by Alexander Nazaryan, Yahoo News: "In approximately 10 months, a new presidential administration will take shape. And just how that administration takes shape could have great consequences in the years to come. That's why there's reason to cheer a little-noticed bill that could ensure that the transition is conducted with the proper ethical strictures in place — the kinds of strictures that did not exist in 2016 ."
- "Why Elizabeth Warren Is Everywhere On Coronavirus Response," by Kevin Robillard, HuffPost: "Even before she left the presidential race, Warren had worked to shape seemingly every element of the federal government's response to the coronavirus pandemic and the steep recession that is almost certainly coming with it. Her proposal to bar companies who receive bailout funds from stock buybacks has been endorsed by even conservative Republicans, and she worked with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) to make canceling student debt part of the Democratic Party's proposed response to the crisis."
|
| ABOVE THE FOLD |
|
— Herald: "HOW LONG?" — Globe: "A STATE OF EMERGENCY," "First symptoms, then dread, shame," "Rise in cases follows boost in virus tests." |
| FROM THE 413 |
|
- "Amherst College suspends men's lacrosse team, terminates coach in connection with racial incident," by Jim Clark, Boston Globe: "Amherst College has placed its men's lacrosse team on probation through the 2021 season and terminated coach Jon Thompson following what the school said was a racial incident involving members of the team. A letter sent Friday ... addressed the college's investigation into an alleged incident 'that occurred nearly two weeks ago [that] involved the use by some members of the lacrosse team of racist, harassing speech.'"
|
| THE LOCAL ANGLE |
|
- "Nantucket issues 'stay at home' order as island reports first coronavirus case," by Matt Rocheleau and Dugan Arnett, Boston Globe: "The island of Nantucket announced its first confirmed case of COVID-19 Sunday and said it is preparing to issue a "stay at home" order, becoming the first community in Massachusetts to take such a step amid the coronavirus pandemic. 'People could die from inadequate access to medical care if we don't take these extreme measures,' the town said in a statement."
- "Gas disaster victims feel deja vu while dealing with pandemic," by Jill Harmacinski and Breanna Edelstein, The Salem News: "The Merrimack Valley gas disaster on Sept. 13, 2018, destroyed Mona and Dean Thornhill's North Andover home. Married for 45 years, the couple endured a tedious rebuild and replacement of 85% of their belongings spanning many months that followed. Now after spending 15 months away, the Thornhills can't leave their home due to the new coronavirus, commonly called COVID-19, which causes severe respiratory illness and possible death."
- "'We're Really Nervous': Massachusetts Couple Deserted On Honduran Island Amid COVID-19 Pandemic," by Quincy Walters, WBUR: "On March 9, Beth Rosenzweig and Ray Bahr arrived on the Honduran island of Utila for a week of scuba diving. But during their vacation, the novel coronavirus pandemic rapidly grew, and countries began closing their borders to stave off the spread — like Honduras. The married couple, who are from Carlisle, Massachusetts, now find themselves deserted on an island, trying to get back home."
- "Chelmsford-based ventilator company Zoll ramping up production to battle coronavirus," by Sean Philip Cotter, Boston Herald: "A ventilator manufacturer in Chelmsford is cranking up production, racing to produce thousands more of the life-saving machines as the coronavirus pandemic makes them ever more important. 'We're doing anything we can to build as many of these devices as we can,' said Elijah White, the president of Zoll Medical Corp."
|
| MEDIA MATTERS |
|
- "Even in a Pandemic, the Boston Globe's Paywall Is Staying Up," by Spencer Buell, Boston Magazine: "At a time when the health of millions is literally in everyone's hands right now (sorry), accurate and thorough information about what the new coronavirus is, how it spreads, how it's being addressed, and what sacrifices each of us need to make for the foreseeable future to keep it contained, is extremely valuable. Vital, even. But if you and your neighbors want to get the best and most up-to-date information possible from Boston's largest and best-resourced newsroom, you'll have to pay for it."
HAPPY BELATED BIRTHDAY - to Arthur Green, who celebrated Saturday; and Alan Jenkins and Zach D'Amico, who celebrated Sunday.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY - to state Sen. Paul Feeney and Ruth Elizabeth Leonard.
DID THE HOME TEAM WIN? The home teams are not playing.
NEW EPISODE: HOME ALONE - On this week's Horse Race podcast, hosts Jennifer Smith and Stephanie Murray speak with state Rep. Jon Santiago and Boston City Councilor Michelle Wu about the coronavirus pandemic. 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
|
| |
Subscribe to the POLITICO Playbook family
|
Follow us
|
|
| |
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.