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GOOD MORNING, MASSACHUSETTS.
ONLY 4 GOP SENATORS LEFT — Democrats added to their majority in the state Senate last night. Candidates flipped two districts from red to blue in special Senate elections. State Rep. John Velis won in the race to replace former Sen. Don Humason, now the mayor of Westfield, and Susan Moran won former Plymouth Sen. Vinny deMacedo’s seat. That leaves only four Republicans in the 40-member chamber.
And the number of Republicans in the Senate could shrink again this fall. Sen. Dean Tran is up for reelection after being stripped of his leadership post following a scathing ethics report. And Sen. Patrick O’Connor is facing a Democratic challenge for the second cycle in a row. O’Connor won by 6 percentage points in 2018. And that year, popular GOP Gov. Charlie Baker was on the ballot for reelection. But President Donald Trump will be on the ballot in November, and his unpopularity among voters here may make it more difficult for Republican candidates on the ballot.
SYNEMA TO RAISE MONEY WITH KENNEDY — Rep. Joe Kennedy III will raise money for his primary campaign against Sen. Ed Markey at a virtual fundraiser celebrating Pride Month with Arizona Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, civil rights activist Jim Obergefell and former NBA player Jason Collins on June 15.
The fundraiser is co-chaired by Bryan Rafanelli, the Boston-based event planner and prominent gay political donor who raised money for Pete Buttigieg in the presidential primary.
“Having served as a member of Joe’s finance committee and kitchen cabinet since his congressional campaign in 2012, I’ve had the pleasure of seeing first hand Joe’s ascension into a Democratic leader for our community, our state and the nation at large,” Rafanelli wrote in an invitation email obtained by POLITICO.
Tickets for the virtual “cocktails and conversation” fundraiser hosted on the video conferencing platform Zoom range from $50 to $5,600. Those who give $2,800 or more may attend a 15-minute pre-reception.
Have a tip, story, suggestion, birthday, anniversary, new job, or any other nugget for the Playbook? Get in touch: smurray@politico.com.
TODAY — State Senate President Karen Spilka is a guest on WGBH’s “Morning Edition.” Sen. Ed Markey hosts a livestream with state Rep. Carlos Gonzalez and former Holyoke City Councilor Jossie Valentin. Rep. Joe Kennedy III passes out meals at the Merrimack Valley Food Bank in Lowell.
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POLITICO Magazine Justice Reform: The Decarceration Issue, presented by Verizon: Over the past decade, the longstanding challenge of criminal-justice reform has emerged into the spotlight with a new twist: Republicans and Democrats alike are on board. But if both parties want to lower the incarceration rate, why are our jail and prison populations still so large? The latest series from POLITICO Magazine works to answer this important question and take a deeper look into what it will take to make progress in the policy and politics of justice reform. READ THE FULL ISSUE.
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 | THE LATEST NUMBERS |
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– “Mass. reports 873 new coronavirus cases, 76 new fatalities; UMass model predicts death toll will rise over 8,100,” by Martin Finucane and Jaclyn Reiss, Boston Globe: “Even as the state eases into reopening its economy, public health officials reported Tuesday that the death toll from the coronavirus outbreak had risen by 76 cases to 5,938, and a new forecast from the University of Massachusetts Amherst predicted the toll would rise to more than 8,100 in the next four weeks.”
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| DATELINE BEACON HILL |
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– “Massachusetts State House remains closed as state begins reopening process during coronavirus pandemic,” by Steph Solis, MassLive.com: “While some businesses prepare to reopen, Massachusetts lawmakers will have to get used to working remotely. Senate President Karen Spilka, an Ashland Democrat, and House Speaker Robert DeLeo, a Winthrop Democrat, issued a joint statement saying they don’t plan to reopen the State House soon during the coronavirus pandemic.”
– “Boston Fed chief: Expect double-digit unemployment through 2020,” by Jon Chesto, Boston Globe: “New England states are starting to allow shuttered businesses to reopen after two months of closures. But this is not the time to celebrate: Until the COVID-19 public health crisis is resolved, the economy will probably remain in bad shape. That’s the word from the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston’s chief executive, Eric Rosengren, who spoke Tuesday ― in an online presentation ― to members of the New England Council, a regional business networking and lobbying group.”
– “State tracking mystery childhood illness,” by Christian M. Wade, Eagle-Tribune: “State health officials are watching for symptoms of a new disease in children that has been linked to the COVID-19 virus, with more than a dozen cases already reported in Massachusetts. As of Tuesday, the state Department of Public Health said hospitals and health care centers had reported 17 suspected cases of pediatric multi-system inflammatory syndrome. That was nearly double the count as of last Thursday.”
– “Parents, daycare providers grapple with uncertainty,” by Shira Schoenberg, CommonWealth Magazine: “Before the coronavirus pandemic hit, April McCarthy, 31, of Chelmsford, was working as a mental health clinician, while a family daycare provider watched her 2-year-old daughter and 7-month-old son. Then COVID-19 hit and the daycare shut down. McCarthy’s husband works in an essential job for a facilities company servicing Harvard Medical School.”
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| WHAT CITY HALL IS READING |
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| FROM THE HUB |
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– “Marty, Charlie, Ayanna – Who Is The Best Massachusetts Politician Of The Decade?” by David S. Bernstein, WGBH News: “The decade that just came to a close was a lively one in Massachusetts politics. It began with a Republican state senator shocking the country in a special election for U.S. Senate; and ended with one of the state’s former Republican governors entering the Presidential race which might have pitted him against the state's senior U.S. Senator. But here’s a question to spark debate as we while away the time in self-isolation: who was the best politician in Massachusetts of the 2010’s?”
– “Hope for a COVID-19 vaccine attracts investors to Cambridge biotech Moderna,” by Felice J. Freyer and Jonathan Saltzman, Boston Globe: “Eight people. That’s all it took to move the market on Monday. The eight were study participants who received a potential COVID-19 vaccine and produced antibodies that killed the coronavirus in a laboratory dish. Within hours of issuing a press release about this finding, Moderna, the Cambridge-based maker of the experimental vaccine, saw its stock price jump by 20 percent.”
– “Grubhub says a cap on delivery fees in Boston would be an ‘overstep.’ Restaurants say the costs are unsustainable.” by Christopher Gavin, Boston.com: “Grubhub is pushing back on a potential cap on fees charged to restaurants by third-party delivery companies in Boston, telling city councilors a limit on fees would be an ‘overstep’ by local officials. As the coronavirus pandemic has restricted eateries to only takeout and delivery service, councilors say many of the small businesses are being hit hard by fees from app-based delivery companies, including Uber Eats, Postmates, and DoorDash.”
– “COVID Speedway: Massachusetts State Police report extreme driving during coronavirus pandemic,” by Lisa Kashinsky, Boston Herald: “Motorists are taking social distancing to the extreme on roads left wide open by coronavirus closures, turning highways into danger zones by clocking speeds in excess of 100 mph, tickets show. Massachusetts police issued 15,071 speeding citations in March and April — including 259 drivers nabbed at speeds of 100 mph or more, according to data obtained through a Herald public records request.”
– “How to stay safe from coronavirus as you venture out during Mass. reopening,” by Dasia Moore and Naomi Martin, Boston Globe: “Do you still own clothes that aren’t sweat pants? Dust them off, because you can now leave home and go somewhere besides the grocery store for the first time in two months. With the expiration Monday of Governor Charlie Baker’s stay-at-home advisory and the unveiling of a reopening plan, Massachusetts residents can now make plans to visit hair salons, beaches, some offices, and houses of worship.”
– “Activists push back on state intervention in BPS,” by Yawu Miller, Bay State Banner: “When state Education Secretary Jeffrey Riley and Boston Public Schools Superintendent Brenda Cassellius signed a memorandum of understanding March 10, the document was meant to set the course for reforms in Boston over the next three years. The agreement followed the release in March of a scathing audit of the district by the state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, which highlighted inequities in BPS student outcomes.”
– “BC intends to hold classes on campus, as other colleges wrestle with decisions on fall semester,” by Laura Krantz and Deirdre Fernandes, Boston Globe: “Boston College intends to resume classes on campus this fall, school officials said Tuesday, becoming one of the larger universities in the area to announce plans to bring students back amid the coronavirus outbreak. The news came as Boston University disclosed that it faces a budget shortfall of between $70 million and $150 million and will suspend contributions to employee retirement accounts for the next year.”
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| PRIMARY SOURCES |
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– FIRST IN PLAYBOOK: “Mass Alliance Endorses Jordan Meehan for State Representative,” from the Meehan campaign: “Mass Alliance, a coalition of political organizations dedicated to making Massachusetts more progressive, is proud to announce its endorsement of Jordan Meehan for State Representative. ‘Allston-Brighton needs a progressive fighter in the State House. As a lawyer and activist, Jordan will fight to ensure that every member of his community can be safe, healthy, and economically stable especially in this time of COVID-19,’ explained Jordan Berg Powers, Executive Director of Mass Alliance.”
– “Chabot: Markey takes heat from Kennedy backer over service to black community,” by Hillary Chabot, Boston Herald: “Old footage of Sen. Ed Markey questioning a rapper in 2007 about offensive music sparked fresh campaign fodder Tuesday after a Boston anti-violence activist highlighted the exchange and criticized Markey’s work with Massachusetts’ black community.”
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| DAY IN COURT |
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| WARREN REPORT |
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– “Warren, Mnuchin Spar Over Coronavirus Funding Oversight During Senate Hearing,” by Kimberly Atkins, WBUR: “Sen. Elizabeth Warren pressed Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin about his department’s oversight of companies that receive coronavirus-related federal funding, leading to sharp exchanges during a virtual Senate hearing Tuesday. Warren, questioning Mnuchin during a remote Senate Banking Committee hearing, asked Mnuchin whether he will require companies that receive the funding to keep their workers on payroll.”
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| MOULTON MATTERS |
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| THE PRESSLEY PARTY |
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– “Ayanna Pressley warns Mass. is reopening too quickly, asks Baker to ‘re-evaluate his timeline,’” by Victoria McGrane, Boston Globe: “Representative Ayanna Pressley warned on Twitter Tuesday that Governor Charlie Baker is moving the state too quickly toward reopening, launching a high profile critique of the newly-unveiled road map to recovery. ‘MA isn’t ready to ‘reopen.’ Policy decisions that offer a false choice between public health & economic recovery will hurt our communities,’ the freshman Congresswoman from Boston wrote on Twitter.”
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| ABOVE THE FOLD |
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— Herald: “MUSCLE BREACH," "COVID SPEEDWAY,,” — Globe: “Moderna riding a wave of vaccine hope," "BC plans to bring students back in fall” |
| FROM THE 413 |
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– “UMass employees to take furloughs,” by Scott Merzback, Daily Hampshire Gazette: “University of Massachusetts employees in three bargaining units will be required to take five unpaid days off from work by June 20 as a result of the financial repercussions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The university announced late Monday that the 3,000 workers in the Professional Staff Union, the University Staff Association and the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Local 1776 have agreed to the furloughs for campus staff over five consecutive days between May 31 and June 20.”
– “After farmers market Facebook page says ‘Don’t bring children,’ Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno demands apology,” by Peter Goonan, Springfield Republican: “Mayor Domenic J. Sarno is demanding an apology from the director of the Farmers’ Market at Forest Park for a Facebook post telling customers not to bring children. The market’s longtime manager, Belle-Rita Novak, said she sees no need for an apology for the post because it was intended to mirror policies in place at other markets around the country requiring children to wear masks to help prevent the spread of the new coronavirus.”
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| THE LOCAL ANGLE |
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– “Cape Cod Task Force 'Cautiously Optimistic' About Summer Season As Mass. Reopens,” by Zeninjor Enwemeka, WBUR: “As the state begins to reopen and the unofficial start of summer looms, leaders on Cape Cod are hopeful they'll see a good amount of the summer tourism the region relies on. A task force focused on reopening the region says it's continuing to work with state leaders to address the area's unique challenges amid the coronavirus pandemic, as many seasonal businesses wait to reopen.”
– “Tewksbury Hospital reports increased COVID-19 numbers,” by Emma Murphy, The Lowell Sun: “Weeks after the Army Reserve deployed to Tewksbury Hospital to address coronavirus cases, the number of positive cases at the hospital has jumped. As of Monday, 143 patients have tested positive for COVID-19 and are being isolated, cohorted and monitored, 164 patients have tested negative, 13 patients have died, 185 staff have tested positive and are isolating at home, and one employee has died, according to the Executive Office of Health and Human Services (EOHHS).”
– “Worcester teachers union raps superintendent over remote learning, plans protest,” by Scott O’Connell, Telegram & Gazette: “Upset over Superintendent Maureen Binienda’s handling of the district’s remote learning amid the ongoing pandemic, the city teachers union on Tuesday afternoon said it planned on staging a protest Thursday. Members of the Educational Association of Worcester intend to organize a ‘Caravan for Public Education’ that will drive from the Immaculate Conception parking lot on Grove Street to City Hall on Thursday afternoon.”
– “Churches cleared for worship, but virus rules cause delays,” by Mike LaBella, Eagle-Tribune: “Gov. Charlie Baker has approved houses of worship opening with restrictions, but local people shouldn't expect to go to church this weekend. After the governor's decision, the Archdiocese of Boston cleared the way for Catholic churches to open as soon as Saturday. Leaders of local churches, however, are finding it's not as simple as making sure everyone is wearing a mask and sitting far enough apart to follow social distancing rules.”
HAPPY BIRTHDAY – to UMass Journalism's Kathy Roberts Forde, CTP Boston's Corey Welford, Allison Goldberg, Kathy Giles, Matt Solberg, Charlotte Zanecchia and Bill Broadway.
NEW EPISODE: H-O-R-S-E – On this week’s Horse Race podcast, hosts Steve Koczela, Jennifer Smith, Maeve Duggan and Stephanie Murray discuss the state’s plans to reopen, and a recent poll of Massachusetts nurses. Special guest Enes Kanter of the Boston Celtics talks about the future of the NBA. Subscribe and listen on iTunes and Sound Cloud, or watch on Facebook.
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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