POLITICO Massachusetts Playbook: SENATE race HEATS UP — WALSH says no layoffs at CITY HALL — Nursing home outbreak kills 54 in MEDFORD

By Stephanie Murray

GOOD MORNING, MASSACHUSETTS. MARKEY AND KENNEDY TRADE JABS — After nearly two months of retooling their campaigns to respond to the coronavirus pandemic, Sen. Ed Markey and Rep. Joe Kennedy III are shifting some of the focus back onto each other. The Democratic primary is getting closer – there are 17 weeks until voting day on Sept. 1 – and campaigns have to strike a delicate balance between respecting the pandemic and the reality of running for public office. This all started late last month, when Kennedy said during an interview on WBZ’s “Keller @ Large” that Markey has not been present enough in cities like Chelsea and Brockton over the years, two places that have been hit hard by the Covid-19 pandemic. Kennedy pointed to his own efforts to forego campaign fundraising and instead raise money for people in those cities during the pandemic. Markey hit back, releasing a campaign video yesterday accusing Kennedy of “playing politics with the coronavirus” and making a “blatantly false” claim against him. “Really, Congressman, during this crisis?” the video says. “Joe Kennedy’s attacks are way out of line.” The one-minute spot plays a clip of Kennedy’s TV hit, then highlights videos and news headlines of Markey’s work on the pandemic response, including praise from Gladys Vega, executive director of the Chelsea Collaborative, and Lawrence Mayor Dan Rivera. “There’s no place during this kind of crisis—when people are hurting in so many ways—for negative political attacks, let alone blatantly false ones,” Markey wrote on Twitter. Kennedy’s campaign sees it differently, and in response to the video released yesterday said it is fair to scrutinize Markey’s record. A Kennedy spokesperson pointed to a sensitive issue for Markey from his 2013 campaign for Senate: where he lives. “Senator Markey is running on his record. After 47 years in office, it is fair for that record to be challenged. It is fair to ask why he spends more time in Chevy Chase than in Malden. It is fair to ask him to explain votes that have hurt Massachusetts families,” spokesperson Emily Kaufman said. “And it is fair -- given everything we are up against in this moment -- to ask if we are really getting everything we can out of this Senate seat.” Kennedy’s criticism is not a new one. Markey has for years faced questions about whether he spends too much time in Washington, D.C., and not enough time in Malden. But his campaign may have found a simple way to counter that critique. Markey has made his Malden home the backdrop for most of his campaign messaging in recent weeks, from pictures on Twitter to shooting hoops in the driveway with Boston Celtics player Enes Kanter on Instagram Live. Have a tip, story, suggestion, birthday, anniversary, new job, or any other nugget for the Playbook? Get in touch: smurray@politico.com. TODAY — Rep. Ayanna Pressley talks about the census on a Facebook Live town hall with Fair Count founder Stacey Abrams and Reps. Maxine Waters and Karen Bass. Rep. Jim McGovern speaks to the New England Council. Nomination papers are due for candidates running for federal and state offices in Massachusetts.

TOMORROW - HOW DO WE SAVE SMALL BUSINESSES? The coronavirus has crushed small businesses across the country. There’s been confusion and frustration stemming from the turbulent rollout of the Paycheck Protection Program. Join POLITICO chief economic correspondent Ben White tomorrow at 9 a.m. EDT for a virtual discussion with Sen. Ben Cardin of Maryland, the ranking Democrat on the Senate Small Business Committee, about how banks have struggled with the Paycheck Protection Program's disbursement process, what the next round of stimulus funding must include to keep small businesses and local economies afloat, and the return of elected officials to the Capitol despite concerns about spurring an outbreak. Have questions? Submit yours by tweeting it to @POLITICOLive using #AskPOLITICO. REGISTER HERE.

THE LATEST NUMBERS

– “Massachusetts reports 86 new coronavirus deaths Monday, 1,000 new positive COVID-19 cases,” by Tanner Stening, MassLive.com: “Public health officials on Monday announced 86 new coronavirus-related deaths, bringing the death toll statewide to 4,090. Officials also announced 1,000 new cases of the virus for a total of 69,087 cases statewide. On Monday, another 9,622 tests were reported as well, for a total of 324,268 conducted since the outbreak began.”

DATELINE BEACON HILL

– “Baker administration: nothing ‘magical’ about May 18 reopening date,” by Gintautas Dumcius, Boston Business Journal: “Gov. Charlie Baker and Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito on Monday sought to temper expectations about the reopening of the Massachusetts economy now slated for May 18, saying the first phase will only involve sectors that can implement public health guidance to prevent the spread of coronavirus. A 17-member reopening panel, co-chaired by Mike Kennealy, the administration’s economic development chief, is working on recommendations for the reopening.” – “POLL: Economic Pain Is Growing, But Massachusetts Is Ready To Stay The Course On COVID-19,” by Adam Reilly and Saraya Wintersmith, WGBH News: “Massachusetts residents broadly support the steps that have been taken to minimize the spread of COVID-19 and are willing to endure continued disruption to everyday life in order to contain the disease, a new Suffolk University/WGBH News/Boston Globe poll shows. But the statewide survey conducted last week also indicates that economic pain created by the response to the pandemic is widespread and growing.” – “House Democrats, Republicans reach rules compromise,” by Shira Schoenberg, CommonWealth Magazine: “After a testy battle that lasted for several days, Republicans and Democrats in the Massachusetts House have agreed to a compromise on rules that will allow them to debate bills and vote remotely. The House on Monday adopted the temporary emergency rules and planned to meet Wednesday in a full formal session, with remote participation, for the first time since the coronavirus outbreak began.” – “After Bristol County jail incident over coronavirus testing, Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker says don’t draw conclusions so quickly about what happened,” by Steph Solis, MassLive.com: “Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker said he plans to look into a May 1 incident involving the Bristol County sheriff and immigrant detainees, but he cautioned people against drawing quick conclusions about what happened. ‘What I would say is there is a whole series of back and forth with respect to what happened there, and people need to be careful about drawing conclusions one way or another,’ Baker said Monday during his briefing at the Massachusetts State House.” – “Reopening Massachusetts golf courses during coronavirus pandemic: New proposal ‘taken into consideration,' Gov. Charlie Baker says,” by Benjamin Kail, MassLive.com: “Massachusetts golf courses will remain closed for the time being amid the COVID-19 pandemic, but Gov. Charlie Baker says a push from industry leaders to allow golfers safely back on the fairway is under consideration. Representatives from the Alliance of Massachusetts Golf Organizations including Mass Golf, New England Golf Course Owners Association, New England Professional Golfers’ Association and the Golf Course Superintendents Association of New England met with Baker’s reopening advisory board over the weekend.”

WHAT CITY HALL IS READING

– “Walsh: ‘As of now, we are not considering furloughs or layoffs for city workers,’” by Danny McDonald, Boston Globe: “In the middle of Boston’s annual budget process and facing a number of economic questions posed by the coronavirus pandemic, Mayor Martin J. Walsh said Monday that neither furloughs nor layoffs are on the immediate horizon for city employees. Speaking at a Monday news conference at City Hall, Walsh said ‘As of now, we are not considering furloughs or layoffs for city workers.’”

FROM THE HUB

– “DA Rollins and Commissioner Gross issue unusual warning to gun violence suspects,” by John R. Ellement, Boston Globe: “In the wake of a triple shooting in Roxbury that left one man dead, Suffolk District Attorney Rachael Rollins and Boston Police Commissioner William Gross issued an unusual warning: Fire a weapon and you will lose your freedom — and risk losing your life to the coronavirus while behind bars. Rollins, who has pushed for the release of some nonviolent pretrial detainees and convicted inmates because of the health threat they face from the coronavirus, appeared early Monday in Roxbury, where three men had been shot.” – “Michelle Wu says test showed she was ‘most likely’ infected with the coronavirus without knowing it,” by Christopher Gavin, Boston.com: “Boston City Councilor Michelle Wu says she was probably infected with the coronavirus at some point during the local outbreak but never knew it. In a pair of tweets Monday, the at-large councilor wrote that she was among the Roslindale residents randomly selected for an antibody study conducted by Massachusetts General Hospital last week .” – “Boston to surpass 10,000 coronavirus cases; 4% of city’s population tested, Mayor Marty Walsh says,” by Tanner Stening, MassLive.com: “Boston Mayor Marty Walsh said the city is expected to surpass 10,000 coronavirus cases on Monday. The tally of COVID-19 positive residents currently stands at 9,929, and 426 people have died. Officials have now tested roughly 4% of the city’s population, or 28,000 people, Walsh said. Boston now has 19 testing sites around the city.” – “Mass. colleges offer up details of what a fall semester could look like,” by Hilary Burns, Boston Business Journal: “Cape Cod Community College is moving its fall semester online as the country continues to grapple with the coronavirus. The community college in West Barnstable, Mass. said that all courses for the rest of the summer semester, and the entire fall semester beginning in September will be moved to online, remote or hybrid learning formats.” – “First ICE Detainee In Bristol County Tests Positive For COVID-19 Days After Violence At Detention Center,” by Shannon Dooling, WBUR: “A federal immigration detainee held at the Bristol County House of Correction has tested positive for COVID-19, according to advocates. This is the first reported positive case of a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detainee from any of the state's three county jails housing ICE detainees. Ivan Espinoza-Madrigal, executive director of Lawyers for Civil Rights, reports the organization was notified in accordance with the ongoing class action suit against Bristol County Sheriff Thomas Hodgson and ICE.” – “Boston video vigilante arrested for recording MGH ramp area during pandemic,” by Joe Dwinell, Boston Herald: “A Mattapan video vigilante faces numerous charges after being arrested outside Massachusetts General Hospital where police say he was recording the emergency ramp at the height of the coronavirus pandemic. John L. McCullough, 41, was charged with trespassing, disturbing the peace and threats to do bodily harm after police say he refused to stop recording Sunday evening.” – “Quarantine fatigue has set in — and some of us seem to be social distancing scofflaws,” by Steve Annear and Dugan Arnett, Boston Globe: “After nearly two months of imposed isolation, and with temperatures finally swelling into the 70s, the past weekend seemed to make official what most of us have long known: Quarantine fatigue has set in — at least among some of us.”

PRIMARY SOURCES

– “Campaigning In A Pandemic: Where Markey And Kennedy Differ — And Where They Don't,” by Adam Reilly, WGBH News: “There’s a video you see when you first go to Joe Kennedy’s campaign website. As understated but urgent music plays in the background, and Kennedy sizes up the political moment (‘Now is not the time for waiting…’), you watch him moving through crowd after crowd — giving, by my count, three handshakes, two high fives, and one hug. He also puts his arms around people’s shoulders twice; at one point, someone touches Kennedy on the back as he speaks. It’s this aspect of campaigning — the sheer tactile immediacy of it — that Kennedy says he misses most right now.”

PLANES, TRAINS AND AUTOMOBILES

– “Fatal crashes on the rise amid pandemic,” by Christian M. Wade, CNHI News: “With fewer cars on the road during a state of emergency, one might assume traffic crashes and fatalities would fall dramatically. Not so, according to the state Department of Transportation, which says fatal auto crashes spiked last month despite substantially less traffic. At least 28 people died in crashes in April, according to MassDOT's preliminary data. That's only one more fatality than was reported in April 2019, but transportation officials say the data is ‘disturbing’ considering that traffic is reduced by more than half amid the pandemic.” – “MBTA treading in uncertain waters,” by Bruce Mohl, CommonWealth Magazine: “To help with the state’s reopening, the MBTA is preparing to restore service to pre-COVID levels to accommodate social distancing but does not expect to see large numbers of riders return to the transit system any time soon. ‘We’re not expecting a big influx of customers,’ Transportation Secretary Stephanie Pollack said on Monday at a meeting of the T’s Fiscal and Management Control Board.” WARREN REPORT – “Warren calls Biden’s denial of sexual assault credible, stands by her endorsement,” by Jess Bidgood, Boston Globe: “Senator Elizabeth Warren on Monday defended former vice president Joe Biden in the face of a sexual assault allegation that has roiled the presumptive Democratic nominee’s campaign. ‘The vice president’s answers were credible and convincing,’ Warren told reporters, referring to an interview Biden gave Friday in which he denied the allegations. ‘I support the vice president, I support his campaign, and I’m proud to endorse him for president.’” KENNEDY COMPOUND – “Cambridge police superintendent says he wrote profane tweet about Kennedy,” by Abigail Feldman, Boston Globe: “Cambridge Police Superintendent Jack Albert said Monday that he was the person who accidentally posted a crude comment about US Representative Joe Kennedy III on the department’s official Twitter account. The 32-year member of the department said he takes ‘full ownership and responsibility’ for the political statement that briefly appeared on the account.” ABOVE THE FOLD — Herald: “ACADEMIC HIT,” — Globe: “Mass. resolute in virus battle, poll reveals," "No lines and plenty of leg room, but flying carries a new kind of tension.” EYE ON 2020 College Democrats of Massachusetts say records on Joe Biden sexual assault accuser Tara Reade should be released,” by Benjamin Kail, MassLive.com: “The College Democrats of Massachusetts say former Vice President Joe Biden should fully cooperate with any investigations into former Senate staffer Tara Reade’s allegations of sexual assault, and they urge Biden and the Senate to release any records on Reade’s accusations or firing.” FROM THE 413 – “Crane told North Adams it would shut down entirely in September; mayor calls for answers,” by Larry Parnass, The Berkshire Eagle: “The mayor of North Adams is calling on Crane Stationery Co. to clarify its plans for manufacturing operations in the city, citing "inconsistencies" in public and private statements. Not just when it will reopen, a development that did not come as expected Monday, but the entire future of one of the city's largest employers.” – “Northampton mayor has personal experience with COVID-19,” by Shira Schoenberg, CommonWealth Magazine: “Northampton Mayor David Narkewicz has a unique distinction among Massachusetts mayors responding to COVID-19: he has lived through the disease itself. Narkewicz, 54, starting feeling sick on March 23, toward the beginning of the coronavirus outbreak, and publicly announced three days later that he had tested positive for the virus.” – “Hampshire County COVID-19 cases edge upward,” by Jim Russell, Springfield Republican: “Although Hampshire, Franklin and Berkshire counties remain among the proportionately least affected regions in the state for contracting COVID-19, recent data shows the count has increased in Hampshire County. Last week, Amherst had 33 confirmed cases, but as of Monday it had risen to 57.” MEANWHILE IN NEW HAMPSHIRE – “As New Hampshire begins to reopen, another challenge emerges: Massachusetts,” By Nik DeCosta-Klipa, Boston.com: “New Hampshire is facing two challenges as it eases restrictions meant to limit the spread of the coronavirus. The virus itself and, as Gov. Chris Sununu likes to say, ‘our friends to the south in Massachusetts.’ Sununu announced a plan Friday to reopen businesses that had been ordered to close due to the COVID-19 pandemic in phases over the next few weeks, following positive signs that the state is containing the virus.” THE LOCAL ANGLE – “Worcester pastor vows to continue services amid coronavirus pandemic at Adams Square Church saying ‘the bible doesn’t tell me to meet online,'” by Michael Bonner, MassLive.com: “Pastor Kristopher Casey stood on the front stairs of Adams Square Baptist Church on Monday waiting for the Worcester Police Chief to deliver a city citation for conducting service during the coronavirus pandemic. After the $300 fine arrived, two men, who Casey had never seen before, approached him.” – “Coronavirus outbreak at Medford nursing home kills 54 residents,” by Shelley Murphy and Jeremy C. Fox, Boston Globe: “The coronavirus has killed 54 residents of a Medford nursing home over the past four weeks and infected another 100, in the latest deadly outbreak at an elderly care facility in the state. The rising death toll at the Courtyard Nursing Care Center, a 224-bed facility located behind Lawrence Memorial Hospital, escaped widespread public notice for weeks .” – “Local lobstermen face an uncertain season,” by Wheeler Cowperthwaite, The Patriot Ledger: “Lobsters are normally a sought-after commodity and in past years, wholesalers have swamped the harbor with refrigerated trucks, ready and offering to buy the catch being unloaded at the harbor, he said. With the economy on pause because of the coronavirus crisis, the future of lobstering, the demand and more importantly, the price per pound, is an unknown.” MEDIA MATTERS – “The Berkshire Record closes its doors after 31 years,” by Terry Cowgill, Berkshire Edge: “The Berkshire Record, the only remaining traditional weekly print newspaper in South County, has ‘suspended publication’ indefinitely, owners Anthony and Donna Prisendorf said in an announcement in today’s edition. ‘The lifeblood of a newspaper depends on people coming together for concerts, dance, lectures, restaurants, movies, and the advertising revenue which goes along with that,’ the Prisendorfs said. ‘Without that, we can no longer see any way to continue publishing, so we are suspending the Berkshire Record as of this time and taking stock of the situation.’” – “Sick of coronavirus news? The Boston Globe is running a serialized novella (with a strong Boston accent)” by Joshua Benton, Nieman Lab: “The Globe has published the first four chapters as of this morning; the remaining 18 will spool out over the next two weeks. It’s getting front-page treatment; it’s a great opportunity for any corrupt Boston pol to say, correctly, ‘That story on the front page of the Globe? Never happened.’” HAPPY BELATED BIRTHDAY – to MA-04 congressional candidate Ihssane Leckey and the Charles River Watershed Association’s Emily Norton, who both celebrated on Monday. HAPPY BIRTHDAY – to Lowell Sun reporter Nicole DeFeudis. 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.   POLITICO Magazine Justice Reform: The Decarceration Issue, presented by Verizon: Over the past decade, the long-standing challenge of criminal-justice reform has emerged under the spotlight with a new twist: Both Republicans and Democrats are on board. But if both parties want to lower the incarceration rate, why are our jail and prison populations still so high? 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.       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 POLITICO, LLC 1000 Wilson Blvd. Arlington, VA, 22209, USA ​