GOOD MORNING, MASSACHUSETTS. Today is Juneteenth.
THREE HEADLINES IN THE SENATE PRIMARY RACE THIS MORNING:
FIRST IN PLAYBOOK: SPICER ENDORSES KENNEDY — Framingham Mayor Yvonne Spicer is endorsing Rep. Joe Kennedy III in his primary challenge against Sen. Ed Markey this morning.
Spicer is the first African American woman to be popularly elected mayor in Massachusetts history. In an endorsement video the campaign will post later today, Spicer says she's endorsing Kennedy because "the fight for racial equity is in his blood and bones."
“It’s not an accident that I’m making this endorsement on Juneteenth. At a moment of profound racial reckoning for our country. At a moment when it has never been more clear that Black Americans need more than just allies –– we need activists, we need white folks who will show up in the trenches to fight with us and for us," Spicer says in the video. "That’s why I’m with Joe.”
FIRST IN PLAYBOOK: MARKEY HIRES FINANCE DIRECTOR — Sen. Ed Markey hired consultant Sharon Durkan as his new Massachusetts finance director, the campaign will announce today. Durkan will manage "increased interest" from donors giving to Markey's reelection bid, according to campaign manager John Walsh.
Markey's campaign has made a fundraising push in recent days, encouraging supporters to hold their own "grassroots fundraising" parties on Saturday. Kennedy has a financial advantage over the incumbent senator, with $6.2 million in his war chest versus Markey's $4.4 million cash on hand. Durkan previously worked as finance director to Boston City Councilor Michelle Wu, as a consultant for state Sen. Julian Cyr's 2018 campaign and as finance director for state Sen. Eric Lesser's campaign in 2014.
AFL-CIO STAYING OUT OF THE PRIMARY — While Rep. Joe Kennedy III and Sen. Markey have been in a tug-of-war over endorsements from labor groups in the Democratic primary race, one major union announced yesterday it is staying out of the contest.
The Massachusetts AFL-CIO voted not to endorse a candidate in the Sept. 1 primary, saying "working people have two champions" in Markey and Kennedy. The influential union did endorse in a number of other 2020 primary races in the state.
"As both campaigns have support from many unions and there was no consensus on an endorsement, the MA AFL-CIO Executive Council made the decision to stay out of this primary and wholeheartedly work as one labor movement to elect the primary election winner," Massachusetts AFL-CIO President Steven Tolman said in a statement.
Have a tip, story, suggestion, birthday, anniversary, new job, or any other nugget for the Playbook? Get in touch: smurray@politico.com.
TODAY — Rep. Richard Neal speaks to the press in Springfield, then delivers milk to a food pantry in Pittsfield. Attorney General Maura Healey is a guest at state Sen. Eric Lesser’s annual “Thrive After 55” senior fair. Rep. Joe Kennedy III attends a Juneteenth standout with Ironworkers Local 7 in Somerville, a Black Lives Matter Rally in Dorchester, the Milton Education Association’s “Action on Anti-Racism and Racial Justice” event and a “Hyde Park Stands Against Racism” rally. Congressional candidate Dr. Robbie Goldstein marches with the Boston Teachers Union at a Black Lives Matter demonstration.
HAPPENING MONDAY 9 a.m. EDT - "INSIDE THE RECOVERY," PART IV: CONGRESS DURING COVID-19: Join POLITICO Playbook co-authors Anna Palmer and Jake Sherman for a special virtual program featuring congressional reporters Heather Caygle and Burgess Everett. Get a behind-the-scenes look at what it is like to report from inside the Capitol during a global pandemic, what legislation on police reform is gaining traction, and what to expect in the next coronavirus aid package. REGISTER HERE
 | THE LATEST NUMBERS |
– “Massachusetts reports 36 new coronavirus deaths, 271 new cases as Boston reaches ‘important benchmark’ in infections,” by Tanner Stening, MassLive.com: “Massachusetts health officials announced 36 new coronavirus deaths on Thursday, bringing the death count to 7,770 since the beginning of the outbreak. Officials also confirmed 271 new cases of the virus, which includes 72 probable cases. That’s based on 9,142 molecular tests and 1,145 antibody tests reported on Thursday.”
| DATELINE BEACON HILL |
– “Juneteenth would be state holiday celebrated on June 19 under bill filed by Massachusetts lawmakers,” by Steph Solis and Jim Kinney, MassLive.com and Springfield Republican: “A bill filed by Massachusetts Rep. Bud Williams, a Springfield Democrat, would make June 19, which marks Juneteenth or Liberation Day from slavery, a state holiday. Juneteenth commemorates June 19, 1865, the date when Black slaves in Texas learned about President Abraham Lincoln’s 1963 Emancipation Proclamation.”
– “Senate bill extends telehealth, scope of practice,” by Shira Schoenberg, CommonWealth Magazine: “The Massachusetts Senate is poised to extend the governor’s emergency order on insurance payments for telehealth, while at the same time reviving controversial proposals related to the types of services different medical professionals can provide. Senate leaders on Thursday released a health care bill, called the Patients First Act, which addresses telehealth, out-of-network billing, and scope of practice changes.”
– “For some lawmakers, Gov. Charlie Baker’s police certification bill is culmination of years of groundwork on Beacon Hill,” by Steph Solis, MassLive.com: “The governor’s police certification bill filed Wednesday, the latest in a wave of police accountability measures gaining attention on Beacon Hill, brings Rep. Nika Elugardo back to a lesson she learned at age 17 while living on an Amish farm. The high schooler learned farmers can detect changes in the soil from the seeds they plant long before anyone else notices crops sprouting.”
– “No poker, no roulette: Massachusetts Gaming Commission talks reopening rules for reopening for MGM Springfield, Encore Boston Harbor, Plainridge Park,” by Jim Kinney, Springfield Republican: “No craps. No roulette. No poker. But there will be nearly six-foot-tall plexiglass dividers at blackjack tables separating dealers from players — and players from each other — under new rules meant to keep casino patrons from gambling with their health along with their money.”
– “The pandemic is fueling mail-in voting efforts. But some say in-person voting isn’t getting enough protection.” by Nik DeCosta-Klipa, Boston.com: “Deval Patrick says there’s rightly been ‘a lot of emphasis’ on expanding mail-in voting during the coronavirus pandemic. As a longtime voting rights advocate who supported voting-by-mail reforms as a 2020 presidential candidate when barely anyone knew the abbreviation COVID-19, the former Massachusetts governor says it’s an option that many people can and should enjoy at a time when the contagious disease remains a risk.”
– “60,000-plus people have been tested for COVID antibodies in Mass. But the state won’t say how many tested positive,” by Matt Stout, Boston Globe: “Tens of thousands of people across Massachusetts have been tested for antibodies linked to COVID-19, offering what researchers say could be vital information on how far the disease has spread. But the state, despite recently disclosing how many new tests are being performed, has made little else public, including how many of the 61,000 people who’ve received antibody tests have tested positive.”
– “Charlie Baker’s son’s groping case remains up in the air,” by Joe Dwinell and Howie Carr, Boston Herald: “An eyewitness to an alleged sexual assault by Gov. Charlie Baker’s son “A.J.” on board a JetBlue flight two years ago told the Herald she always wondered ‘what happened to the case.’ The JetBlue pilot of the Washington, D.C.-to-Boston trip on June 20, 2018, who almost diverted the plane to JFK Airport in New York while cruising at 30,000 feet, declined to comment Thursday.”
| FROM THE HUB |
– “‘Something we can hold onto’: Reflections on Juneteenth,” by Zoe Greenberg, Boston Globe: “The observance of Juneteenth this year will be distinct from decades of the celebration in Boston. The cookout in Franklin Park that typically draws thousands of people probably won’t be the same, with some families staying home because of the coronavirus. Many of the day’s cultural events, like the program at the National Center of Afro-American Artists, have been moved online. And along with joyful festivities, there will be the mourning of the Black men and women who have been killed by police this year, as well as ongoing protests in the streets of Boston.”
– “Walsh calls police overtime a necessity,” by Dugan Arnett, Boston Globe: “In the wake of a report detailing a surge in police pay over the course of the past decade, Mayor Martin J. Walsh on Thursday acknowledged the need for continued scrutiny on city spending, but said police overtime is often justified and a necessary part of the department’s work. Walsh declined to address specific cases of extraordinary police spending, including one officer — the highest paid city employee in 2019 — who was cited previously for payroll abuses and nearly lost his job over a decade ago.”
– “Boston council mulls more police union agreement oversight after protests,” by Sean Philip Cotter, Boston Herald: “Boston City Council’s Ways & Means chair says the council should be stronger in ‘setting minimum expectations’ for police contracts as councilors look for more ways to make policy changes and divert more money away from the department and toward social programs.”
– “Boston Mayor Walsh Says He Supports Making Juneteenth An Official Holiday,” by Paul Singer, WGBH News: “Boston Mayor Marty Walsh said Thursday he supports establishing Juneteenth as an official holiday, but that the city can’t act without statewide legislation. ‘It really has to be a state law,’ Walsh said.”
– “White students more likely to finish college than Black, Latino peers, study finds,” by James Vaznis, Boston Globe: “Even when Black and Latino graduates from Massachusetts public high schools have similar MCAS scores as their white peers, they are less likely to earn college degrees and make as much money, according to a report released Thursday that highlights the need to improve the state’s education system.”
– “Some emergency child care centers closed due to coronavirus,” by Stephanie Ebbert, Boston Globe: “At least 64 cases of coronavirus have been reported at Massachusetts emergency child care centers over the past three months, forcing temporary closures and quarantines at some of the programs set up to care for children of essential workers, state officials said this week.”
– “In a major culture shift, Eastern Bank prepares to go public,” by Jon Chesto, Boston Globe: “Can Bob Rivers bring Boston its next big, independent bank? We’re about to find out: The Eastern Bank chief executive told his 1,800-plus employees on Thursday that the Boston-based mutual bank has filed a prospectus to go public with the US Securities and Exchange Commission, detailing plans to raise as much as $2 billion.”
| PRIMARY SOURCES |
– FIRST IN PLAYBOOK: “Boston Teachers Union Endorses Dr. Robbie Goldstein for Congress,” from the Goldstein campaign: “The Boston Teachers Union (BTU), representing more than 10,000 educators, retirees, and paraprofessionals statewide, and more than 3,800 in the 8th Congressional District, announced today that it is endorsing Dr. Robbie Goldstein for the United States House of Representatives (MA-08).”
| DAY IN COURT |
– “State's high court to decide case of alleged racial profiling that may lead to police accounting of traffic stops,” by David Linton, Sun Chronicle: “The state Supreme Judicial Court will soon decide a case of alleged racial profiling that may have a far-reaching impact on traffic stops by police. Michael DelSignore, a lawyer who defends clients in Attleboro and Wrentham among other courts, said the SJC could decide to require police departments to keep statistics on the race of drivers. Currently, police are not required to collect that information.”
– “'Take her down': Inside the strange criminal harassment case against ex-eBay employees,” by Allison Levitsky, Silicon Valley Business Journal: “The first public hint of something strange happening at eBay surfaced late last October. A Reddit post on the ‘conspiracy’ subreddit made disturbing allegations against members of a private intelligence team employed by eBay and actions they allegedly took against a pair of Boston-area bloggers.”
| WARREN REPORT |
– “Warren endorses Charles Booker in Kentucky Senate primary,” by James Arkin, POLITICO: “Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) endorsed state Rep. Charles Booker in next week's Kentucky Senate primary, becoming the latest high-profile Democrat to back Booker over Amy McGrath to face Majority Leader Mitch McConnell next fall.”
– “Klobuchar shuts down VP speculation, urges Biden to pick woman of color,” by Marc Caputo and Matthew Choi, POLITICO: “In adding her name to the growing chorus of voices who think Biden should not pick a white woman, Klobuchar’s announcement was widely viewed by Democratic insiders as a blow to the chances of Massachusetts’ Sen Elizabeth Warren, who is a top consideration for Biden.”
| THE PRESSLEY PARTY |
– “Ayanna Pressley is rising to the occasion. Will Joe Biden take note? by Abigail Tracy, Vanity Fair: “Ayanna Pressley sees America at a tipping point. Even as the novel coronavirus capsized daily life across the globe, the killing of Black people in America remained a constant. ‘ It is this sort of maddening déjà vu,’ the freshman congresswoman told me this week.”
| TRUMPACHUSETTS |
– “Attorney General William Barr visits Boston police headquarters,” by Travis Andersen and Jeremy C. Fox, Boston Globe: “Amid withering criticism of his meeting Thursday with controversial US Attorney General William Barr, Police Commissioner William Gross forcefully defended his decision to meet with the nation’s top law enforcement official to discuss race and police relations. Speaking in a harsh and at times emotional tone, Gross struck back at city councilors and public officials who sharply criticized him for agreeing to meet with Barr, who has been met with a wave of criticism amid the anti-police-brutality protests sweeping the nation.”
– “GOP leader confident despite election losses,” by Christian M. Wade, The Salem News: “The head of the state's Republican Party is vowing to win back seats in the Legislature, even as the party's ever-shrinking GOP minority reels from recent election losses. Republicans lost two key seats in the state Senate last month and have fielded only a handful of challengers in the fall primaries.”
| DATELINE D.C. |
– “Sen. Kamala Harris says lawmakers are working to make Juneteenth a national holiday,” by Tim Balk, New York Daily News: “Sen. Kamala Harris said Thursday that lawmakers are working on legislation to make Juneteenth a national holiday. In an interview on MSNBC, the California Democrat said she was working with Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Sen. Tina Smith (D-Minn.) and Sen. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) on the proposal.”
| ABOVE THE FOLD |
— Herald: “BARR NONE," "UP IN THE AIR,” — Globe: “Court protects DACA, for now," "Fingers pointed over vet's death.”
| FROM THE 413 |
– “Holyoke City Clerk secures $100K for new voting machines, hopes to have them ready for November election,” by Dennis Hohenberger, MassLive.com: “After years of pleading, City Clerk Brenna McGee can now purchase new voting machines for the upcoming fall elections. The City Council approved a $100,000 transfer during Tuesday’s regular session.”
| THE LOCAL ANGLE |
– “Water and power shut off at Oxford’s Prime Fitness after defying state shutdown orders,” by Tom Matthews, MassLive.com: “The water and power supply to Prime Fitness in Oxford has been cut off after owner Dave Blondin repeatedly defied state orders to shutter during the coronavirus pandemic, WBZ reported. Mark Reich, a lawyer for the town of Oxford, confirmed the shut off in an email to WBZ Thursday morning, the station reported.”
– “Worcester educators demand more funding, ask legislators to tap rainy day fund at standout outside City Hall after 104 contracts not renewed,” by Melissa Hanson, MassLive.com: “After 104 Worcester educators did not have their contracts renewed for next school year, a group of more than 50 educators held a standout outside City Hall on Thursday afternoon, demanding more funding and saying this is the time to tap the rainy day fund.”
– “Town Meetings during the pandemic: an old tradition remade with new venues,” by Johanna Seltz, Boston Globe: “The Avon Town Meeting is reserved seating only this June. Cohasset held its meeting ‘drive-in movie style’ at the South Shore Music Circus. And Hanover residents will be convening at the private indoor sports complex at Starland. Milton held its representative Town Meeting virtually on Zoom. Hull, Hingham, and other communities opted to meet outside – and far apart - on high school football fields.”
– “Cape Cod business owners stage ‘tea party,’” by Christine Legere, Cape Cod Times: “Business owners from across Cape Cod gathered at Smugglers Beach on Thursday to hold their own Boston Tea Party, hoisting three large crates into the Bass River to demonstrate their opposition to Gov. Charlie Baker’s continued shutdown of many local businesses.”
| MEDIA MATTERS |
– “Amid struggles at the region's largest newspaper chain, questions persist about GateHouse Media's priorities,” by Don Seiffert, Boston Business Journal: “There are two competing narratives about what’s going on at New England’s largest newspaper chain, GateHouse Media. And whichever one turns out to be more accurate has big implications for New England's media landscape. The owner of 10 dailies and 80 weeklies in the region, GateHouse continues making headlines of its own, first with a widespread newsroom reorganization last month, under which 200 employees nationwide (including more than a dozen at the Providence Journal and the Worcester Telegram and Gazette) were either laid off or reassigned.”
REMEMBERING JEAN KENNEDY SMITH … via NYT: “Jean Kennedy Smith, a Kennedy clan sister who as the United States ambassador to Ireland in the 1990s helped pave the way for a formal agreement to end decades of sectarian violence in Northern Ireland, died on Wednesday at her home in Manhattan. She was 92.” Link.
REMEMBERING GERARD DOHERTY … “The Honorable Gerard F. Doherty of Charlestown passed away on June 16, 2020, at the age of 92, in the home where he was born on Washington Street ... He was known for his many professional accomplishments as a lawyer, real estate developer, member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives, chairman of the Democratic Party and as political campaign manager extraordinaire.” Link.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY – to Liz Vlock, press secretary on Sen. Ed Markey’s campaign, HubSpot’s Katie Burke and Chris Blair.
HAPPY BIRTHWEEKEND – to Tom Tripicco, Sydney Asbury, principal of DNM Solutions; and Anastasia Nicolaou, government affairs associate at NAIOP, who all celebrate Saturday; and Sunday birthday-ers state Rep. James Dwyer and Mason Reynolds.
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.
YOUR WEEKLY LOOK AROUND THE WORLD: The coronavirus pandemic devastated the world, and countries are figuring out next steps. Our Global Translations newsletter, presented by Bank of America, is focused on essential global news, trends and decisions layered with critical contextual analysis from the sharpest minds around the world. From the different approaches countries take to reopening, the global response to the unrest in the United States, the drama surrounding WHO's response to the pandemic, and more, Global Translations offers a unique perspective that you won't find anywhere else. SUBSCRIBE HERE.
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
FOLLOW US
|
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.