GOOD MORNING, MASSACHUSETTS.
AOC CUTS AN AD FOR MARKEY — Sen. Ed Markey is releasing his second TV ad this morning, and it features one of his best-known supporters.
New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez speaks directly to the camera in Markey's new 30-second spot. She highlights the Malden Democrat as an original cosponsor of Medicare for All, co-author of the Green New Deal and a "stalwart champion" for racial justice. The ad comes as mail-in ballots go to voters, and about a month before Sept. 1 primary.
Ocasio-Cortez endorsed Markey in his Democratic primary race against Rep. Joe Kennedy III in September. Other prominent Markey backers have cut digital endorsement videos for him, like Sen. Elizabeth Warren, but Ocasio-Cortez is the first to be featured in a television ad.
"When it comes to progressive leadership, it's not your age that counts. It's the age of your ideas. And Ed Markey is the leader that we need," Ocasio-Cortez says. The ad will run on broadcast and cable in media markets across the state, though Markey's campaign did not say how much money they will spend.
While Markey floods the airwaves with AOC, a labor group backing Kennedy will hold a press conference in Markey's hometown of Malden this morning. IBEW 2222, which represents telecommunications workers, plans to tell "the story Ed Markey doesn't tell" about his work on the Telecommunications Act of 1996.
The law "has led to the loss of local, middle-class jobs in Malden and across the state," the union workers will say, according to a press release. Members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus held a press conference last week, which knocked Markey on a 2013 immigration vote and ignited days of back-and-forth between the two lawmakers.
LATE REGISTRATION — If you want to vote for Kanye West in November, you'll have to write him in.
The rapper missed Tuesday's deadline to get on the presidential ballot in Massachusetts, according to Secretary of State Bill Galvin's office. West is working to get on the ballot in several states, like New Jersey, though it's not clear what will happen with West's late entry into the presidential race. West is struggling with mental health issues, his wife Kim Kardashian West said several days ago.
The deadline to submit nomination papers to local clerks passed on Tuesday, but West would have needed to act earlier to get the process rolling. Candidates need to pull nominating papers complete with the candidate's name, a vice presidential pick and 11 Massachusetts electors. West never took out papers in Massachusetts, Galvin's office said.
Have a tip, story, suggestion, birthday, anniversary, new job, or any other nugget for the Playbook? Get in touch: smurray@politico.com.
TODAY — Rep. Katherine Clark travels to Atlanta with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and other members to attend a Celebration of Life for the late Rep. John Lewis. Boston Mayor Marty Walsh is a guest on WGBH’s “Morning Edition.”
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 | THE LATEST NUMBERS |
Massachusetts reports 29 new coronavirus deaths, 356 cases, as U.S. surpasses 150,000 deaths,” by Tanner Stening, MassLive.com: “Massachusetts health officials announced another 29 coronavirus deaths on Wednesday, bringing the statewide death count to 8,360. Officials also confirmed another 356 cases of the virus, bringing the total number of cases statewide to at least 109,096.”
| DATELINE BEACON HILL |
– “Mass. lawmakers move toward extending the legislative session,” by Matt Stout, Boston Globe: “Hampered for months by one novel crisis, the Legislature is on the verge of something else that’s unprecedented: spiking its own calendar to make laws. The House on Wednesday unanimously passed an order to suspend a legislative rule, including a looming Friday deadline to finish formal lawmaking, and give legislators until January to complete a raft of unfinished bills.”
– “Black Legislative Staffers Demand Action To Fight Racism On Beacon Hill,” by Tori Bedford, WGBH News: “A coalition of Black staff members in the Massachusetts Legislature published a list of demands they say will help fight a culture of racism, hostility and white supremacy they say they face while working on Beacon Hill. ‘We want to be valued for the life experience that we bring into the State House and supported as we do work that is really important to us,’ Senate staffer Mark Martinez told WGBH News Wednesday.”
– “Massachusetts Senate’s economic development bill moves forward without proposal to legalize sports betting,” by Steph Solis, MassLive.com: “Proponents of sports betting held out hope this month that Massachusetts lawmakers would pass legislation to legalize sports betting, possibly as part of a multi-million-dollar economic development bill. As of Wednesday night, the chances of a jobs bill that includes sports betting legalization landing on the governor’s desk are slim.”
– “Most Massachusetts residents support raising new transportation revenue during coronavirus pandemic, new MassInc poll finds,” by Tanner Stening, MassLive.com: “A majority of Massachusetts residents who participated in a recent survey believe that the state needs to raise more money to invest in its transportation infrastructure as the economy starts to come back online, according to a new MassInc poll.”
| FROM THE HUB |
– “BPS nurses, teachers, bus drivers rally at City Hall against reopening schools without proper safety measures,” by Naomi Martin, Boston Globe: “Boston school nurses, teachers, and bus drivers demonstrated Wednesday at City Hall against reopening schools in the fall, saying conditions amid the pandemic would be too dangerous without massive investments in protective gear, new staff, rapid coronavirus testing, and air ventilation systems.”
– “Boston City Council passes zoning board reform,” by Sean Philip Cotter, Boston Herald: “The City Council passed a bill that would overhaul the zoning board, changing its makeup and requiring regular reports from the troubled body. ‘This is a huge win for us in terms of transparency,’ City Councilor Lydia Edwards, who introduced and spearheaded the legislation .”
– “Resiliency Fund donor list a who’s who of big hitters in Boston business,” by Danny McDonald, Boston Globe: “A City Hall-run fund set up to help those most affected by the COVID-19 pandemic has tapped a veritable who’s who of Boston business movers and shakers in raising at least $33 million, and distributed much of that private money to groups big and small that help the poor, the hungry, and students, a Globe review has found.”
– “Virtual NAACP national convention still has lessons for Boston, advocates say,” by Sean Philip Cotter, Boston Herald: “The NAACP national convention, once touted as a way for Boston to try to show racial progress, starts its nearly all-virtual schedule this weekend — but local leaders say it’s still an important moment for the city amid the national reckoning on racial issues.”
– “Massachusetts residents are among those receiving mysterious seeds in the mail. Officials say don’t plant them.” by Nik DeCosta-Klipa, Boston.com: “Officials across the United States are urging residents to come forward if they find any unsolicited packages of seeds in the mailbox. And in Massachusetts, same advice holds true.”
| PRIMARY SOURCES |
– FIRST IN PLAYBOOK: “27 Elected Officials and Community Leaders Across MA-04 Endorse Auchincloss for Congress," from the Auchincloss campaign: "Today, 27 elected officials and community leaders from across the Massachusetts Fourth endorsed Jake Auchincloss for Congress. … These endorsements solidify Auchincloss’s full-district support." The list.
– “‘It’s Election Month, not Election Day’: Dawn of mail-in voting remixes the political calendar,” by Matt Stout, Boston Globe: “On the official election calendar, Massachusetts’ state primary day is Sept. 1. But in practice, voting could begin next week. A new law allowing every registered Massachusetts voter to cast an absentee ballot by mail promises to change not only how residents pick their preferred candidates, but when, upending the long-held political calendar that voters and campaigns have relied on for decades.”
– “Rep. Richard Neal, challenger Alex Morse to face off in Aug. 17 debate,” The Berkshire Eagle: “U.S. Rep. Richard E. Neal, D-Springfield, and his challenger in the Sept. 1 Democratic primary, Holyoke Mayor Alex B. Morse, will meet in a debate set for Aug. 17 to be broadcast on New England Public Media WGBY TV. The debate is being organized by a consortium of media organizations, including The Republican and MassLive, New England Public Media and The Berkshire Eagle in Pittsfield.”
– “We Asked, They Answered: 4th District Candidates Vying For Kennedy's Seat Tell Us Why They're Running,” WBUR: “Nearly a dozen candidates — nine Democrats and two Republicans — are vying to represent the Massachusetts 4th Congressional District in 2021, which runs from the South Coast into Newton and parts of Brookline. To get to know the 4th District candidates, WBUR asked each contender the same four questions.”
| DAY IN COURT |
– “ICE seeks OK to resume courthouse arrests,” by Sarah Betancourt, CommonWealth Magazine: “The Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency on Wednesday asked an appellate court to lift a temporary injunction and allow agents to resume making civil arrests of undocumented individuals in and around Massachusetts courthouses.”
| MOULTON MATTERS |
– “Seth Moulton wants to flip the Senate. He also flipped on a campaign finance pledge.” by Nik DeCosta-Klipa, Boston.com: “Like virtually every other Democratic presidential candidate, Rep. Seth Moulton swore off money from business-backed political groups known as corporate PACs during his bid for the White House last year. But his focus — and standards — have since changed (or at least returned to normal). And the Massachusetts congressman would like donors to know it.”
| DATELINE D.C. |
– “Retired Holyoke Soldiers’ Home leader Paul Barabani testifies before Congress, calling for more federal aid to support vets’ homes amid pandemic,” by Stephanie Barry, Springfield Republican: “Members of Congress and the Trump administration differed on ‘where the buck stops’ for veterans nursing facilities during a committee hearing Wednesday on Capitol Hill, but most agreed the coronavirus emerged as a teachable moment of the most costly magnitude.”
| THE CLARK CAUCUS |
– “Women are in a terrible new bind,” by Rep. Katherine Clark and Fatima Goss Graves, CNN: “In five short, devastating months, the coronavirus pandemic has laid bare the inequities at the heart of America's economy and our society. Entire workforces are being asked to sacrifice their own safety -- and even their lives -- to keep the economy running.”
| IT'S NOT EASY BEING GREEN |
– “House climate change bill calls for roadmap,” by Bruce Mohl, CommonWealth Magazine: “The House unveiled a climate change bill on Wednesday that directs the executive branch of government to create a roadmap for reaching net zero carbon emissions by 2050 and includes sections dealing with solar power subsidies, grid modernization, clean energy jobs, and municipal light plants.”
| MEANWHILE IN MAINE |
– “Mass. in middle of Maine power fight,” by Bruce Mohl, CommonWealth Magazine: “A group of 25 current and former Maine state lawmakers sent a letter to Hydro-Quebec on Wednesday urging the provincial utility to stop meddling in a state election battle spawned by Massachusetts’ thirst for hydro-electricity from Canada.”
| MARIJUANA IN MASSACHUSETTS |
– “While equity efforts flounder, Massachusetts police make millions off marijuana store traffic details,” by Dan Adams, Boston Globe: “The legalization of marijuana in Massachusetts was intended to restore wealth to Black and brown communities that for decades were disproportionately targeted by police enforcing the drug’s prohibition. Yet nearly four years later, in many cities and towns, it is the police who are profiting.”
– “Cannabis advocates lose last-ditch equity effort,” by Jessica Bartlett, Boston Business Journal: “Cannabis equity advocates will be forced to look to the next legislative session after multiple attempts for funding and aid for disenfranchised groups foundered yet again on Tuesday. Lawmakers declined to take up a host of amendments pinned to an economic development bill currently under debate in the House, sidestepping a ‘Hail Mary’ effort by advocates to push cannabis equity proposals.”
| ABOVE THE FOLD |
— Herald: “WORRIED SICK," "NO ES-CAPE,” — Globe: “An HR guide for when your real family becomes your work family," "City's school staff demand a clear plan for safety.”
| FROM THE 413 |
– “Springfield city councilors call for expanded reforms to hold police accountable,” by Peter Goonan, Springfield Republican: “Eight city councilors have urged a state legislative committee to expand reforms to increase accountability for police misconduct. The councilors submitted a two-page letter to a legislative conference committee urging members to strengthen the Massachusetts Civil Rights Act pertaining to police, and to reduce legal protection for officers against civil lawsuits, known as ‘qualified immunity.’”
| THE LOCAL ANGLE |
– “Firefighters refuse order to remove police support flags,” The Associated Press: “The firefighters' union in a Boston suburb is refusing their chief's order to remove Thin Blue Line flags from firetrucks. Hingham Fire Chief Steve Murphy and police Chief Glenn Olsson say the flags — black and white versions of the U.S. flag with one blue stripe that show support for police — violate the town's ban on political messages on town property, The Patriot Ledger reported.”
– “At a time of soul-searching on race, Newton turns to retired judge to lead policing review,” by John Hilliard, Boston Globe: “Amid national soul-searching over racial justice, a retired judge who leads a Newton task force on local policing said she will center its work upon the experiences of people of color in the city. Sonja M. Spears said the confluence of the coronavirus and national Black Lives Matter protests has exposed systemic racism, and she did not want to let the moment pass without helping to make things different.”
– “Framingham parents, teachers struggled to engage students with remote learning in the spring. Now they are preparing for the fall.” by Zane Razzaq, MetroWest Daily News: “From first-graders to high school seniors, students struggled to meaningfully engage with remote learning, according to new data released by the school district. Beginning the week of May 8 through June 12, teachers assigned students a score of 0-3 based on how engaged they were. Scores were not punitive, but meant to help make direct outreach to vulnerable students easier.”
– “For the first time in 300 years, this island in Cape Cod is open to the public,” by Lauren M. Johnson, CNN: “For the first time in 300 years, an island off the coast of Cape Cod is open to the public. Sipson Island has been privately owned since 1711, when it was sold by the Monomoyick people to White settlers. Now, the newly minted Sipson Island Trust, with the help of a local non-profit, hopes to restore and care for the island using the Native American value to see land as a gift for all to use.”
| MEDIA MATTERS |
– “Gazette building to go on sale, but newspaper to remain in Northampton,” by Scott Merzbach, Daily Hampshire Gazette: “A building with more than 45,000 square feet of space at the edge of downtown Northampton, in close proximity to Interstate 91, has been the headquarters of the Daily Hampshire Gazette for almost 45 years. This week, the 115 Conz St. building and its 3.57 acres of land go on the market for $4.2 million — matching both its appraised and assessed value — with Goggins Real Estate.”
HAPPY BIRTHDAY – to Brendan Roche.
ICYMI: I was a guest on WGBH’s “Boston Public Radio” on Wednesday to talk about the race between Sen. Ed Markey and Rep. Joe Kennedy III, plus the crowded primary to replace Kennedy in the House. Link.
NEW EPISODE: THE ENDORSE RACE – On this week’s Horse Race podcast, host Jennifer Smith and guest host Katie Lannan discuss what’s happening on Beacon Hill, and Stephanie Murray weighs in on the race between Sen. Ed Markey and Rep. Joe Kennedy III. Subscribe and listen on iTunes and Sound Cloud.
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