GOOD MORNING, MASSACHUSETTS. TGIF. It’s the last day of July!
OPPONENTS HIT AUCHINCLOSS OVER SOCIAL MEDIA — Newton City Councilor Jake Auchincloss, a candidate for congress, is facing criticism from his opponents for a series of old social media posts.
Auchincloss is running in a crowded Democratic primary to fill Rep. Joe Kennedy III's open House seat, and called his resurfaced posts an "obvious attempt by my political opponents to attack me."
Posts obtained by POLITICO include an Auchincloss tweet from 2016, where he said that Cambridge was "taking PC too far" by changing Columbus Day to Indigenous Peoples' Day. In another tweet from 2017, Auchincloss said he'd support President Donald Trump's former chief of staff Steve Bannon speaking on a college campus, though he disagrees strongly with Bannon's views. Both posts have been deleted.
"When asked for someone I 'disagreed with strongly' to invite to campus, I replied Steve Bannon precisely because I thought we needed to fight head-on the hateful agenda that he and Trump represent," Auchincloss said. "I’m focused squarely on Trump and his dangerous agenda, despite these attempts at distraction from other candidates in the race."
Some Democrats running against Auchincloss are taking particular issue with a Facebook post from 2010 regarding the Quran. "So we can't burn their book, but they can burn our flag?" Auchincloss wrote, linking to a news story about Pakistani lawyers burning the American flag at a rally. Auchincloss made the comment when he was 22, and says it was a sarcastic remark.
"Who among us is proud of every single thing they said or did in college? I’m not. Since that time I’ve served two tours in the Marines, been elected three times in Newton, and started a family," Auchincloss said. "This was a sarcastic comment to point out how angry burning the American flag made me. This isn’t representative of my views, then or now."
But others running to fill Kennedy's seat are calling the posts "offensive" and "inexcusable." Ihssane Leckey, a former Wall Street regulator, said she found what Auchincloss said "deeply offensive and divisive" as a Muslim and the only woman of color in the race. Leckey already called on Auchincloss to drop out during a debate earlier this week, as did attorney Ben Sigel. "There is no room for this kind of hateful rhetoric in the Democratic Party," Leckey said.
Newton City Councilor Becky Grossman said "the idea of burning the Quran is sanctioning the worst kind of hatred" against a religion. "It has no place in our society," she added. "MA-04 deserves better than Jake Auchincloss," Jesse Mermell's campaign manager, Katie Prisco-Buxbaum, said in an email.
BAKER, LYONS REJECT DELAYING ELECTION — One of the state's highest-profile supporters of President Donald Trump, MassGOP chair Jim Lyons, says the presidential election should proceed on Nov. 3.
Trump floated delaying the election yesterday, though the president does not have the power to change the date of the election under the Constitution.
"With Universal Mail-In Voting (not Absentee Voting, which is good), 2020 will be the most INACCURATE & FRAUDULENT Election in history. It will be a great embarrassment to the USA. Delay the Election until people can properly, securely and safely vote???" Trump tweeted on Thursday.
Officials including Gov. Charlie Baker, Secretary of State Bill Galvin and Attorney General Maura Healey, swiftly rejected Trump's suggestion. And Lyons, the leader of the state Republican party, said the election should proceed as planned. Lyons did express concerns about the state's new vote by mail expansion, pointing to thousands of ballot applications that were mailed to incorrect addresses, according to a Salem News report.
"My opinion is that the election is scheduled for Nov. 3 and I think it should go forward on Nov. 3," Lyons told me. "We should seriously look at the concerns many people have regarding mail-in ballots."
FIRST IN PLAYBOOK: PEMBERTON BACKS MARKEY — Sen. Ed Markey is announcing an endorsement from a former rival today. Steve Pemberton ended his Democratic primary campaign against the incumbent senator in October, and now he is backing Markey over Rep. Joe Kennedy III.
Pemberton came to respect Markey's "humble passion" and "quiet humility" when he was running for Senate, he explains in a 4-minute video, adding that the two have kept in touch.
“Though Senator Markey and I are of different generations , races, and faiths, we share a common bond in the working-class experiences from which we come." Pemberton says in the video. "It is what makes one a fighter and Ed Markey has shown time and time again that he is exactly that." The video.
FIRST IN PLAYBOOK: GROSSMAN RELEASES TAX RETURNS — Becky Grossman, a Democrat running to replace Rep. Joe Kennedy III, is releasing 600 pages of tax returns this morning.
The Newton City Councilor is releasing her tax forms dating back to 2014, and follows opponent Jesse Mermell, a former aide to Gov. Deval Patrick, who called on the nine Democrats running in the primary to make their tax returns public a few weeks ago. Grossman filed jointly with her husband, Benjamin Grossman. Of the documents released, the Grossman household earned the most in 2018, reporting an adjusted gross income of $998,535. Link.
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 hosts a listening session on Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation. Sen. Ed Markey brings his campaign bus tour to Great Barrington, Pittsfield, and North Adams. Boston Mayor Marty Walsh is a guest on Kiss108, holds a media availability at City Hall and speaks at the NAACP Boston Drive-in Soul Music Concert. Walsh, Framingham Mayor Yvonne Spicer, Lawrence Mayor Dan Rivera and Danvers Town Manager Steve Bartha speak on a panel hosted by the Boston Area Research Initiative.
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 | THE LATEST NUMBERS |
– Mass. reports 304 new confirmed coronavirus cases, 15 new deaths,” by Jaclyn Reiss, Boston Globe: “The death toll from confirmed cases of the coronavirus in Massachusetts rose by 15 to 8,375, state officials reported Thursday, and the number of confirmed cases climbed by 304, bringing the total to 109,400. It was the second day in a row the state has reported more than 300 new cases.”
| DATELINE BEACON HILL |
– “Baker warns residents ‘don’t be careless,’ cites hike in positive COVID-19 tests,” by Travis Andersen, Boston Globe: “Governor Charlie Baker said Thursday that the state has recently seen a slight increase in positive COVID-19 tests, as well as a few instances of clusters related to parties and people not complying with mask and social distancing rules.”
– “Jobless claims rise in Mass. as federal subsidy ends,” by Christian M. Wade, The Salem News: “The number of unemployment claims filed by Massachusetts workers ticked up slightly last week, as hundreds of thousands brace for a loss of federal benefits with a new relief plan tied up in Congress. At least 19,179 unemployment claims were filed for the week that ended July 25 — an increase of 1,025 from the prior week.”
– “State school aid level-funded,” by Shira Schoenberg, CommonWealth Magazine: “It was supposed to be the first year of a new school funding formula that was going to vastly increase public school spending. Instead, amid a global pandemic, the state will level-fund K-12 schools under the old formula – but rely on federal funds to increase that amount and help schools address the additional needs created by the coronavirus pandemic.”
– “House wants faster notice of sewage overflows,” by Christian M. Wade, Eagle-Tribune: “Lawmakers want operators of aging sewage systems to keep the public better informed about discharges into the Merrimack River and other bodies of water. On Thursday, the state House of Representatives approved a proposal to require sewage system operators to notify the public and local boards of health within two hours of an overflow, and provide updates every eight hours until the discharges cease.”
– “As governor visits, Pfizer company of Andover says it hopes COVID-19 vaccine ready by end of year,” by Genevieve DiNatale, Eagle-Tribune: “Joined by Gov. Charlie Baker at a press conference Thursday morning, executives at the Pfizer company said they hope to have a COVID-19 vaccine ready by the end of the year. They said they will seek federal regulatory approval for the vaccine as early as the fall, making it possible the vaccine will be ready by year's end.”
– “Senate votes to ban government non-disclosure agreements,” by Sarah Betancourt, CommonWealth Magazine: “The Massachusetts Senate on Thursday approved an amendment to an economic development bill that would ban taxpayer-funded non-disclosure agreements across state government.”
– “Massachusetts Senate clears bill to license midwives who provide out-of-hospital care,” by Steph Solis, MassLive.com: “The Massachusetts Senate unanimously passed a bill Thursday that would license midwives in Massachusetts, which Sen. Becca Rausch said would reduce costs and improve health outcomes in births.”
| FROM THE HUB |
– “At a time of racial unrest, Black workers’ union campaign becomes a battleground,” by Katie Johnston, Boston Globe: “College Bound Dorchester has a progressive mission: paying gang members a weekly stipend to get off the streets, go to college, and turn their negative influence into a positive one. But now the groundbreaking nonprofit is caught up in an old-fashioned union battle as a workforce emboldened by nationwide demands for equity confronts a management team grappling with structural reorganization and financial woes exacerbated by the pandemic.”
– “Brigham president resigns from Moderna board after conflict of interest questions raised,” by Jonathan Saltzman, Boston Globe: “Dr. Elizabeth Nabel, president of Brigham and Women’s Hospital, said Thursday she was resigning from the Moderna board of directors after the Globe inquired about whether her position at the Cambridge biotech company conflicted with her hospital’s leadership role in a large study of Moderna’s experimental COVID-19 vaccine.”
– “Even As Diversity Grows, Mass. Schools Remain Segregated,” by Max Larkin, WBUR: “Even as Massachusetts grows more diverse, a growing number of its public schools are becoming ‘intensely segregated.’ In a new report, education researchers argue that as a result, thousands of students miss out on the many benefits of learning in a diverse community — and that, as citizens demand racial justice, state officials are failing to confront the trend.”
– “Mass. economy shrank by 44% rate in second quarter,” by Greg Ryan, Boston Business Journal: “The Massachusetts economy shrank at a staggering pace in the second quarter, plummeting by an annual rate of nearly 44%, the biggest decline on record, according to an estimate from MassBenchmarks economists on Thursday.”
– “NAACP plans local events to accompany online convention,” by Jeremy C. Fox, Boston Globe: “The National NAACP Convention, originally planned to be held in Boston will instead be held online next week, but some in-person events will celebrate the city’s Black community. ‘Freedom Weekend’ will feature cultural offerings and community service projects in neighborhoods ahead of Monday’s virtual gatherings.”
– “Fearing surge in COVID cases, Massachusetts Teachers Association pushes for remote learning in schools for 2020-2021 school year,” by Michelle Williams, MassLive.com: “As Massachusetts school districts continue to form reopening plans for the 2020-2021 school year, educators are pushing to return to the classroom remotely. Massachusetts Teachers Association held a virtual meeting Wednesday night, during which union leaders and members spoke out against a return to in-person learning this September.”
– “Office workers are increasingly being told to wait until January before they return,” by Jon Chesto, Boston Globe: “The Work From Home experiment is going to last a lot longer than expected for thousands of Boston-area office workers. When workers fled their offices in March as part of the pandemic shutdown, for many the general thinking was they would be back by early summer. Then, that shifted to the Tuesday after Labor Day.”
– “Cambridge is considering shifting ‘routine traffic enforcement’ away from police. Here’s what to know.” by Arianna MacNeill, Boston.com: “The Cambridge City Council is considering a proposal that would move ‘routine traffic enforcement’ duties from police officers to a group of unarmed city employees.”
| PRIMARY SOURCES |
– “Joe Kennedy came out in support of legalizing marijuana before Ed Markey. So why is Markey hammering him for it?” by Nik DeCosta-Klipa, Boston.com: “Rep. Joe Kennedy III announced his support for legalizing marijuana at the federal level more than 600 days ago. And with dozens of recreational pot shops now open in Massachusetts, the debate over legalization has mostly receded from the forefront of state politics.”
– “Super PAC funded by Auchincloss’s parents officially rides into 4th District, spends $180K on ads backing him,” by Matt Stout, Boston Globe: “An enigmatic super PAC that took tens of thousands of dollars from the parents of congressional candidate Jake Auchincloss is now leaping into his Fourth District primary, dropping nearly $180,000 in advertising backing the Democrat ."
– “Fourth Congressional District candidates ramp up campaigns,” by George W. Rhodes, Sun Chronicle: “Here’s the latest on the race for the 4th Congressional District seat being vacated by Joseph Kennedy III. The district includes the 10-community Sun Chronicle circulation area. The primary election for both parties is Sept. 1.”
– “13 Questions About Voting By Mail In Massachusetts, Answered,” by Edgar B. Herwick III, WGBH News: “If you are a registered voter here in Massachusetts, chances are you’ve received a folded-up card in the mail in recent weeks with the words 'Official 2020 Vote by Mail Application' emblazoned on it in big block lettering. Yes. This year, due to public health concerns related to the COVID-19 pandemic, all Massachusetts voters can opt to vote by mail.”
| DAY IN COURT |
– “Imprisoned for nearly 50 years, man convicted of murder as teen is free, seeks a new trial,” by Shelley Murphy, Boston Globe: “Arnold King was 18 years old and looking for someone to rob on an October night in 1971 when he and a friend spotted John Labanara sitting in his car on Newbury Street. A 26-year-old campaign aide to Boston Mayor Kevin H. White, Labanara had gone out with friends to celebrate passing the bar exam.”
| MOULTON MATTERS |
– “Seth Moulton suggests red states are ‘getting what’s coming to them’ with coronavirus,” by Sean Philip Cotter, Boston Herald: “U.S. Rep. Seth Moulton is taking flak for suggesting that “we” Northeasterners think the populations of conservative “red states” are ‘getting what’s coming to them’ with a surge in coronavirus cases. Moulton waved away criticism of his statements late Thursday as ‘cheap shots,’ but others said they expected more from the former presidential candidate.”
| MARKEYCHUSETTS |
– “Markey calls for massive stimulus efforts in sit down with Sun editorial board,” by Robert Mills, The Lowell Sun: “U.S. Sen. Ed Markey called for payments of $2,000 per month to American families, for billions in aid to state and local governments, and for infrastructure spending similar to that of the New Deal as he told The Sun and Sentinel and Enterprise that bold action is needed to stave off economic catastrophe as a result of the pandemic.”
| KENNEDY COMPOUND |
– “Email about frat prompts officials to defend Kennedy,” by Matt Murphy, State House News Service: “On a Tuesday evening two weeks ago, a lengthy email landed in the inboxes of Democratic Party officials around the state from someone claiming to be ‘Stephen Acab,’ a concerned citizen from Natick who insisted he had no ties to U.S Sen. Edward Markey’s re-election campaign. The email writer said he felt that U.S. Rep. Joseph Kennedy III had been let off easy for his affiliation with a fraternity while at Stanford University whose national organization has a history of connections to the confederacy and racist behavior.”
| MEANWHILE IN NEW HAMPSHIRE |
– “Unruly tourists straining New Hampshire town budget during pandemic,” by Holly Ramer, The Associated Press: “Tourists acting like sailors on shore leave are straining town services in Conway, New Hampshire, the town manager said Thursday in seeking federal assistance during the coronavirus pandemic.”
| ABOVE THE FOLD |
— Herald: “STAY HOME," "MOULTON’S LEAD BALLOON,” — Globe: “More Mass. offices will be empty longer," "A LEADER IS LAID TO REST.”
| THE LOCAL ANGLE |
– “Hundreds of King Philip alumni strongly oppose changing Warrior name,” by Tom Reilly, Sun Chronicle: “In case anyone was wondering, there are King Philip Regional High graduates out there who really do not want to see the school’s name or Warrior mascot change. They can relax for now. There are no plans to take any action like that locally. At the Statehouse, however, that could be another story.”
– “Pop-up Trump stand sparks political friction in North Falmouth,” by Jessica Hill, Cape Cod Times: “If one drives down North Falmouth Highway, past Dean’s Market, they will run into a large “Make America Great Again” sign atop a trailer covered with political memorabilia. They’ll probably also see protesters in front holding ‘Dump Trump’ signs."
– “Polar Beverages goes national with Keurig Dr Pepper deal,” by Mark Conti, Telegram & Gazette: “Polar Beverages and Keurig Dr Pepper have reached a long-term franchise agreement that will provide national distribution to Polar Seltzer sparkling seltzer waters, the two companies announced Thursday.”
| MEDIA MATTERS |
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