Middleboro Review 2: POLITICO Massachusetts Playbook: PRESSLEY stumps for BIDEN in N.H. – BAKER nominates BUDD as CHIEF JUSTICE

Thursday, October 29, 2020

POLITICO Massachusetts Playbook: PRESSLEY stumps for BIDEN in N.H. – BAKER nominates BUDD as CHIEF JUSTICE - Where WOMEN made electoral gains

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GOOD MORNING, MASSACHUSETTS.

PRESSLEY STUMPS FOR BIDEN IN N.H. — Rep. Ayanna Pressley is hitting her 10th state on the (sometimes virtual) campaign trail for Democratic nominee Joe Biden.

Pressley will travel to New Hampshire today to stump for Biden and other Democrats on the ballot in the Granite State. The first-term lawmaker has also held Biden events in the battleground states of Georgia, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, North Carolina, Michigan and Florida. Overall, Pressley has joined more than 30 events supporting Biden ahead of the Nov. 3 election.

Pressley called the election the "most important in our lifetimes" in a statement announcing her trip. "Our rights, our livelihoods, our democracy, and our very lives are on the ballot," Pressley said.

Even with the presidential election days away, speculation over how a would-be Biden administration would shake things up in Massachusetts is already in full swing.

A poll released by UMass Amherst and WCVB earlier this week sized up the field of candidates who may run if Sen. Elizabeth Warren gave up her Senate seat for a spot in a prospective Biden administration. The pool of candidates included Pressley, Rep. Joe Kennedy III, Attorney General Maura Healey, Rep. Seth Moulton, Rep. Jim McGovern, Rep. Stephen Lynch, Rep. Richard Neal and former Gov. Deval Patrick.

Take these numbers with a grain of salt. A lot would have to happen before a Senate special election became a reality. The poll found Pressley topped the prospective field with 23% of support among likely voters, and 29% among Democrats. Kennedy, who lost his primary challenge to Sen. Ed Markey in September, was in second place with 19% support among all voters and 25% of support from Democrats. Pressley also leads among non-white voters with 25% of support, while Healey has 18% and Kennedy has 16%. The poll was conducted Oct. 14 to Oct. 21 and has a 4.5% margin of error.

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 campaigns in New Hampshire for Democratic nominee Joe Biden. Rep. Lori Trahan holds a Facebook Live discussion on myths and disinformation surrounding the election. Sen. Ed Markey hosts a Green New Deal rally with Pressley, Rep. Ro Khanna, Jamaal Bowman and Mondaire Jones. Markey and Pressley hold a press conference in Somerville regarding wage theft and tax fraud in the construction industry.

ELECTIONLAND: POLITICO is partnering with Electionland, a ProPublica project that works with newsrooms to track voting issues around the country. The Electionland project covers problems that prevent eligible voters from casting their ballots during the 2020 elections. We’re part of a coalition of newsrooms around the country that are investigating issues related to voter registration, pandemic-related changes to voting, the shift to vote-by-mail, cybersecurity, voter education, misinformation, and more. Tell us here if you’re having trouble voting.

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THE LATEST NUMBERS

– “Mass. coronavirus cases top 1,000 for 5th day; 36 deaths reported,” by Martin Finucane, Boston Globe: “The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Massachusetts climbed by 1,137 on Wednesday, the fifth day in a row the daily tally has exceeded 1,000, the state reported The new cases brought the state’s case total to 150,498. The death toll from confirmed cases in Massachusetts rose by 36 to 9,700, the Department of Public Health reported.”

DATELINE BEACON HILL

– “Baker nominates Kimberly Budd as chief justice,” by Sarah Betancourt, CommonWealth Magazine: “Gov. Charlie Baker has nominated Associate Justice Kimberly S. Budd, the only person of color on the Supreme Judicial Court, to become chief justice — the highest judicial position in the state. If confirmed, Budd would become the first black woman to lead the court in its 328-year history, and only the second black chief justice, after Roderick L. Ireland.”

– “Exclusive: Immigration Service Incorrectly Told Hundreds Of New Citizens They Can't Vote This Year,” by Isaiah Thompson, GBH News: “The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services — which processes U.S. citizenship applications — incorrectly told hundreds of new U.S. citizens in Massachusetts this week that they can't vote in this year’s general election because the state’s registration deadline had passed before they took their citizenship oaths, GBH News has learned.”

– “Here Are The Contested Legislative Races In Massachusetts,” by Steve Brown, WBUR: “While it's shaping up to be a ‘wave election’ nationally this fall, changes in the makeup of the Massachusetts Legislature are unlikely. Shifts in the majority blue state Legislature happen at a glacial pace, and this cycle is poised to extend that trend. All 200 legislative seats are, in theory, up for grabs.”

– “Baker says state is in a better position now to deal with coronavirus spike,” by Travis Andersen and Martin Finucane, Boston Globe: “Governor Charlie Baker said Wednesday that the state is in a better position now than it was in the spring to deal with rising coronavirus cases. ‘Well, the biggest thing that’s different is we know a lot more about where cases are coming from, and we have way more testing capacity, tracing capacity, and knowledge and understanding about the virus than we had then,’ Baker said.”

– “Coalition of Mass. physicians calls on Baker to roll back reopening,” by Emily Sweeney, Boston Globe: “A group of physicians is calling on Governor Charlie Baker to close indoor bars, restrict indoor seating at restaurants, and roll back other reopening measures to curb the spread of the coronavirus. The COVID-19 Action Coalition, an advocacy group known as COVAC, said such actions are necessary because of the ‘sharply increasing case numbers in recent weeks.’”

– “Women make historic electoral gains over four years,” by Stephanie Ebbert, Boston Globe: “A review of electoral gains over the past four years shows women seized power at all levels of government, though they still haven’t come close to parity. Congress is less than one-quarter female. Even in liberal Massachusetts, female candidates' successes boosted women’s representation in the Legislature to just 29 percent. For Massachusetts women, the biggest gains came closest to home.”

– “Baker PAC spends more backing GOP candidates,” by Bruce Mohl, CommonWealth Magazine: “A super PAC with close ties to Gov. Charlie Baker poured another $373,000 into state races over the last several days, nearly all of it to support Republicans. The latest expenditures bring the Massachusetts Majority PAC’s total spending over the last two months to $901,760, a sum that suggests the governor is worried that a flood of Democratic voters will turn out next Tuesday with the potential to swamp Republicans whose numbers are already small on Beacon Hill.”

– “Close to 2 million Massachusetts voters have cast their ballots for the 2020 elections,” by Steph Solis, MassLive.com: “More than 1.9 people have mailed in their ballots or voted early at the polls, the Secretary of the Commonwealth’s Office said Wednesday. Another 311,000 people have applied to vote by mail, but have not yet returned their ballots, according to the figures from Secretary William Galvin’s office.”

FROM THE HUB

– “Boston City Council wants to review curriculum standards for city’s schools,” by Danny McDonald, Boston Globe: “The Boston City Council wants to review curriculums across the city’s school system, with councilors saying there are major discrepancies in standards as well as disparities in classroom resources. ‘We need to think about our curriculum holistically and district-wide,’ Councilor Annissa Essaibi George said during Wednesday’s virtual meeting of the council. The district’s students, she said, should not have ‘wildly different experiences because our schools are lacking certain resources.’”

– “2021 Boston Marathon Postponed, 'At Least' Until The Fall,” The Associated Press: “The Boston Athletic Association said Wednesday that it won't hold the race as scheduled in April because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Organizers say it will be put off ‘at least until the fall of 2021.’ This year's marathon was initially postponed until the fall and later canceled outright. It was to be the 124th edition of the world's oldest and most prestigious annual 26.2-mile race.”

– “Boston Police Has No Formal Policy To Check Body Camera Compliance,” by Ally Jarmanning, WBUR: “In a year and a half, Boston police has completed just one investigation into an officer's misuse of his body camera. And without a policy in place, it’s not clear how the department is making sure other officers are using the cameras correctly. That investigation, which centered on one officer’s repeated failures to turn his camera on or properly label videos, was launched during the first month of the program.”

– “Boston officials urge more residents to get COVID-19 tests. Experts say that message applies to the whole state,” by Dasia Moore, Boston Globe: “Amid Massachusetts' rising COVID-19 cases comes a new concern: a drop-off in new tests in Boston, a city at high risk for community spread. Boston’s weekly count of residents who were tested for the first time declined nearly 50 percent over a month-long period, data provided by the Boston Public Health Commission shows.”

THE SENATE SHOWDOWN

– “What’s a successful lawyer from Dover doing in a long-shot bid for US Senate?” by Danny McDonald, Boston Globe: “It is shortly after dawn and Kevin O’Connor, the President Trump-backing Republican candidate for Senate, is making his case to a small group of police officers behind the police station here, telling them he will do what a Kennedy could not: defeat Edward J. Markey. ‘We’re going to win,’ he says, not for the last time this day. Anything is possible, but in a state poised to repudiate Trump perhaps by a 70-30 margin, O’Connor could be headed for a drubbing.”

DAY IN COURT

– “Mass. part of lawsuit that says census takers were pressured to falsify data,” by Mike Schneider The Associated Press: “The U.S. Census Bureau was able to claim it had reached 99.9% of households when the 2020 census ended two weeks ago because census takers were pressured to falsify data as the statistical agency cut corners and slashed standards, according to an amended lawsuit from advocacy groups and local governments.”

– “Lonnie Durfee, hay bale fire defendant, released by judge pending trial,” by Amanda Burke, The Berkshire Eagle: “Lonnie Durfee, the Dalton man charged with setting fire to a stack of hay bales that bore an endorsement for the Democratic presidential ticket, has been released from custody. Judge John Agostini ordered Durfee released from custody with a number of conditions after a videoconference bail review hearing Monday in Superior Court.”

WARREN REPORT

– “Elizabeth Warren: 'Disney won't answer my questions' on layoffs and executive pay,” by Frank Pallotta, CNN Business: “Senator Elizabeth Warren slammed Disney earlier this month over layoffs and other decisions that she says prioritized shareholders over employees. Now Disney has responded — and Warren is not satisfied with the company's reply. Last month Disney said it was laying off 28,000 people in the US as the pandemic decimated its parks and resorts business.”

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MARKEYCHUSETTS

– “Mark Zuckerberg tells Ed Markey how Facebook will respond to posts by Donald Trump that undermine the election,” by Nik DeCosta-Klipa, Boston.com: “Sen. Ed Markey says the Senate’s big tech hearing Wednesday should have focused on social media’s ‘real problems.’ Republicans spent most of the four-hour hearing grilling the CEOs of Facebook, Google, and Twitter over perceived claims of anti-conservative bias, which Democrats criticized as political gamesmanship less than a week left before the Nov. 3 election.”

TRUMPACHUSETTS

– “A Trend in Worcester County: Increasing Support For Republican Presidents,” by Carrie Saldo, GBH News: “It can get pretty lonely being a Republican in Massachusetts. Just ask Jack Barron, chairman of the Republican Committee of Southborough, who works to increase local interest in the GOP. ‘We have a very intolerant left in Massachusetts,’ said Barron. ‘The Democrats and the Socialist Communists are very intolerant of people who don't vote the way they do or think the way they do.’ Barron said his car was vandalized after he placed a sticker on it showing support for Republicans. And Barron lives in one of the reddest areas in the state.”

– “Swampscott Trump rallies have included KKK robe, man in blackface, Confederate flag,” by Arianna MacNeill, Boston.com: “Over the past few months, dueling protests with supporters of President Donald Trump across the street from Black Lives Matter supporters have taken place in Swampscott every Thursday morning, and some have included racist symbols and explicit language.”

MEANWHILE IN CONNECTICUT

– “Charlie Baker says Connecticut’s decision to add Massachusetts to its travel advisory was a ‘bad idea,’” by Nik DeCosta-Klipa, Boston.com: “Gov. Charlie Baker said Wednesday that he thought Connecticut’s decision to add Massachusetts to their list of states from which travelers are required to self-quarantine for two weeks to limit the spread of COVID-19 was ‘a bad idea.’ Officials in Connecticut went ahead and did it anyway.”

IT'S NOT EASY BEING GREEN

– “Cape Cod Water Quality In Decline, Report Says,” by Barbara Moran, WBUR: “The water quality on Cape Cod's ponds and bays is bad and getting worse, according to the second annual State of the Waters report from the Association to Preserve Cape Cod (AAPC), a regional environmental advocacy and education organization. While the report says that public drinking water is ‘excellent’ overall, the percentage of surface water with ‘unacceptable’ quality increased from last year.”

ABOVE THE FOLD

— Herald: “HISTORIC DAY," "EARLY EDGE,” — Globe: “Women fight to keep up the momentum," "Baker picks Budd to lead high court.”

FROM THE 413

– “PAC Representing WWLP's Owner Financially Backed Rep. Neal In Congressional Race,” by Adam Frenier, New England Public Media: “Campaign finance records show a political action committee representing the owners of a Springfield, Massachusetts, television station made a donation to U.S. Rep. Richard Neal — who beat Holyoke Mayor Alex Morse in last month's Democratic primary for the state's 1st Congressional District. The donation came right before a debate WWLP hosted.”

– “State Rep. Bud Williams, Prince Golphin vie for Massachusetts House seat in 11th Hampden District,” by Peter Goonan, Springfield Republican: “While state Rep. Bud L. Williams points to his experience and record in seeking re-election in the 11th Hampden District of the Massachusetts House, his Republican challenger, first-time candidate Prince Golphin, says he can bring needed change.”

THE LOCAL ANGLE

– “Three vying to replace Naughton as state rep in 12th Worcester District,” by Kim Ring, Telegram & Gazette: “No matter who wins, history will be made when a three-way race for the seat held by State Rep. Harold P. Naughton Jr., D-Clinton, is decided on Nov. 3. For the first time, the 12th Worcester District seat in the House of Representatives will be filled by a woman as Charlene R. DiCalogero, a member of the Green-Rainbow party from Berlin, Meghan Kilcoyne, D-Northboro, Naughton's legislative staffer, Susan E. Smiley, R-Lancaster, face off in the upcoming election.”

– “Report: Former Hingham police chief had the authority to alter dispatch records,” by Wheeler Cowperthwaite, The Patriot Ledger: “Former Hingham Police Chief Glenn Olsson asked an emergency dispatcher to edit a police log entry because it involved a select board member’s son, an investigation has found. According to a report commissioned by the town, Olsson deleted a reference to the Black Lives Matter movement. The investigation, conducted by Matthews & Matthews LLC, said Olsson had the authority to tell a dispatcher to alter a log entry, and that he violated no rules when doing so.”

– “22 percent of Assumption University’s residential students are in isolation or quarantine as Worcester college sees 8 more COVID cases,” by Melissa Hanson, MassLive.com: “Like the rest of Massachusetts, Assumption University in Worcester is seeing an increase in coronavirus cases this week, with eight more students testing positive and 22% of residential students in quarantine or isolation. The 22% represents 155 students in quarantine or isolation, with some on campus and some at home, according to a message from Assumption President Francesco Cesareo, who called the percentage alarming.”

– “COVID-19 cluster linked to wedding,” by Brian Dowd, Martha’s Vineyard Times: “The number of cases stemming from a wedding held over the long weekend earlier this month continue to grow with another positive COVID-19 case reported on Wednesday. Wednesday’s new case makes nine total cases linked to the wedding, seven of which were reported on Martha’s Vineyard and two of which were reported in out-of-state wedding guests that were diagnosed after leaving the Island, according to Tisbury health agent and boards of health spokesperson Maura Valley.”

MEDIA MATTERS

– “Boston Herald staffers distance themselves from paper’s Trump endorsement,” by Christopher Gavin, Boston.com: “Following the Boston Herald‘s endorsement of President Donald Trump Tuesday, several of the newspaper’s staffers vocally distanced themselves from the editorial group’s stamp of approval. Staffers took to Twitter to clarify their positions, some offering a crash course in the mechanics of newspaper endorsements, which are not penned by reporters.”

ONE FUN THING – “In Boston, Dunkin' and McDonald’s are winning the pandemic coffee wars.” Link.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY – to POLITICO’S Steve Heuser, Joanne Goldstein and Paolo Martins.

NEW EPISODE: END TIMES INSIGHT – On this week’s Horse Race podcast, hosts Steve Koczela and Stephanie Murray discuss ranked choice voting and a new Massachusetts poll, and the Boston Globe’s Victoria McGrane breaks down the fight for the Senate. Subscribe and listen on iTunes and Sound Cloud.

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