| | | |  | BY STEPHANIE MURRAY | Presented by Uber | GOOD MORNING, MASSACHUSETTS. WALSH RAISES $110K AT FUNDRAISER — With Boston's 2021 mayoral race approaching, Mayor Marty Walsh packed $110,000 into his campaign war chest during a Thursday fundraiser. The mayor hosted a "Women for Walsh" event that was attended by 334 people on Wednesday morning, according to a spokesperson. Speakers included Sandra Fenwick of Boston Children’s Hospital, Vanessa Calderón-Rosado of Inquilinos Boricuas en Acción, and Danella Clark of the Boston Arts Academy. While Walsh has not announced a reelection campaign, he's widely expected to run for another term, though he's also in the mix for a potential role in President-elect Joe Biden's administration. And although it was not officially a reelection campaign event, yesterday's women-focused program was a show of force for Walsh, as Boston City Councilors Michelle Wu and Andrea Campbell have already jumped into the mayoral race. Honorary chairs of the Walsh event included well-known officials like Treasurer Deb Goldberg, Auditor Suzanne Bump, District Attorney Rachael Rollins, state Reps. Liz Miranda and Chynah Tyler, and City Councilors Lydia Edwards and Annissa Essaibi-George. The fundraiser hosts also put together a video in support of Walsh, featuring testimonials from Boston residents including Cherie Jimenez of the EVA Center and Edna Etienne of Le Foyer Bakery. PROGRAMMING NOTE: Massachusetts Playbook will not publish Thursday Nov. 26 and Friday Nov. 27. I’ll be back in your inbox Monday Nov. 30. Have a tip, story, suggestion, birthday, anniversary, new job, or any other nugget for the Playbook? Get in touch: smurray@politico.com. | |
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| – “Massachusetts reports 2,744 new COVID cases, 47 deaths on Wednesday,” by Tanner Stening, MassLive.com: “State health officials confirmed another 2,744 coronavirus cases on Wednesday, bringing the number of active cases to 33,659 statewide. That’s based on 97,636 new molecular tests, according to the Department of Public Health. There have been a total of 189,518 confirmed COVID-19 cases in Massachusetts since the start of the pandemic.” | | DATELINE BEACON HILL |
| – “Kimberly Budd, confirmed as chief justice, is first Black woman to lead state’s highest court,” by Matt Stout, Boston Globe: “Justice Kimberly S. Budd was unanimously cleared by a state panel Wednesday to become chief justice of the Supreme Judicial Court and the first Black woman to lead the state’s high bench. The Governor’s Council confirmed Budd by a 7-0 vote, three weeks after Governor Charlie Baker nominated her to succeed Ralph D. Gants after his unexpected death in September.” – “Baker administration crafting home confinement guidelines,” by Sarah Betancourt, CommonWealth Magazine: “With Covid-19 infections rising at state prisons, the Department of Correction is preparing to expand testing at the facilities and taking initial steps to release prisoners to home confinement. The new initiatives were disclosed during a conference call between state lawmakers and members of the Baker administration, including Carol Mici, commissioner of the Department of Correction; Marylou Sudders, the secretary of health and human services; and Tom Turco, the secretary of public safety.” – “Racial gaps in access to in-person instruction worse than expected, according to a new poll,” by Meghan E. Irons, Boston Globe: “Two months into an unprecedented school year, the racial and socioeconomic gaps in terms of who can access in-person learning appear to be larger than expected, according to a statewide poll of parents to be released Thursday. About 73 percent of Black families and 80 percent of Latino families with incomes under $75,000 reported entirely remote instruction, compared to slightly less than half of white families at the same income level.” – “Senate Joins House In Approving Abortion Rights Expansion Measure,” by Mike Deehan, GBH News: “Sixteen- and 17-year-olds would no longer need a parent's or judge's permission to have an abortion under a measure passed by the state Senate Wednesday which would also allow the procedure after 24 weeks in cases of lethal prenatal defects. Sponsor Sen. Harriette Chandler said abortion in Massachusetts was made legal by court decisions, not by an explicit state law and those rights could be threatened by a U.S. Supreme Court hostile to Roe vs. Wade.” – RELATED: “Massachusetts Senate President Karen Spilka explains why she thinks abortion proposal can’t wait until after fiscal 2021 budget,” by Steph Solis, MassLive.com: “Senate President Karen Spilka has heard the criticisms from Republicans arguing that she and House Speaker Robert DeLeo cautioned against new, major policy proposals when extending the session past July 31. Still, she made an exception for a proposal expanding abortion protections.” – “Baker Asks Colleges To Test Students Before And After Holiday Travel,” by Max Larkin, WBUR: “Gov. Charlie Baker has asked the state’s colleges and universities to test students for the coronavirus before and after any planned travel off-campus. The recommendation comes just over a week before a planned Thanksgiving could bring a worrisome short-term dispersal of many young residents into and out of the state. Baker asked colleges and universities to try to test even their students who live off-campus and commit to keeping students in isolation housing, should they test positive.” – “People exposed to COVID-19 can leave quarantine as early as 10 days in under new Massachusetts guidance,” by Steph Solis and Tanner Stening, MassLive.com: “Massachusetts health officials are tweaking the state’s quarantine guidance, allowing people exposed to COVID-19 to leave quarantine as early as 10 days if they test negative beforehand. People exposed to COVID-19 who get a test eight days into their quarantine and end up negative would be allowed to leave quarantine under the guidance that takes effect Wednesday, Health and Human Services Secretary Marylou Sudders said during a news conference at the Massachusetts State House.” – “Charlie Baker ‘concerned’ that long lines for COVID-19 tests suggest residents are ignoring Thanksgiving guidance,” by Nik DeCosta-Klipa, Boston.com: “COVID-19 infections in Massachusetts are up eightfold since Labor Day. Hospitalizations have more than quadrupled. And with Thanksgiving around the corner, Gov. Charlie Baker fears the surge will only get worse. ‘If we treat this year just like we treat every other Thanksgiving, it’s quite likely that it will trigger a significant spread,’ Baker said during a press conference Wednesday.” – “Here are the 134 Massachusetts schools getting rapid COVID tests for students and teachers,” by Melissa Hanson, MassLive.com: “Massachusetts education officials on Wednesday announced that 134 schools will receive rapid coronavirus tests next month. With those tests, students and teachers who develop COVID-19 symptoms during the school day will be able to get a positive or negative result within minutes.” – “Union urging ‘no confidence’ votes in ed commish Riley,” by Michael Jonas, CommonWealth Magazine: “The debate over whether to reopen schools for in-person instruction is turning into an all-out war by the state’s largest teachers union against state education commissioner Jeff Riley. The Massachusetts Teachers Association is encouraging its local chapters to adopt votes of ‘no confidence’ in Riley’s leadership in the face of a renewed push by Riley and state leaders for schools to reopen.” | | HEALTH CHECK |
| – “Northeast governors call on colleges to provide students with Covid testing,” by Carly Sitrin, POLITICO: “Citing rising coronavirus cases nationwide, seven northeast governors are calling on colleges and universities in their states to provide Covid-19 tests for all students traveling home for Thanksgiving.” | | FROM THE HUB |
| – “Fatal opioid overdoses up slightly during coronavirus pandemic, raising concern,” by Gal Tziperman Lotan, Boston Globe: “The number of people dying of opioid overdoses in Massachusetts rose slightly in the first nine months of 2020, raising concerns from public health officials about caring for people dealing with substance use disorders during the coronavirus pandemic. An estimated 1,517 people died of overdoses in the first nine months of this year, compared with 1,485 for the same period in 2019 — about a 2 percent increase.” – “Looking for a minority-owned vendor? There's a new platform for that.” by Greg Ryan, Boston Business Journal: “Boston public relations executive Colette Phillips knows that many businesses, government officials and consumers are looking to buy more from minority- and women-owned businesses, especially following the reckoning on racial injustice that has taken place in America since George Floyd’s death earlier this year. This week, she formally launched a platform to help them do just that.” – “Public School Enrollment Decline: Prompted by COVID or Something Else?” by Carrie Saldo, GBH News: “The Massachusetts Association of School Superintendents is reporting a 5% decrease in public school enrollment statewide during the pandemic, mainly in the lowest grades. That drop has some education advocates asking state officials to consider taking a different approach to funding next year. A district's enrollment is a factor in the current formula.” – “In tackling the pandemic, Chelsea finds new strength,” by Janelle Nanos and Tim Logan, Boston Globe: “It was January when the leaders of about 35 community groups and social service agencies gathered for a seemingly innocuous City Hall meeting. There was no clear agenda for the session, called by the city manager. It was just a get-to-know-you session for people who take on the city’s myriad challenges ― from housing to hunger to mental health ― often fighting from their own little silos.” – “Property tax battle looms over Graves Light in Boston Harbor,” by Emily Sweeney, Boston Globe: “Graves Light sits on a rocky ledge in the middle of Boston Harbor, surrounded by water. Since purchasing the lighthouse at a government auction seven years ago, Dave Waller has poured time and money into restoring it. The only way to get out there is by boat; the nearest shoreline is miles away, and when he bought it, the Coast Guard said the lighthouse did not belong to any city or town. That’s why Waller was shocked when, out of the blue, he received a property tax bill from the town of Hull last year.” | | PLANES, TRAINS AND AUTOMOBILES |
| – “Huge Mass. Pike project pushed back another year,” by Adam Vaccaro, Boston Globe: “The Baker administration is putting off a key decision about the layout of the $1.3 billion reconstruction of the Massachusetts Turnpike in Allston, possibly setting back a megaproject long beset by delays and indecision for another year. The state previously had a deadline of this fall to select a preferred plan for squeezing multiple road lanes, rail lines, and bike paths through a narrow section of land between the Charles River and the Boston University campus nicknamed the ‘throat.’” | | WARREN REPORT |
| – “What’s next for Elizabeth Warren during Joe Biden’s administration?”by Nik DeCosta-Klipa, Boston.com: “Sen. Elizabeth Warren won’t be president. She won’t be vice president. She reportedly wants to be treasury secretary. But with the partisan control of the Senate dependent on two runoff elections in Georgia, the chances of a cabinet post also seem increasingly in doubt, raising the question of how Warren could most effectively advance progressive causes during President-elect Joe Biden’s first term.” | | MARKEYCHUSETTS |
| – “John Walsh, longtime Democratic operative, to lead Markey’s Senate office,” by Matt Stout, Boston Globe: “John E. Walsh has for years been a key figure in Massachusetts political circles, helping to send Democrats to Washington. He’s finally going himself. After helping guide Senator Edward J. Markey from underdog to comfortable reelection this fall, Walsh will take over as chief of staff in the Malden Democrat’s Senate office next month, according to Walsh and Markey aides.” | | THE CLARK CAUCUS |
| – “Katherine Clark rises to fourth-ranking House Democrat after winning leadership election,” by Jess Bidgood, Boston Globe: “Representative Katherine Clark, the Melrose Democrat who has risen swiftly up the ranks of House leadership, was elected Wednesday to the position of assistant speaker, making her the fourth-ranking member in the chamber. In a closed-door session of House Democrats, held partially in a hotel ballroom in Washington and partially over Zoom, Clark beat out Representative David Cicilline of Rhode Island, 135 to 92.” | | PARTY POLITICS |
| – “Mass. Democrats Racked Up Wins In 2020. Now, Can They Unite And Take The Governor's Office?” by Callum Borchers, WBUR: “Massachusetts Democrats have a lot to celebrate this election season. They preserved an all-blue congressional delegation and gained two seats in the state Legislature, where they already have veto-proof majorities in both chambers. Yet the party may not be as unified as it will need to be for the next big challenge: winning back the governor's office in 2022.” – “'We Got Completely Clobbered': Mass. GOP Faces A Reckoning — And Calls For New Leadership,” by Anthony Brooks, WBUR: “Just how bad was the election for Massachusetts Republicans? Tom Mountain, the vice chairman of the state party, knows. And he doesn't mince words. ‘We got completely clobbered,’ Mountain said. ‘ We were decimated. It was terrible.’ That pretty well sums it up. But hold on, there's more.” PREVIOUS ARTICLES: REPUBLICAN VOTER REGISTRATION IS AT A 70 YEAR LOW AND THIS HIGHLIGHTS THE REASONS: – “Biden is ‘falsely posing as winner’ of presidential election, Massachusetts GOP Chairman Jim Lyons says,” by Lisa Kashinsky, Boston Herald: “Massachusetts GOP Chairman Jim Lyons claimed President-elect Joe Biden is ‘falsely posing as the winner’ of the election as he used the state party’s email list Thursday to amplify President Trump’s unsubstantiated claims of voter fraud and raise money for his legal battles.” THE MASS GOP SUPPORTED 2 QANON CANDIDATES, CIRCULATED INFLAMMATORY ATTACK ADS, MADE RACIST ROBOCALLS AGAINST NGUYEN WHO DEFEATED JIM LYONS. OTHER GOP CANDIDATES WERE UNQUALIFIED & INCOMPETENT AND HAD NEVER HELD PUBLIC OFFICE. MASSACHUSETTS REPUBLICAN VOTER REGISTRATION IS AT A 70 YEAR LOW FOR GOOD REASON. I ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO VOTE AGAINST ANY CANDIDATE WHO RESORTS TO IGNORANT, RUDE, CRUDE, CRASS ATTACK ADS AND AVOIDS POLICY ISSUES. MASSACHUSETTS IS NOT THE PLACE FOR SUCH POLITICAL ABUSE. THE CAPE IS FINALLY FINISHED WITH THE RUDE & CRUDE RON BEATY WHICH SAYS A LOT. MASS GOP: YOU GOT WHAT YOU DESERVED! – “They got ‘clobbered’ on Election Day. Now Massachusetts Republicans are weighing whether to change leaders,” by Matt Stout, Boston Globe: “After seeing their small minority on Beacon Hill shrink further this year, Massachusetts Republicans are now pivoting to a fight for control of their deeply divided state party ahead of the 2022 election cycle, when the governor’s office and every legislative seat will be on the ballot. The election of a new party chair — slated for January — is expected to prove pivotal in determining the direction of the party after years of realizing few electoral gains among candidates not named Charlie Baker.”
| | MEANWHILE IN NEW ZEALAND |
| – “U.S. paid for Scott Brown, wife, to fly on private jet in New Zealand, avoiding quarantine,” by Nick Perry, The Associated Press: “The United States government paid for ambassador Scott Brown and his wife to fly domestically in New Zealand on a private jet so they could avoid going into quarantine at the border, documents show. Just about everybody who returns to New Zealand is required to spend 14 days in a hotel guarded by the military as part of the nation’s strict strategy to keep out the coronavirus. But the Browns were able to use their special status as diplomats to avoid staying in a hotel, and instead isolated themselves at their home in Wellington.” | | ABOVE THE FOLD |
| — Herald: “COVID CALLS,” — Globe: “Pike rebuild put off for another year, if not more," "Quick tests in schools will be next weapon against virus," "Clark elected to leadership role in House.” | | FROM THE 413 |
| – “Many details hidden in UMass corporate research agreements,” by Dusty Christensen, Daily Hampshire Gazette: “Bomb manufacturers and defense contractors. Fortune 500 beverage and chemical corporations. Communications and technology behemoths. These are some of the industry giants with which the University of Massachusetts Amherst has struck sponsored research agreements, where companies agree to pay for research projects at the university.” | | THE LOCAL ANGLE |
| – “The Pandemic Has Changed Thanksgiving — And The Farms Selling Turkeys,” by Will Andronico Jr., GBH News: “At Bob’s Turkey Farm in Lancaster, broad-breasted white birds spend most of their days isolated in a barn behind a storefront. Under the watchful eye of a few, select farmers, the birds strut around and swap gobbles. The pandemic will make this Thanksgiving unlike any other. Family farms like Bob’s anticipated and prepared for smaller, coronavirus-aware Thanksgiving gatherings.” – “Mass. school district: Verify your Thanksgiving COVID protocols, or kids have to stay home,” by Arianna MacNeill, Boston.com: “Before students in Littleton return to in-person learning after Thanksgiving break, they and their families will need to fill out a form asserting they didn’t violate COVID-19 protocols during their time off. Littleton school officials sent a letter home to families, shared online by WCVB, stating that families must complete an attestation form agreeing that they didn’t travel to places other than states at lower risk for COVID-19, and that they didn’t attend social gatherings that break state limits.” | | MEDIA MATTERS |
| – “Linda Henry to take reins at Boston Globe as labor tensions simmer,” by Don Seiffert, Boston Business Journal: “Linda Pizzuti Henry, who has held the title of managing director at the Boston Globe’s parent company for the past seven years, has been named the chief executive, taking the reins of the company just as tensions between employees and management appear to be at a boiling point. Henry is the wife of John Henry, the owner of the Boston Red Sox who bought Boston Globe Media Partners LLC in 2013.” HAPPY BIRTHDAY – to Matt Viser, WaPo national political reporter; and Evan Falchuk. 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. | |
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