Middleboro Review 2: POLITICO Massachusetts Playbook: Beacon Hill takes on Russia

Tuesday, March 1, 2022

POLITICO Massachusetts Playbook: Beacon Hill takes on Russia

THE TIES THAT BIND — They’re not saying nyet to vodka, but Gov. Charlie Baker and legislative leaders are looking at ways to punish Russia for its assault on Ukraine.

The Baker administration is reviewing contracts to see whether the state is doing business with any Russian companies, as other governors move to cut off transactions with Russian entities and strip Russian products from store shelves.

“We’re taking a look right now at what an executive order might look like with respect to those enterprises who do business with the commonwealth," Baker said yesterday at the State House.

The state conducts business with about 100,000 entities. Any companies that would be targeted “need to be Russian in their origin,” Baker said, while joining legislative leaders in expressing “concern about shutting down some Russian immigrant family that’s been here in Massachusetts for years and runs a business that may have some sort of Russian overtone.”

Lawmakers are eyeing the state’s pension fund. Led by House Republicans, a bicameral and bipartisan group of legislators plan to ask Treasurer Deb Goldberg to review the state’s pension portfolio and to “fully divest any funds that are currently invested in Russian-owned companies.”

“As a state, there’s not a lot we can do,” House Minority Leader Brad Jones told Playbook. But potentially divesting pension funds “stands with what the international community and the president at the national level are doing with sanctions.”

Democratic Sen. Walter Timilty filed legislation that would require the state’s pension fund divest from any “companies engaging in business operations in Russia.” Less than 0.2 percent of the state’s roughly $104 billion pension fund has “exposure to Russia,” according to the Boston Globe. A full divestment of any pension funds would require an act of the Legislature.

GOOD TUESDAY MORNING, MASSACHUSETTS. The 7 a.m. protests outside Michelle Wu’s home would be forbidden if the Boston mayor gets her way.

Wu filed an ordinance that would ban targeted picketing outside private residences between 9 p.m. and 9 a.m. and levy increasing fines against those who break the rules.

Wu acknowledged the fine line she's walking on WBUR’s “Radio Boston,” saying she wants to “protect our First Amendment rights while also protecting [the] quality of life and wellbeing” of private citizens.

The thorny issue could be a major test of the new mayor's relationship with the City Council on which she once served. Wu will need majority support from the 13 councilors in order for her proposal to proceed.

Council President Ed Flynn and Councilors Ricardo Arroyo and Ruthzee Louijeune have signaled support for what Louijeune called a “narrowly tailored” proposal with a “limited purpose.”

Others are torn. Councilor Erin Murphy told Playbook that “people have the right to feel safe and respected, but I don’t want to go down that slippery slope of us taking away people’s First Amendment rights.”

Councilor Kendra Lara was among the elected officials of color who condemned the racist and sexist vitriol Wu has faced. But she told Playbook that Black and brown organizers could be “disproportionately” affected by the measure Wu is proposing.

TODAY — Baker participates in “Saving by Shaving” in support of Boston Children’s Hospital at 9:30 a.m. in Quincy. Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito makes a Violence Against Women Act STOP grant announcement in Worcester at 11 a.m. Wu hosts a media availability to mark the start of her two-year fare-free bus pilot program at 11 a.m. at the Jackson Square T station. Former Rep. Joe Kennedy III speaks at a Woodwell climate risk forum at 1 p.m. GOP governor hopeful Chris Doughty makes a "major announcement" in Worcester at 11 a.m. and Newton at 2 p.m. President Joe Biden delivers his State of the Union address at 9 p.m.

Tips? Scoops? Email me: lkashinsky@politico.com. Also, we’re aware that some links may be missing from Playbook when we publish. Our engineers are still working on it.

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THE LATEST NUMBERS

— “Massachusetts reports 1,632 coronavirus cases over the weekend, hospitalizations drop again,” by Rick Sobey, Boston Herald: “The daily average of 544 virus cases over the weekend was significantly down from the daily rate of 1,030 infections from the previous weekend.”

DATELINE BEACON HILL

— “COVID restrictions at Massachusetts State House in flux, Beacon Hill leaders indicate,” by Alison Kuznitz, MassLive: “‘Everything went smoothly, and we would expect that we will continue to evaluate the regulations…’ House Speaker Ron Mariano said during a press conference Monday afternoon at the State House. ‘Obviously, we’re getting news in Washington they’re doing away with masks, so we are aware of the changes going on, and we’ll be reviewing our policies as we move along.’”

— “10 years after sex trafficking law took effect, Massachusetts now seen as national leader,” by Sam Turken, GBH News: “Massachusetts ranked second in a recent federal survey rating 29 states’ overall response to sex trafficking. State officials attribute that success to efforts to support victims and coordination among law enforcement agencies and prosecutors investigating cases of sex trafficking.”

VAX-ACHUSETTS

— “Boston-area coronavirus wastewater is plateauing after steep plunge: ‘This isn’t too surprising’,” by Rick Sobey, Boston Herald: “Both the south of Boston and north of the city COVID wastewater levels had plummeted more than 98% from the omicron peak in early January. Now the levels in the last week have been plateauing at low summer 2021 levels. The region should expect that COVID will continue to spread at a low rate as the omicron subvariant circulates and as masks come off, according to infectious disease experts.”

— “Local-option COVID approach slammed,” by Bruce Mohl, CommonWealth Magazine: “Carlene Pavlos, executive director of the Massachusetts Public Health Association, says the Baker administration’s policy of leaving many of the major COVID decisions to local boards of health helps explain why local officials are facing harassment and many are leaving public service.”

— “Smiles — and ambivalence — as mandatory masking ends at many Mass. schools,” by Max Larkin, WBUR: “The state mask mandate lapsed in public schools across Massachusetts on Monday. The change felt like a big deal for Charlie Hartwell, of Haverhill. At age 7, she’s young enough that she can’t really remember school without [masks].”

— “New Bedford ends its vaccination or testing mandate for city employees,” by New Bedford Light staff: “The city is suspending its requirement that city employees be vaccinated against COVID-19 or submit to a testing regimen, after five consecutive weeks of declining cases.”

FROM THE HUB

— FIRST IN PLAYBOOK: The guest list is growing for the first in-person Boston St. Patrick's Day breakfast in two years. Gov. Charlie Baker, state Attorney General Maura Healey, Reps. Stephen Lynch and Ayanna Pressley, Boston Mayor Michelle Wu, Senate President Karen Spilka, Suffolk County Sheriff Steve Tompkins, former Boston city councilor and state AG hopeful Andrea Campbell and Irish ambassador to the U.S. Daniel Mulhall are all slated to participate, according to state Sen. Nick Collins, who is organizing and hosting the March 20 event.

— “Michelle Wu seeks to ban protesters from demonstrating at her home in the early morning,” by Rick Sobey, Boston Herald: “Mayor Michelle Wu, whose home has been the scene of anti-vaccine mandate protests, is trying to ban protesters from demonstrating at her house in the early morning. But those who have been protesting outside her Roslindale home hinted of a ‘possible’ lawsuit against Wu’s new ordinance.”

— Baker, who’s faced protests outside his Swampscott home, applauded Wu for putting a “worthy topic” on the table in Boston but stopped short of endorsing her plan. “The hard part here is figuring out some way to maintain the very public rights that people should have to protest, which I’m completely supportive of, but at the same time recognizing that private citizens, private residents, deserve their privacy,” Baker said at the State House. Speaking of Swampscott, the town administrator told GBH News that the municipality might consider steps to limit noise levels at protests at its spring town meeting.

— “Wu says she’ll wind down Boston’s urban renewal districts. Here’s what that means,” by Catherine Carlock, Boston Globe: “Mayor Michelle Wu on Monday asked the City Council to begin ‘sunsetting’ five of the city’s 14 active urban renewal plan areas, with the goal of winding down all of the plans by the end of this year. A powerful urban development tool granted to the then-Boston Redevelopment Authority in the late 1950s, urban renewal has been the city’s primary mechanism to take so-called ‘blighted’ property by eminent domain, and was key to the wholesale razing of the West End, Scollay Square, and parts of the South End and Roxbury in the 1950s and ‘60s.”

— “Lydia Edwards files proposal that could halt East Boston electric substation,” by Danny McDonald, Boston Globe: “Boston has a history of sending home rule petitions to the state Legislature only to see them die a quiet death behind closed doors, but, in an unusual twist this week, the city councilor who is pushing one such a proposal could also be involved in its consideration on Beacon Hill.”

— “Ukrainians registered for Boston Marathon can get refund or defer to future year,” by Rick Sobey, Boston Herald.

— “Boston accent ranked most ‘annoying’ in study, but sixth sexiest,” by Kiernan Dunlop, MassLive.

PLANES, TRAINS AND AUTOMOBILES

— “‘A no-brainer’: Merrimack Valley RTA makes all buses free to ride for two years,” by Taylor Dolven, Boston Globe: “MVRTA is among a growing number of transit agencies and cities in Massachusetts that are trying fare-free bus service using federal COVID-19 relief funds, including Boston, which will begin reimbursing the MBTA for fares on the 23, 28 and 29 lines on Tuesday.”

— “Customers of MBTA’s paratransit service ‘The Ride’ air frustrations over delays, no-shows,” by Kathy Curran, WCVB: “Senior citizens and disabled people who rely on the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority’s ‘The Ride’ are voicing their concerns after 5 Investigates found a drastic increase in delays and no-shows from the MBTA’s paratransit service.”

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ON THE STUMP

— FIRST IN PLAYBOOK: Wakefield town councilor and Republican Ed Dombroski is running for the 5th Middlesex state Senate seat currently held by Democrat Jason Lewis. "I've watched Republican leaders like Governor Charlie Baker demonstrate how we can work together beyond party lines to get things done," the family law attorney said in a statement. "That is how I will lead if elected."

— FIRST IN PLAYBOOK: State Rep. Andy Vargas has endorsed Lawrence City Councilor Pavel Payano for First Essex state senator.

REPUBLICAN DUH?

— “Republican challenger Jeffrey Sossa-Paquette apologizes for tweet supporting Marjorie Taylor Greene’s appearance at white supremacy rally,” by Erin Tiernan, MassLive: “Republican candidate for Congress Jeffrey Sossa-Paquette is apologizing after tweeting — then deleting — support for conservative firebrand Marjorie Taylor Greene, saying he ‘didn’t realize’ the controversial congresswoman was defending her appearance at a white supremacy rally.”

— “Gray exploring run for state Senate,” by Jim Sullivan, Newburyport News: “Former Amesbury Mayor Ken Gray has announced that he is seriously thinking of running for state Senate. The Osgood Street resident told The Daily News that he has formed a campaign committee for a state Senate candidacy in the newly-redistricted Second Essex and Middlesex District.”

DAY IN COURT

— "Federal appeals court allows case against Newton District Court judge to proceed," by Nick Stoico, Boston Globe: "A federal appeals court has declined to dismiss the case against Newton District Court Judge Shelley Joseph and a retired court officer, both of whom were indicted during the Trump administration for allegedly helping an undocumented immigrant evade a federal agent who had come to the courthouse to detain him."

— "Pioneer Institute launching center to push issues in court," by Michael Jonas, CommonWealth Magazine: "Pioneer Institute, which has spent more than three decades trying to inform and shape policy in the public arena, is going to take its case for limited government and free-market solutions to court. The Boston-based think tank is launching a legal arm that plans to tackle issues ranging from school choice to business regulation and public records access."

— “U.S. Supreme Court denies Gordon College appeal — for now,” by Julie Manganis, Salem News: “The U.S. Supreme Court has declined to take up an appeal by Gordon College of a finding that a former social work professor at the Wenham school is not a minister and thus protected by employment discrimination laws — at least not now.”

— “COVID-19 pandemic creates case backlog in MA courts,” by Bob Ward, Boston 25 News: “Since 2019, the caseload for the Worcester Courthouse’s Victims Witness Advocates jumped more than 71 percent.”

FROM THE DELEGATION

— “MA delegation invites virtual guests to Biden address to highlight child care, infrastructure priorities,” by Samantha J. Gross, Boston Globe: “[Veteran carpenter Christina] Morris has had a hard time finding quality child care she can afford that could accommodate [her four] children in the early-morning hours. … Morris’s story is one that US Representative Ayanna Pressley hopes to highlight as Americans tune in to Biden’s first State of the Union address Tuesday night. Hers is also a story Pressley hopes will persuade her colleagues in Congress to prioritize benefits for families.”

— ALSO ON THE GUEST LIST: Other delegation members are also bringing (virtual) guests to Biden’s State of the Union speech. Assistant House Speaker Katherine Clark invited public health directors from across her district, per her office. Rep. Jake Auchincloss is bringing state Rep. Tommy Vitolo; the two will highlight local ARPA-funded projects and preview Biden’s speech on Facebook Live at 5:30 p.m. Rep. Seth Moulton will be joined by a former interpreter for American forces in Afghanistan who now works with Afghan refugees on the North Shore, per the Globe.

KENNEDY COMPOUND

— NEW: Former Rep. Joe Kennedy III is staffing his Groundwork Project, a nonprofit and PAC he founded to help Democrats and progressives in under-resourced regions, with a host of familiar faces. Longtime Kennedy aides Emily Kaufman and Julia Hoffman will serve as executive director and senior advisor, respectively. Tracey Lewis rounds out the Boston-based leadership team as national organizing advisor. Anthony Davis, most recently field director for Michelle Wu’s mayoral bid, will serve as regional organizing advisor; Matt Kearney continues as Massachusetts organizing director.

IT'S NOT EASY BEING GREEN

— “What does the dire new UN climate report mean for New England?” by Dharna Noor, Boston Globe: “In New England, ocean warming in particular is taking a toll. The report said that lobster populations in southern New England decreased by 78 percent from 1984 to 2014, since warming water temperatures off the coast have made it difficult for the animals to grow and reproduce. The loss is threatening sectors of local economies.”

— “Healey says she had no choice on blocking Brookline's fossil fuel ban,” by Aidan Connelly, GBH News: “Brookline has twice tried to pass restrictions on new fossil fuel hookups and was blocked by [state Attorney General Maura] Healey for the second time last week, who said that state law prohibits local governments from passing their own building codes.”

FROM THE 413

— “‘I fear a cultural genocide’; Ukrainians in Western Mass. watch, worry and help,” by Jim Kinney, Springfield Republican: “University of Massachusetts Amherst professor Anna Nagurney is teaching a course this semester on humanitarian logistics and health care. And in Zoom meetings, helping her colleagues at the Kyiv School of Economics keep Ukraine’s supplies flowing, its streaming refugees cared for and a plan for the survival of the school itself.”

— “Down to the wire on delegates: 8 towns yet to organize a Democratic Party caucus,” by Bera Dunau, Daily Hampshire Gazette: “Eight Hampshire County communities are in danger of not having a say in which Democratic Party candidates will run for a slew of statewide offices this year, after having failed — so far — to organize a caucus to send delegates to the Massachusetts Democratic Party Convention in June. As of Friday, Hadley, Hatfield, Westhampton, Plainfield, Chesterfield, Goshen, Huntington and Ware have yet to organize a caucus as a Monday deadline looms.”

THE LOCAL ANGLE

— “Mass. DCF working to ‘improve communication’ with other states in light of Harmony Montgomery case,” by Travis Andersen, Boston Globe: “The Massachusetts Department of Children and Families said Monday its officials are working with their counterparts in other New England states to ‘improve communication’ following the disappearance of 7-year-old Harmony Montgomery, who vanished from Manchester, N.H., in 2019 and whose father is charged with physically abusing her and endangering her welfare.”

— “Nurses union survives vote to remain at Saint Vincent Hospital after bitter 9-month strike,” by Priyanka Dayal McCluskey, Boston Globe: “Nurses at Saint Vincent Hospital in Worcester fought off an effort to oust their union from the hospital and voted overwhelmingly Monday to remain members of the Massachusetts Nurses Association. The decision is a victory for the union, which held a historic nine-month strike at Saint Vincent last year before winning a new labor contract.”

— “State again rejects Methuen's use of some COVID money,” by Breanna Edelstein, Eagle-Tribune: “A second attempt by city officials to appeal the alleged misuse of $650,000 in CARES Act funding has failed, and the state may decide that money needs to be returned.”

— “Commission says Quincy’s process when selecting the mayor’s son as a police officer was unfair,” by Susannah Sudborough, Boston.com: “A Massachusetts Civil Service Commission decision last week found that the city’s police officer selection process was unfair when Mayor Thomas Koch’s son was being considered for a position.”

— IN MEMORIAM: “Everett Poole, Town Moderator of Chilmark over four decades, dies at 91,” by Travis Andersen, Boston Globe.

TRANSITIONS — Taylor St. Germain is now communications director for Repro Equity Now. The Sen. Ed Markey campaign alum most recently served as his national press secretary.

— Christina Ascolillo is now a senior public affairs associate at Rasky Partners. Ascolillo previously served as legislative director for former state Rep. Lori Ehrlich and state Rep. Linda Dean Campbell.

— Biden has nominated William A. LaPlante Jr. as undersecretary of defense for acquisition and sustainment.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY — to state Rep. John Lawn, Sean Fitzgerald (a rare leap year birthday-er), Hannah Klain, Dan Mead, Max Morningstar and Henry Richardson.

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