Middleboro Review 2: POLITICO Massachusetts Playbook: The N.H. cash dash comes to Mass.

Tuesday, March 29, 2022

POLITICO Massachusetts Playbook: The N.H. cash dash comes to Mass.

BORDER CROSSING — Massachusetts donors are funneling money toward Republican congressional hopefuls — in New Hampshire.

A trio of Bay Staters are holding a Boston fundraiser for Matt Mowers, one of several Republicans challenging Rep. Chris Pappas (D-N.H.). Tickets range from $1,000 to $5,800 for the breakfast hosted by 1A Auto’s Rick Green, Fiscal Alliance Foundation’s Anne Bresnahan and MassFiscal’s Paul Craney next Monday, which will feature former ambassador and ex-South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley.

Gail Huff Brown, one of Mowers’ primary rivals, shipped down to Boston earlier this month for a fundraiser hosted by her husband, former Sen. Scott Brown, and Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn). Huff Brown’s campaign did not respond to requests for how much she raised from the UMass Club luncheon.

New Hampshire’s GOP congressional hopefuls had already banked a combined $317,185 from Massachusetts donors by the end of last year, per the most recent FEC data available. Huff Brown — unsurprisingly, given her and her husband’s local ties — tops the list with $175,174 from donors including several of Gov. Charlie Baker’s political aides and advisers and former MassGOP Chair Jennifer Nassour.

That all eclipses the $128,975 Bay Staters gave to their own Republican congressional hopefuls in that same period. That includes contributions to Emily Burns and Julie Hall, who have since ended their challenges to Democratic Rep. Jake Auchincloss in MA-04.

More cash could flow north later this week. The New Hampshire Republican Party is hosting a big-name fundraiser Wednesday at the Capitol Hill home of Ron Kaufman, one of Massachusetts’ two RNC members and the committee’s treasurer.

Bay Staters bankrolling Granite State Republicans isn’t surprising. GOP congressional candidates often have a better chance for success in purple New Hampshire than in deep-blue Massachusetts, even though U.S. House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy recently said he’d “love to win” a midterm race here.

Massachusetts is fertile fundraising ground for New Hampshire Democrats, too. Pappas has taken in $243,813 from Bay State donors so far this cycle. Rep. Annie Kuster has raised $198,314 from across the border. And Sen. Maggie Hassan, one of the Senate’s most at-risk Democrats, has raked in more than $1.1 million.

GOOD TUESDAY MORNING, MASSACHUSETTS. Hassan’s also pouring money into Massachusetts: She’s now placed more than $6.2 million in general-election television ad buys in the Boston market, per Ad Impact.

TODAY — Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito attends White Ribbon Day events at 9 a.m. in Stoughton and 11 a.m. in Whitman, and joins Brockton Mayor Robert Sullivan for a MUNI grant announcement at 1 p.m. at City Hall. Boston Mayor Michelle Wu speaks at MIRA Coalition’s virtual Immigrants’ Day at the State House at 10 a.m., attends a Women Veterans’ roundtable in Mattapan at noon and hosts a press conference about outdoor dining in the North End at 2 p.m. at City Hall. State Sen. Eric Lesser and state Rep. Josh Cutler unveil their Future of Work Commission report at 11 a.m. Sen. Ed Markey chairs a Senate Climate Task Force meeting at 11:45 a.m. to discuss the benefits of a clean energy transition. State Rep. Tami Gouveia speaks at a Generation Citizen virtual event on mental health at 4 p.m.

Tips? Scoops? Email me: lkashinsky@politico.com.

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CAMPAIGN MODE

— FIRST IN PLAYBOOK: UNITE HERE Local 26, which represents about 12,000 hospitality workers in Massachusetts and Rhode Island, has endorsed state Attorney General Maura Healey for governor, per her campaign. Local 26 President Carlos Aramayo praised Healey for helping ensure union members “were safe at work and got paid on time” during the pandemic.

— FIRST IN PLAYBOOK: IBEW Local 223 has endorsed Shannon Liss-Riordan for state attorney general, per her campaign.

— FIRST IN PLAYBOOK: Quentin Palfrey has added several staffers to his campaign for state attorney general. Jeremy Comeau is Palfrey’s campaign manager; Amanda Cataldo is finance director; Ben Groustra is field and operations manager; Ari Taylor is coalitions manager and Elaine Almquist is ballot access coordinator. Former MassDems Chair Phil Johnston and Stephanie Neal-Johnson, a former undersecretary in the state transportation and labor offices, are Palfrey's campaign co-chairs.

— ALSO STAFFING UP: Mary Connaughton, the 2014 Republican nominee for state auditor, will chair “Women for Amore” in support of Republican Anthony Amore for auditor, his campaign said.

— FIRST IN PLAYBOOK: Boston City Councilor Julia Mejia and community leaders Gloribell Mota and Saritin Rizzuto are endorsing Tania Del Rio for District 1 Boston City Councilor. Mejia will host a rally for Del Rio at 1 p.m. Saturday in East Boston, her campaign said.

— “Governor Charlie Baker makes first statewide endorsement this year, backing Anthony Amore in auditor race,” by Samantha J. Gross, Boston Globe: “For the first time in the 2022 election cycle, Governor Charlie Baker offered his endorsement for a statewide candidate. In a campaign e-mail sent to supporters Monday, Baker backed Republican candidate for auditor Anthony Amore, the director of security at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum who unsuccessfully ran for secretary of state in 2018.”

THE LATEST NUMBERS

— “Massachusetts reports 44% jump in new coronavirus cases over the weekend,” by Rick Sobey, Boston Herald: “The daily average of 810 COVID cases over the weekend was up 44% from the daily rate of 564 infections from the previous weekend. For comparison, the omicron variant peak weekend was 20,329 daily cases in early January.”

DATELINE BEACON HILL

— TO DIVEST OR NOT TO DIVEST: House Speaker Ron Mariano now says lawmakers “can get to yes” on a bill to divest state pension funds from Russian entities after previously dismissing it as “too difficult.”

“It was not worth pursuing at the moment because the Russian markets were closed. Since that time, the markets have reopened,” Mariano told reporters after Monday’s leadership meeting at the State House. The Senate passed a proposal to sever the pension fund’s Russian ties as part of its version of a mid-year spending bill last week.

Gov. Charlie Baker, who ordered executive branch agencies to terminate contracts with Russian state-owned companies, said the state is still “chasing” contracts back to their source organizations.

— “Sports betting in Massachusetts: Senate President Karen Spilka again sidesteps legal sports gambling questions,” by Alison Kuznitz, MassLive: “State Senate President Karen Spilka continued to duck questions on legalizing sports betting, instead shifting the focus to where senators — who will ultimately be tasked with ironing out the logistical details on a bill — stand on the stalled topic. … The Ashland Democrat did not personally respond to the survey, but SHNS on Friday reported that at least 60% of state senators back sports betting legislation, something Gov. Charlie Baker also supports.”

— “Massachusetts engaged in ‘preliminary’ conversations about accepting Ukrainian refugees,” by Alison Kuznitz, MassLive: “Massachusetts officials are coordinating with the federal government as Afghan and Haitian refugees are relocated to the commonwealth — though the planning surrounding Ukrainian refugees remains in early stages, Gov. Charlie Baker told reporters.”

VAX-ACHUSETTS

— "Was omicron more deadly than it needed to be in Mass.? Some experts say yes," by Gabrielle Emanuel, WBUR: "By the latest official count, 3,736 Massachusetts residents have died of COVID since omicron first surged in the state in December. ... 'We botched it,' said Jeremy Faust, an emergency room physician at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and a faculty member in its division of health policy and public health. 'We felt really good about ourselves delivering millions of booster doses to the young and healthy, but we didn't really protect the vulnerable that way.'”

FROM THE HUB

— “Wu signals flexibility on controversial North End outdoor dining fee, vows safety review after deadly garage collapse,” by Amanda Beland, Tiziana Dearing and Jack Mitchell, WBUR: “Earlier this month, the city announced North End restaurants would have to pay $7,500 to host outdoor dining this year. But in a Radio Boston interview Monday, Wu said restaurants don’t need to pay the fee all at once. … there’s also a process for so-called ‘hardship waivers.’ Wu’s office told WBUR she plans to discuss that process further at a Tuesday press conference.”

— “Investigators search for cause of garage collapse in Boston that killed worker,” by John R. Ellement, Travis Andersen and Dugan Arnett, Boston Globe: “A police report released Monday provided some details of the collapse and its immediate aftermath. Craig Jones, a Boston police officer who was working a detail at the site, watched an occupied small demolition excavator, along with large slabs of concrete, tumble an estimated 100 feet from the partially demolished Government Center Garage.”

PLANES, TRAINS AND AUTOMOBILES

— “T tells riders affected by tunnel diversions to stay home if they can,” by Bruce Mohl, CommonWealth Magazine: “In announcing the shutdown of subway service running through the tunnels underneath the Government Center parking garage, the MBTA laid out ways for riders to get where they need to go but ultimately concluded the smart move may be not getting on the T at all.”

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ON THE STUMP

— “Launching candidacy, attorney Robert Sullivan vows to take politics out of Berkshire District Attorney's Office,” by Tony Dobrowolski, Berkshire Eagle: “Speaking outdoors on an unseasonably chilling morning in windswept Park Square, [Robert] Sullivan, a former prosecutor, said he believes that public safety has been compromised and is at a ‘critical point’ under the leadership of Berkshire District Attorney Andrea Harrington.”

— “Democratic candidate Yvonne Gittelson joins Hampshire County sheriff’s race,” by Brian Steele, Daily Hampshire Gazette: “Sheriff Patrick Cahillane of Leeds, elected in 2016, is running for a second six-year term against [Yvonne] Gittelson, corrections nurse Caitlin Sepeda of South Hadley and John Vanasse of Florence, an administrative lieutenant with the Springfield College Police Department.”

— “National social issues ignite North Andover School Committee race,” by Bryan McGonigle, Record Citizen: “[S]ocial issues like LGBTQ student rights and critical race theory have come to the forefront of this local election, with [Kevin] Dube seizing on them and with [Joe] Hicks — an openly gay father of two — fighting back.”

THE PRESSLEY PARTY

— ABOUT THAT TWEET: Rep. Ayanna Pressley has reentered the debate about The Slap at the Oscars. “I don’t endorse violence in any form,” Pressley tweeted Monday, hours after she tweeted and then apparently deleted a post defending actor Will Smith for slapping Chris Rock after the comedian made a joke about Jada Pinkett Smith’s appearance during the awards show.

“Our bodies are not public domain. They are not a line in a joke — especially when the transformation is not of our choosing,” Pressley, who lives with the same hair-loss condition as Pinkett Smith, tweeted . “I’m a survivor of violence. I’m a proud Alopecian. The psychological toll we carry daily is real. Team Jada always. That’s that on that.” Smith has now apologized.

FROM THE DELEGATION

— CHILD CARE PUSH: Assistant House Speaker Katherine Clark and Sen. Elizabeth Warren are circulating a letter that will call on President Joe Biden to push a reconciliation bill “that lowers the cost of child care for families, expands access to pre-K, and invests in the early childhood workforce and infrastructure," my POLITICO colleagues report.

— “A federal mask mandate for planes, other public transit expires April 18, but Sen. Ed Markey wants the CDC, TSA to extend it,” by Alison Kuznitz, MassLive: “U.S. Sen. Ed Markey wants passengers on planes and other public transportation to keep their masks on and is asking federal officials to extend the current mandate beyond its mid-April expiration date.”

— “A new bill would launch a large-scale test of digital dollars,” by Adi Robertson, The Verge: “A US lawmaker has proposed a large-scale trial of government-backed digital cash. The Electronic Currency and Secure Hardware (ECASH) Act, introduced by Rep. Stephen Lynch (D-MA), would direct the Secretary of the Treasury to publicly test an ‘electronic version’ of the US dollar. While the bill’s odds of passing likely remain low, it demonstrates governments’ increasing interest in launching alternatives to cryptocurrency. [Rep. Ayanna Pressley is a cosponsor].”

DAY IN COURT

— “Paul Sushchyk, Worcester judge accused of groping worker, gives up post,” by Mike Elfland, Worcester Telegram & Gazette: “Paul M. Sushchyk, the Worcester judge accused of groping a female employee, resigned Monday. Sushchyk declared his intentions in a one-sentence letter to Gov. Charlie Baker. The Worcester Probate and Family Court associate justice had been suspended without pay, an order put into effect last week.”

FROM THE 413

— “Mental health alternatives to policing gather steam in western Massachusetts,” by Karen Brown, NEPM/WBUR: “Amherst’s new town department — Community Responders for Equity, Safety and Service — joins several other initiatives in western Massachusetts that offer alternatives to police when a call involves a mental health crisis. The Amherst department will send responders trained in mental health to many 911 calls currently handled by the police.”

— “Dozens rally against recommended VA medical center closure,” by Brian Steele, Daily Hampshire Gazette: “A Monday rally outside the VA medical center in Leeds drew veterans, nurses, elected officials and concerned activists to demand that the federal government reject a recommendation that the facility shut down.”

THE LOCAL ANGLE

— “Hospitals on high alert for possible Russia cyberattacks,” by Jessica Bartlett, Boston Globe: “Massachusetts hospitals have been warned to be on high alert for cybersecurity threats as the war in Ukraine continues. … Health care entities in Massachusetts and around the country have been victims of Russia-based cyberattacks in the past.”

— “2 Mass. prisons mishandled COVID and neglected prisoners, report by disability advocates claims,” by Deborah Becker, WBUR: “Some Massachusetts prisons fell short in handling the coronavirus pandemic and neglected disabled and medically vulnerable prisoners, according to an investigation by the Disability Law Center. A new Disability Law Center (DLC) report released Monday examined coronavirus mitigation efforts within specialized medical units at MCI-Norfolk and MCI-Shirley.”

— “Officials deny town is not cooperating with NAACP,” by Paul Leighton, Gloucester Daily Times: “Town leaders are disputing the contention by the North Shore NAACP that they are not cooperating with the organization on its recommendations to deal with racist, sexist and homophobic behavior.”

— “Jonathan Lemire of Politico is Framingham State's commencement speaker,” by Zane Razzaq, MetroWest Daily News: “Lemire, a Lowell native, was set to be a commencement speaker in 2020, but the university had to cancel the ceremony due to COVID-19.”

— AGREE TO DISAGREE: “New Hampshire, Massachusetts Ranked Among ‘Least Stressed’ States,” by CBS Boston staff: “The Granite State has the lowest percentage of its population living in poverty and the second-lowest crime rate, while Massachusetts has the most psychologists per capita and some of the fewest hours worked per week, according to the report.”

MEANWHILE IN NEW HAMPSHIRE

— “Top state officials investigate Atkinson selectman, question residency,” by Breanna Edelstein, Eagle-Tribune: “A drunken-driving arrest, announced by the Derry, Pennsylvania, Township Police Department, revealed that 51-year-old [Atkinson Selectman William] Baldwin has worked for nearly a year as a top police official in Middletown, Pennsylvania, unbeknownst to his New Hampshire constituency and fellow board members.”

TRANSITIONS — Jossie Valentin, state policy adviser and regional director for Sen. Ed Markey , is leaving that office and returning to live in Puerto Rico. Valentin was state director for Sen. Elizabeth Warren’s presidential campaign and a Holyoke city councilor.

— Eduardo Moreno Mendez is now chief of staff to state Sen. Lydia Edwards.

— The Boston Globe’s Priyanka Dayal McCluskey joins WBUR as a senior health reporter.

— Damon Cox will join MassChallenge’s executive team as head of Next Practice and Inclusive Growth.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY — to Data Protocol CEO Peter Cherukuri, Harvard Kennedy School’s David King, Ned Gandevani and Sanjay Misra.

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