Middleboro Review 2: POLITICO Massachusetts Playbook: Devil's in the sports betting details

Friday, April 29, 2022

POLITICO Massachusetts Playbook: Devil's in the sports betting details

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SURER BET — Massachusetts moved one step closer to legalizing sports betting yesterday. But the Senate’s version of the bill prohibits wagering on college sports, teeing up a clash with House negotiators in the coming weeks. Here’s what you need to know:

POKER FACE — We don’t know how individual senators voted on the bill. State Sen. Eric Lesser, the chamber’s point person on sports betting, initially asked for a roll-call vote but changed tacks late in the debate. Senators approved the bill on a voice vote rather than recording a “yes” or “no” tally. That was not long after Senate President Karen Spilka yet again declined to share her stance on sports betting at an unrelated mid-formal-session press conference.

Lesser couldn’t be reached after session. Ahead of the vote, the lieutenant-governor hopeful cheered the bill’s pending passage as the “culmination of years of work” since the federal ban on sports betting was lifted in 2018.

NOW WHAT — Cue a conference committee. Members from each chamber will try to hash out a compromise between the two bills behind closed doors before the end of session in July.

THE STICKING POINTS — Collegiate. Sports. Betting. The House voted to authorize it. The Senate didn’t. Critically, House Speaker Ron Mariano told Bloomberg Baystate Business last summer that sports wagering without the college option “probably would be" a dealbreaker for him. We’ll see if that holds. The Boston Globe’s Samantha J. Gross breaks down the Senate bill.

WHAT ABOUT BAKER — Gov. Charlie Baker wants sports betting. But the bill he filed back in 2019 didn’t include wagering on collegiate sports. He said Wednesday he’s “open to it” depending on the bill’s wording. FWIW, neighboring states that allow collegiate sports betting limit it to certain situations.

GOOD FRIDAY MORNING, MASSACHUSETTS. The governor got his second Covid-19 booster yesterday, telling reporters that vaccines and newer treatments like Pfizer’s antiviral pill Paxlovid are “a big part of the reason why the pandemic is nowhere near as severe as it was 18 months ago.”

Still, it’s a confusing time in the pandemic here. Wastewater data is up and down. Breakthrough cases were down last week. But the state reported its highest daily case count since February yesterday. So Playbook talked to some infectious diseases experts for a status update:

Are we going to see another Omicron surge?

“Most likely we will see a wave, but it isn’t clear how big it will be. We have lots of prior immunity and there are some encouraging signs like the wastewater data, which suggest it might not be as bad as previous waves.” — Matthew Fox, Boston University epidemiology professor.

Should we be wearing masks?

“If you are vulnerable or you live with someone who’s vulnerable, consider keeping your guard up by doing things you know that will protect you, and that can mean masking and upgrading your mask. … Keep your mask at least on you because you may find yourself in a circumstance where you need it.” — Todd Ellerin, director of infectious diseases at South Shore Health.

What about bringing back mandates?

“It really is a time to focus on educating people on how to protect themselves. … If you get the vaccine and take Paxlovid when you have covid, your chance of being hospitalized is so tiny.” — Dr. Shira Doron, Tufts Medical Center infectious diseases physician/hospital epidemiologist.

TODAY — Baker speaks at the Age-Friendly Institute’s Revolutionize Conference at 12:15 p.m. at the Boston Seaport Hotel. Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito speaks at WEDC’s “Year in Review” event at 7:45 a.m. in Westborough. Boston Mayor Michelle Wu speaks at the How to Boston While Black Summit at 10:30 a.m. Sen. Ed Markey tours Tufts’ Pollinator Garden at noon and hosts a Massachusetts Climate Summit with keynote speaker White House National Climate Advisor Gina McCarthy at 1 p.m. at Tufts.

THIS WEEKEND — Sen. Elizabeth Warren is on WBZ’s “Keller @ Large” at 8:30 a.m. Sunday and WCVB’s “On the Record” at 11 a.m. Sunday.

Tips? Scoops? Email me: lkashinsky@politico.com. And thanks to Darius Dixon for the extra help with today's edition!

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ON THE STUMP

— BATTLE LINES: If it wasn’t clear already, the race for state attorney general is shaping up to be a 2-on-1 battle pitting Shannon Liss-Riordan and Quentin Palfrey against polling leader Andrea Campbell.

Take recent events: Palfrey asked all the AG candidates to sign a “People’s Pledge” to limit outside spending in the race — but it was clearly targeted toward Campbell, who benefited from super PAC support in the Boston mayor’s race. He brought it up again during yesterday’s Boston College Law School candidate forum, where he also needled Campbell over her past support for lifting the charter school cap.

After Campbell appeared to say during the forum that she would keep the charter school cap — “the AG’s role is not to be pushing for the expansion of charter schools, it’s to hold these education systems accountable,” she added — Liss-Riordan’s campaign, already tussling with Campbell over participating in a climate debate, accused the former Boston city councilor of “yet another flip-flop.”

Campbell’s campaign later said she misspoke and still supports lifting the charter school cap. “My position on charter schools has not changed in this race. I continue to stand with every family, including our Black and Brown families, to ensure their kids have access to high quality education, without demonizing the choice they ultimately may make,” Campbell said in a statement. It should be noted there's no current campaign surrounding charter schools.

Liss-Riordan also agreed to Palfrey’s People’s Pledge during the forum. Campbell still hasn’t said if she’ll sign on.

— PIPELINE DIG: Defending her green credentials Wednesday night to her Democratic rival for governor, state Attorney General Maura Healey played up her years of opposing natural gas pipeline projects in the state. So, naturally, what likely played well with Democratic voters got fashioned into a 15-second attack ad by Chris Doughty, who is seeking the GOP nomination.

The ad includes Healey saying, “I stopped two gas pipelines from coming into this state,” after playing ominous news clips about electric rate hikes. "It's almost as if our attorney general is bragging about taking credit for our high energy costs in Massachusetts," Doughty said in a statement about Healey’s comments at the forum, urging an “all of the above” energy approach — a longtime refrain of Republicans everywhere.

Doughty’s Republican rival, Geoff Diehl, also got some fodder from the forum, seizing on Healey’s comment that “I favor programs like TCI,” — the moribund Transportation Climate Initiative, said while answering a question about how the candidates would work with other states to reduce emissions — to reopen an old line of attack he used to wield against Gov. Charlie Baker.

THE LATEST NUMBERS

— “8,648 new COVID cases reported in Massachusetts schools in past two weeks,” by Rick Sobey, Boston Herald: “The weekly average of 4,324 staff and students is down from the previous weekly report of 5,363 infections, but the pool positivity rate did go up.”

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DATELINE BEACON HILL

— “Senate leaders aim to pass bill allowing driver’s licenses for undocumented people next week,” Matt Stout, Boston Globe: “Massachusetts Senate leaders said Thursday that they intend next week to pass legislation that would allow residents without legal immigration status to get driver’s licenses, marking a major step toward the long-debated proposal reaching Governor Charlie Baker’s desk. The Senate vote, planned for May 5, would come more than two months after a similar proposal passed the Massachusetts House by a veto-proof majority.

— “House budget includes abortion funding,” by Christian M. Wade, Eagle-Tribune: “Tucked into the $49.7 billion spending package for the fiscal year that begins July 1, which was approved by the House of Representatives Wednesday night, is an amendment calling on the state to spend $500,000 to expand abortion access.”

— “Representative apologizes after drunk driving arrest,” Shira Schoenberg, CommonWealth Magazine: “The state representative arrested Tuesday for drunk driving apologized on Thursday and pledged to seek treatment for his addiction. Rep. David LeBoeuf, a Worcester Democrat, wrote in a public statement on Twitter, ‘I am deeply sorry for my egregious lapse in judgment. I am thankful there were no injuries and recognize the pain I have caused my family, friends, and community. I am not making excuses and will work extensively to rebuild people’s trust.’”

— “Gov. Charlie Baker is — again — the most popular governor in the U.S.,” by Christopher Gavin, Boston.com: “Gov. Charlie Baker is going out on a high note. A new survey from Morning Consult, the global enterprise technology company, shows the moderate Republican governor, who will not be seeking a third term this year, is the most popular governor in the country. Baker carries a 74 percent approval rating, according to the poll, which surveyed 9,849 voters between Jan. 1 and March 31. In contrast, 21 percent of those polled disapproved of Baker’s leadership.”

— “Could Massachusetts Be a Target for a Nuclear Attack? Legislation Aims to Find Out,” by Mary Markos, NBC10 Boston: “There is a bill pending in the State House that would create a citizens' commission to study the potential threat and look into the state's involvement with nuclear weapon production.”

FROM THE HUB

— “Principal of troubled Boston Mission Hill school resigned as problems mounted — only to get rehired as part-time teacher,” by Sean Philip Cotter, Boston Herald: “The erstwhile principal of the Mission Hill Pilot K-8 School during the many of the years in which a devastating new report alleged poor responses to bullying and sexual misconduct was able to be rehired by the district after resigning as issues mounted, according to reports.”

— More: “Boston Mayor Wu: Mission Hill school abuses amounts to 'stuff of nightmares',” by Zoe Mathews, GBH News.

— WATCH: “US Attorney Rachael Rollins addresses police misconduct in Boston and beyond,” by Alexi Cohan, GBH News.

PLANES, TRAINS AND AUTOMOBILES

— “MBTA officials blame federal agency for preventing them from speaking about fatal Red Line accident,” by Laura Crimaldi, Boston Globe: “Why haven’t MBTA officials shared what they know about a Red Line passenger killed earlier this month when he was trapped in a subway car door? On Thursday, agency leaders blamed the National Transportation Safety Board for keeping a lid on the investigation.”

— “MBTA spending going up, but not enough for low-income fare,” by Bruce Mohl, CommonWealth Magazine: “The MBTA is planning to increase spending 8 percent in the coming fiscal year, but the transit authority’s general manager said there is not enough money for new initiatives such as a fare discount for low-income riders.”

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DAY IN COURT

— “Former Dept. of Unemployment Assistance worker sentenced to 42 months in federal prison for COVID-19 relief fraud,” by Charlie McKenna, Boston Globe: “A former Department of Unemployment Assistance employee was sentenced Wednesday in US District Court in Boston to 42 months in federal prison for misusing her position to illegally obtain nearly $160,000 in pandemic unemployment assistance, the US Attorney’s office for Massachusetts said.”

— “Software ‘unlawfully’ excluded potential Massachusetts tenants who received federal aid, Attorney General Maura Healey says,” by Tristan Smith, MassLive: “Two property management companies, [Buildium and Tenant Turner], agreed to pay $100,000 in a settlement after an investigation from Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey accused them of selling housing-qualification software that discriminated against potential Massachusetts tenants, Healey’s office said.”

DATELINE D.C.

— “Biden says he’s considering canceling ‘some’ student debt,” by Michael Stratford, POLITICO: "President Joe Biden confirmed on Thursday that he’s considering canceling ‘some’ amount of federal student loan debt but emphatically ruled out acceding to progressive demands to forgive as much as $50,000 per borrower. ‘I am considering dealing with some debt reduction,’ Biden said in remarks at the White House. ‘I am not considering $50,000 debt reduction.”’

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FROM THE 413

— “Amherst eyes bylaw to curb crisis pregnancy centers’ deceptive practices,” by Scott Merzbach, Daily Hampshire Gazette: “A town councilor, concerned with threats to legal abortion and the creation of so-called crisis pregnancy centers where individuals might be duped into believing they are getting necessary medical services, is bringing forward a proposal to confront these sites.”

— "Recording sheds light on Easthampton mayor’s alleged racist comments to high school class," by Emily Thurlow, Daily Hampshire Gazette: "An audio recording of Mayor Nicole LaChapelle’s remarks made to a student in a high school civics class last month that the School Committee has called 'racist and unacceptable' provides a deeper look at the encounter the mayor had with students during her March 30 visit."

— “US Attorney Rachael Rollins tells Springfield audience federal consent decree will reshape, reform troubled police department,” by Patrick Johnson, Springfield Republican: “The recent consent decree between the city and the federal government is not the end but the beginning of a very long process to reform the Springfield Police Department, said U.S. Attorney Rachael Rollins. … The milestone is most significant, she said, for the city’s communities of color, who have long complained about police abuses and have not been listened to.”

— “‘It was a mistake but not on purpose’: Former Hampden County Retirement Board chair Richard Theroux fined $10,000 by Ethics Commission,” by Stephanie Barry, Springfield Republican: “Former Hampden County Retirement Board Chair Richard M. Theroux acknowledged Thursday he agreed to pay a $10,000 fine to the state Ethics Commission over fraudulent lodging reimbursements he sought from the board for annual Cape Cod summer junkets.”

THE LOCAL ANGLE

— “Everett City Councilor Accused of Groping Fellow Councilor,” by Katie Brace, NBC10 Boston: “A city councilor from Everett, Massachusetts appeared in court on Thursday to face accusations he inappropriately touched a fellow city councilor. Everett city councilor Jimmy Tri Le has pleaded not guilty to the charges against him. Tri Le was quick to hide his face and turn away from the camera when he exited the Malden District Court on Thursday. He then sprinted through the bushes to avoid NBC10 Boston's and NECN's Katie Brace as she tried to ask questions.”

— “Massachusetts workplace deaths jump 38%, ‘frightening rise’ in fatal overdoses and suicides on the job,” by Rick Sobey, Boston Herald: “A new report from the Massachusetts Coalition for Occupational Safety and Health shows that 62 workers in the Bay State lost their lives on the job in 2021 — a 38% jump from 45 workplace fatalities in 2020 during the height of the pandemic.”

— “Mass. economy shrinks, with future uncertainty 'high,' economists say,” by Greg Ryan, Boston Business Journal: “Massachusetts’ real gross domestic product fell at a 1% annualized rate in 2022’s first quarter, shrinking after a period of rapid growth last year, according to an estimate from the economics journal MassBenchmarks published Thursday.”

— “New school boss in Worcester: Rachel Monárrez from San Bernardino,” by Scott O’Connell, Worcester Telegram & Gazette: “The School Committee on Thursday unanimously picked Rachel Monarrez, the deputy superintendent of the San Bernardino City Unified School District, to be the district’s next superintendent.”

— “Why do so many Massachusetts' town names end in 'ham'?” by Edgar B. Herwick III, Paris Alston and Jeremy Siegel, GBH: “If you have ever looked at a map of Massachusetts, you may have noticed many places that have ‘ham’ in their name."

— “Cambridge will give $500 a month to every family below the poverty line,” by Rick Sobey, Boston Herald: “Cambridge will be handing out $500 a month to every family below the poverty line, expanding on a pilot program that it says has helped 130 families.”

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WEDDING BELLS — Colin Reed, founding partner of South & Hill Strategies and a Scott Brown and Mitt Romney alum, on Saturday night married Andrea Woods, manager for media relations at the American Petroleum Institute. Pic ... Another pic

SPOTTED — at New Bedford Mayor Jon Mitchell’s state of the city address this week: lieutenant governor hopefuls Bret Bero, state Rep. Tami Gouveia, and state Sens. Eric Lesser and Adam Hinds; AG hopeful Andrea Campbell; auditor candidates Chris Dempsey and state Sen. Diana DiZoglio ; governor candidate Chris Doughty and Bristol County District Attorney Thomas M. Quinn III.

CONGRATS — to longtime Democratic political consultant Michael Goldman; former Malden Mayor Richard Howard; and the family of the late former MTA state president Nancy Finklestein for their induction tonight into the Malden High School Hall of Fame.

TRANSITIONS — Lauren Feltch Donoghue has been named director of communications and external affairs for the state auditor’s office.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY — to AG hopeful Quentin Palfrey, Karen Dynan, Peter Diamond, Cara Morris Stern and Lauren Janes.

HAPPY BIRTHWEEKEND — to Matt Segneri, Matt Wilder, Martin Kessler, Nam Pham, Nikko Mendoza, James Barron of Barron Associates Worldwide and Joseph Bottum, who celebrate Saturday; and to Sunday birthday-ers state Rep. Daniel Donahue, John Olds, Abbie Ruzicka and Gary Uter.

NEW HORSE RACE ALERT: COVID RATES AND EDUCATOR DIVERSITY — Hosts Steve Koczela and Lisa Kashinsky break down new MassINC Polling Group data on accessing at-home Covid tests. Ralph Saint-Louis of Teach Plus Massachusetts and Manny Cruz of Latinos for Education join Koczela to talk about the Educator Diversity Act. Subscribe and listen on iTunes and Sound Cloud.

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