Middleboro Review 2: POLITICO Massachusetts Playbook: Wu’s crucial next few weeks

Wednesday, May 25, 2022

POLITICO Massachusetts Playbook: Wu’s crucial next few weeks

PUT TO THE TEST — From Mass and Cass to the Boston Public Schools, Mayor Michelle Wu’s six-month-old administration is facing a series of pivotal moments. How she navigates the coming weeks could significantly shape her next three-and-a-half years in office.

Wu is grappling with the state over the future of BPS after a blistering report into the school system upped the threat of receivership, just as new superintendent interviews are set to begin next week. The search for the city’s next police commissioner is proceeding along a similar timeline. Wu on Tuesday also unveiled new plans to tackle the ongoing violence and drug and homelessness issues at Massachusetts Avenue and Melnea Cass Boulevard as warmer weather brings increased activity to the area.

The mayor and her allies implored state education officials at Tuesday’s Board of Elementary and Secondary Education meeting, where the new BPS audit dominated the day, to give her nascent administration a chance to fix the schools.

Some people also questioned the timing of a potential state takeover: “Why, after mayor after mayor, superintendent after superintendent, do we take the time to see three women of color leading the charge in Boston Public Schools and say that this is the time to consider a state takeover?” asked Boston City Councilor Kendra Lara, a BPS alum and parent.

Education Commissioner Jeffrey Riley is holding off on receivership — at least for now. Riley said he wants to give the mayor “time and space to see if she’s willing to provide us assurances that things are going to improve” and expressed hope they could come to an agreement on “next steps.” But he also issued dire warnings about the state of the district he once worked in and said the state needs Wu to “step up.”

The mayor is aiming to file a counter proposal to the state by the end of the week, calling receivership “counterproductive” for a district in transition that’s already working with the state to improve. She made progress on one key issue — transportation — when the school bus drivers’ union voted last night to approve a new contract with the district’s private transit contractor.

But BPS isn’t Wu’s only problem: The mayor is losing her Mass and Cass czar at the end of the month in a planned departure, per the Boston Herald’s Sean Philip Cotter. That means she’ll be searching for another key administration official at a crucial time for the troubled area.

Wu inherited these issues. But she’s now responsible for finding solutions to all of them. While her plans for the schools, police and Mass and Cass have all been in the works for some time, her decisions these next few weeks could set the course for the rest of her first term.

GOOD WEDNESDAY MORNING, MASSACHUSETTS. PROGRAMMING NOTE: Massachusetts Playbook will not publish on Friday, May 27 or Monday, May 30. I’ll be back in your inbox on Tuesday, May 31. Send your tips and scoops to lkashinsky@politico.com.

TODAY — Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito makes a MLSC capital grant announcement at 9:30 a.m. in Worcester and presides over a noon Governor’s Council meeting at the State House. AG Maura Healey announces action related to PFAS contamination at 9:45 a.m. at her Ashburton Place office. Wu attends a Back Bay coffee hour at 9:30 a.m. and announces summer safety initiatives and programming at 11 a.m. at the BCYF Tobin Center. Lara and neighboring city councilors speak against a proposed ballot initiative to classify gig-economy drivers as independent contractors at 11 a.m. at Boston City Hall. Rep. Jim McGovern convenes an early college panel at Worcester State University at 2:30 p.m. Rep. Katherine Clark joins Google officials in Cambridge at 1:15 p.m. to announce a new investment in Massachusetts.

STEP INSIDE THE WEST WING: What's really happening in West Wing offices? Find out who's up, who's down, and who really has the president’s ear in our West Wing Playbook newsletter, the insider's guide to the Biden White House and Cabinet. For buzzy nuggets and details that you won't find anywhere else, subscribe today.

FROM THE DELEGATION

— CALL TO ACTION: The Uvalde, Texas, mass school shooting has prompted renewed frustrations and calls for action on gun control from Massachusetts’ all-Democratic delegation and other Bay State pols.

Rep. Jake Auchincloss called to disband the NRA. Sen. Ed Markey tweeted to “abolish the filibuster and pass gun safety legislation now.”

“I'm disgusted by this senseless violence — and by the fact that some in Congress care more about the NRA's money than about kids getting shot at school. Thoughts & prayers aren't enough. We need ACTION!” Rep. Jim McGovern declared.

“The breakdown of the political process has never been clearer than when we can’t even act to keep our own children safe,” Sen. Elizabeth Warren lamented.

ON THE STUMP

— MONEY MATTERS: The Environmental League of Massachusetts Action Fund’s super PAC is out with a mailer in support of Andrea Campbell for state attorney general, just days after she said on WCVB’s “On the Record” that the PAC “might” get involved in her race.

Super PACs can raise and spend unlimited sums but can’t coordinate with candidates. Campbell’s campaign told Playbook on Tuesday that the former Boston city councilor “didn’t know” about the mailer, including when she taped OTR.

The ELM Action Fund IEPAC spent $4,479 on the mailer in support of three candidates — Campbell for attorney general, AG Maura Healey for governor and Chris Dempsey for auditor — that’s being sent out ahead of the Democrats’ June 4 nominating convention.

“This expenditure, as with all previous expenditures by the ELM AF IE PAC, is in full compliance with OCPF and IRS regulations. We do not coordinate with candidates, their campaigns or their agents,” Elizabeth Henry , the super PAC’s treasurer, said in a statement to Playbook.

Campbell insisted there was “no super PAC money in the AG race” on OTR and again during Monday night’s debate . She also accused her rivals of spreading “misinformation” and “lies” about super PAC involvement in the race. At the same time, she has declined to join Shannon Liss-Riordan and Quentin Palfrey in signing a “People’s Pledge” to limit third-party spending in the contest.

“With the emergence of this super PAC, the same one she predicted may support her, we know why she was playing games and citing scheduling conflicts as the reason for not signing the People’s Pledge,” Jordan Meehan, Liss-Riordan’s campaign manager, said in a statement to Playbook.

“It is disappointing that Andrea Campbell continues to refuse to sign the People’s Pledge and seems to be encouraging outside spending in the AG race,” Palfrey, who proposed the pledge, said in a statement to Playbook.

— DEBATING DEBATES: A spokeswoman for Geoff Diehl’s campaign is dismissing Chris Doughty’s call for six pre-primary debates between the gubernatorial hopefuls and four debates between the lieutenant governor hopefuls as “not a serious challenge.”

“Weeks ago, Geoff Diehl offered to debate Chris Doughty twice, and he will do so. Leah [Cole] Allen will debate Kate Campanale twice before the primary,” Diehl campaign manager Amanda Orlando said in a statement. “Neither Geoff nor Leah are interested in providing assistance to their opponents in promoting themselves.”

— STAFF SHAKEUP: NAACP Boston Branch President Tanisha Sullivan has a new campaign manager in her bid for secretary of state. Less than three months after announcing Mehreen Butt as her campaign manager, Sullivan’s campaign said voting rights advocate Cheryl Clyburn Crawford is taking the helm.

In a press release, Sullivan said her new campaign manager is “well seasoned in the local and national political eco-system; and she brings the strategic lens, community based relationships, and sense of urgency we need to win this race.” Butt is no longer with the campaign, Sullivan’s team said, but did not provide further details.

— NEW this AM: Governor’s Councilor Eileen Duff has endorsed state Sen. Diana DiZoglio for state auditor. Duff had intended to run for the seat herself until a family matter caused her to change course.

— “Reproductive Equity Now backs AG Maura Healey for Massachusetts governor with Roe v. Wade on the brink of being overturned,” by Alison Kuznitz, MassLive: “Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey, brandishing her record as an abortion rights advocate with the Supreme Court on the cusp of overturning Roe v. Wade, secured an endorsement Tuesday from Reproductive Equity Now. … Yet without mentioning Healey’s opponent, state Sen. Sonia Chang-Díaz, by name, Reproductive Equity Now acknowledged that ‘Massachusetts is lucky to have two pro-reproductive equity candidates in the gubernatorial Democratic primary.’”

THE LATEST NUMBERS

— “Boston-area COVID wastewater data drops: A ‘very positive change’ as virus cases decline 21%,” by Rick Sobey, Boston Herald: “The closely watched Boston-area COVID wastewater tracker has revealed a ‘very positive change’ in recent days as virus sewage data started to take a downward turn. Meanwhile, state health officials on Tuesday reported 2,693 new COVID cases, another drop in infections while virus hospitalizations ticked up.”

DATELINE BEACON HILL

— “Senate staff union push in limbo,” by Christian M. Wade, Eagle-Tribune: “Senate employees pushing to unionize are in limbo as they await a decision from Senate President Karen Spilka's office on their proposal. … Shelly MacNeill, chief of staff to Sen. Michael Moore, D-Millbury, said organizers of the Massachusetts State House Employee Union are still waiting for the results of [Senate counsel’s] legal review.”

— “Sheriffs don't think $20 million will cover their revenue loss of making jail calls free,” by Sarah Betancourt, GBH News: “As the state legislature begins considering a proposal to make prison phone calls free, sheriffs around the state say they are not opposed to the idea — but it's going to cost more than the $20 million currently being discussed to reimburse the prison system for the lost revenue.”

— "Mass. legislators weigh creating another health care school to relieve worker shortage," by Kirk Carapezza, GBH News: "On a recent morning, security guards made their rounds in black SUVs crisscrossing the idle campus of UMass Amherst Mount Ida in Newton. Four years after the state’s flagship university bought this prime property, dozens of Adirondack chairs glowed empty in the sun and 1,200 dorm beds remained vacant. ... [State Rep. John] Lawn sees a new life for this dead space as a potential training ground for the next generation of healthcare workers, including nurses and physician assistants."

HAPPENING TODAY—A WOMEN RULE TALK ON THE MIDTERMS : Join POLITICO’S Women Rule for a conversation with the women running the midterm campaigns and how they are shaping messaging and strategy for their candidates. The program will look into what a win for either party could mean for access to reproductive health care, economic advancement of women, and how the final stages of the Covid-19 pandemic are managed. REGISTER HERE.

VAX-ACHUSETTS

— “People who rebound with COVID-19 after Paxlovid may be highly contagious, new studies suggest,” by Kay Lazar, Boston Globe: “Federal health regulators on Tuesday issued a warning that COVID-19 patients who have taken the antiviral treatment, Paxlovid, may experience a rebound and test positive again two to eight days after initial recovery. The warning comes more than a month after droves of patients began swapping accounts on social media of COVID rebounds after taking Paxlovid.”

FROM THE HUB

— “Mayor Wu announces ‘warm weather’ plan to address humanitarian crisis at Mass. and Cass,” by Milton J. Valencia and Sahar Fatima, Boston Globe: “Mayor Michelle Wu announced an expanded effort Tuesday to address the humanitarian crisis in the area known as Mass. and Cass with an 11-point focus on housing, health care, and public safety programs, amid concerns that crime and vagrancy have persisted and will grow worse as summer approaches and more people tend to stay on the streets. Called the ‘Warm Weather Program,’ the plan involves directing more health care workers and police officers to the intersection of Massachusetts Avenue and Melnea Cass Boulevard, guiding people to support services and housing options, and arresting those engaging in drug dealing, prostitution, and violent crime.”

— “Mayor Michelle Wu says she has now read full Patrick Rose report,” by Emma Platoff, Boston Globe: “Boston Mayor Michelle Wu on Tuesday said she has now read the full, unredacted internal affairs report of Patrick M. Rose, the former Boston police officer and union president, who last month pleaded guilty to molesting half a dozen children over several decades.”

— “Money, projects starting to flow at Suffolk Downs,” by Catherine Carlock, Boston Globe: “Developers at Suffolk Downs, the 161-acre former horse racing track that straddles East Boston and Revere, have landed major financing deals to move forward with a lab and biomanufacturing facility and several thousand housing units.”

— “Suffolk DA unveils pilot restorative justice program in Roxbury, Chelsea, and Charlestown,” by Ivy Scott, Boston Globe: “Suffolk District Attorney Kevin Hayden Tuesday announced the launch of a new restorative justice program that aims to bring victims, offenders, and community members together to resolve cases outside of the traditional sentencing process.”

DAY IN COURT

— “State police chief's son faces charge of improper weapons storage after hearing in Barnstable,” by Sarah Carlon, Cape Cod Times: “The son of the state police Superintendent, Christopher Mason, will face charges relating to improper weapons storage, Lawrence District Court Clerk-Magistrate Keith McDonough ruled at a public show cause hearing Tuesday in Barnstable District Court.”

— “The Jasiel Correia corruption case is nearly over. One more defendant will be sentenced,” by Jo C. Goode, Herald News: “The last of the five defendants in the notorious fraud and corruption case of former Fall River mayor Jasiel Correia II was set for sentencing this week, but for the 10th time Westport resident and local businessman David Hebert received a delay from learning his fate.”

IT'S NOT EASY BEING GREEN

— “ExxonMobil must face AG Healey’s climate lawsuit, Massachusetts supreme court rules,” by Dharna Noor, Boston Globe: “The Massachusetts Supreme Court on Tuesday struck down ExxonMobil’s bid to dismiss a lawsuit brought by Attorney General Maura Healey, alleging that the company knew its products were contributing to dangerous changes in the climate yet hid that information from Massachusetts consumers and investors.”

FROM THE 413

— “Greenfield cuts $400,000 from police budget, leaving 8 new officers without jobs, after jury finds discrimination against Black officer,” by Will Katcher, MassLive: “Greenfield City Councilors have voted to reduce the city police’s budget by $400,000, cutting the money from officer salaries in the wake of a jury verdict that found the police department had discriminated against a Black former officer. Some councilors hoped the budget cut would push Mayor Roxann Wedegartner to fire the police chief and other officers involved in a lawsuit brought by the former officer. But due to police union rules that stipulate that the first officers to lose their jobs will be those who were most recently hired, the cuts will lead to eight newly-hired officers being laid off, acting Police Chief William Gordon said.”

— “Intruder drills in Pittsfield schools postponed due to Texas shootings,” by Larry Parnass, Berkshire Eagle: “Pittsfield schools are postponing drills this week designed to help students and staff prepare to respond to violent intruders, out of respect to the lives lost in Tuesday’s school shooting in Texas.”

THE LOCAL ANGLE

— “Rallies against racism signal a shift in Everett,” by Liz Neisloss, GBH News: “After years of simmering anger over racist behavior by Everett city officials, and no action by the largely white city government, it seemed the ground suddenly shifted on Monday. Two city officials resigned on the same day high school students staged an afternoon walkout and residents gathered for an early-evening protest outside Everett City Hall. … Paula Sterite, one of the organizers of the residents’ rally, said people ‘finally feel like they were heard.’ But she added that the resignations were ‘just the beginning’ of needed action, an opinion echoed at both rallies.”

— RIP: to Stephenson Aman of Somerville, a disabilities advocate, youth sports coach and City Hall community coordinator.

MEANWHILE IN RHODE ISLAND

— “Legislators vote to legalize recreational marijuana in Rhode Island,” by Edward Fitzpatrick, Boston Globe: “The House and Senate on Tuesday voted overwhelmingly to make Rhode Island the 19th state to legalize recreational marijuana. … The legislation now heads Governor Daniel J. McKee, who plans to sign it into law at 3:15 p.m. Wednesday on the south lawn of the State House.”

SPOTTED — at Gov. Charlie Baker’s book launch event with co-author and former chief of staff Steve Kadish at Harvard Kennedy School: Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito, HHS Sec. Marylou Sudders, former EEA Sec. Kathleen Theoharides, former Economic Development Sec. Jay Ash and former MassDOT CEO/Sec. Stephanie Pollack.

As to why Baker's new book is a how-to guide and not a memoir: “I’m not actually that interesting,” Baker told the room, to laughter. “So a memoir would be more boring than this book.”

TRANSITIONS — Jason McCord is now COO of Mintz Levin. He most recently was chief HR and administrative officer at Morrison & Foerster.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY — to Emma Sims-Biggs.

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.

Follow us on Twitter