Middleboro Review 2: POLITICO Massachusetts Playbook:

Tuesday, June 14, 2022

POLITICO Massachusetts Playbook:

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COST CONTROL — Shannon Liss-Riordan signed a “People’s Pledge” to limit third-party spending in the state attorney general race. But it didn’t say anything about self-funding.

Now the labor attorney who poured $3 million into her failed campaign against Sen. Ed Markey in 2020 and $500,000 into her current bid for attorney general says she could spend up to $12 million in the Democratic primary, according to the state Office of Campaign and Political Finance.

Liss-Riordan was required to declare a spending maximum after one of her Democratic rivals, Quentin Palfrey, last week opted into the state’s public financing program, in which candidates agree to limit their expenditures in exchange for getting taxpayer money to fund their runs.

If all the Democrats had joined the program, spending in their primary would have been capped at $625,000 per person. But because they didn’t, Andrea Campbell, the polling and fundraising leader, set her max spend at $3 million.

Liss-Riordan took it even further. Her $12 million cap blows past both the $4.3 million Maura Healey, Warren Tolman and Republican John Miller spent in the open-seat 2014 attorney general race and the $11 million GOP Gov. Charlie Baker spent on his 2018 reelection campaign.

The $12 million “will far exceed what we will spend in the race,” Liss-Riordan’s campaign manager, Jordan Meehan, said in a statement to Playbook.

But her opponents remain wary. “Shannon Liss-Riordan continues to demonstrate a clear pattern of attempting to buy her way into political office,” Campbell’s campaign manager, Will Stockton, told Playbook in a statement.

Palfrey called out both Liss-Riordan and Campbell, who he's been hammering for weeks for not signing the People's Pledge, in a statement and interview. “Voters deserve to choose the next people’s lawyer based on the candidates’ experience, vision and policies,” Palfrey said, “not based on outside spending by super PACs and millions of dollars in self-financing.”

Yet, when asked by Playbook whether he would call to limit self-funding in the race like he did super PAC spending, Palfrey, who’s struck up an unofficial alliance of sorts with Liss-Riordan against Campbell, said: “I don’t have a comment on that.”

GOOD TUESDAY MORNING, MASSACHUSETTS. Chris Doughty, who's loaned his campaign more than $750,000 already, set the spending cap in the GOP primary for governor at $6 million. His running mate, former state Rep. Kate Campanale, set it at $1.5 million for the Republican lieutenant governor primary.

On the Democratic side, state Sen. Eric Lesser, who leads fundraising in the LG race, set a $5 million limit.

TODAY — Gov. Charlie Baker and Boston Mayor Michelle Wu attend the rededication of the Kearsarge Memorial at South Boston’s Marine Park at 11:30 a.m. Baker participates in a FORWARD event at 3 p.m. in Springfield. Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito speaks at the IACP Women's Leadership Initiative at 9:30 a.m. in Somerville and attends a virtual Local Government Advisory Committee meeting at 1 p.m. Baker and Polito speak at Mercy Medical Center at 4:30 p.m. and Former Treasury Sec. Lawrence Summers will be on GBH’s “Greater Boston” at 7 p.m.

Tips? Scoops? Hoping for a Celtics comeback? Let’s chat: lkashinsky@politico.com.

A message from PhRMA:

Did you know more than half of every dollar spent on medicines goes to someone who doesn’t make them? There’s a long line of middlemen, like PBMs and insurers, collecting a significant portion of what you pay for medicine. The share of total spending for brand medicines received by the supply chain and other stakeholders increased from 33% in 2013 to 50.5% in 2020. Learn more.

BALLOT BATTLES

Senate President Karen Spilka (left) and House Speaker Ron Mariano sign Gov. Charlie Baker's veto parchment of the Work and Family Mobility Act on Monday, June 13, 2022, at the State House. | Lisa Kashinsky/POLITICO

— BALLOT WAR BREWING: “Driver’s licenses for residents without legal status just became law. Now, the GOP wants Mass. voters to repeal it,” by Samantha J. Gross, Boston Globe: “Massachusetts Republicans are backing a long-shot effort to undo a new law that allows residents without legal immigration status to get driver’s licenses. Supported by the state party chairman and a leading GOP candidate for governor, a state committee member Monday morning filed paperwork to begin the process of putting a question on November’s ballot that would ask voters to repeal the measure. Milford resident Maureen Maloney, whose son was killed a decade ago by a drunk driver in the US without legal status, is chairing the new committee called Fair And Secure Massachusetts. But with 21 weeks until Election Day and the state Republican Party strapped for cash and volunteers, some say the effort is far-fetched.”

Collecting the 40,000-plus signatures needed to get a question on the ballot can be challenging even for those with financial means. But MassGOP Chair Jim Lyons told Playbook he believes those mobilizing against the new law — including the party’s gubernatorial and lieutenant governor hopefuls — have voters on their side.

A Suffolk University/Boston Globe poll from late April showed 47 percent of Massachusetts residents opposed the Work and Family Mobility Act, compared to 46 percent who approved of it and 7 percent who were undecided.

Opposition to the law has also spanned the deeply divided state GOP. Moderate Gov. Charlie Baker vetoed the bill, forcing a legislative override. His endorsed candidate for auditor, Anthony Amore, has also opposed the law, along with conservative governor hopeful and former state Rep. Geoff Diehl.

“The radical Democrats and the special interest groups supporting this are out of touch with mainstream voters in Massachusetts,” Lyons said.

Top Democratic lawmakers expressed “concern” about the burgeoning opposition effort. But 32BJ SEIU Vice President Roxana Rivera , who led advocates pushing to pass the bill, told Playbook that the coalition is ready to defend the hard-won law.

“The 270 organizations from business, labor, from law enforcement — everybody that put their strength behind this bill — I think will be united in regards to upholding” it, Rivera said.

— “SJC lets liquor license question head to ballot,” by Shira Schoenberg, CommonWealth Magazine: “A question reforming the state’s liquor license system will continue on to the November ballot, after the Supreme Judicial Court on Monday upheld the attorney general’s decision that the question is constitutional.”

THE LATEST NUMBERS

— “Massachusetts COVID cases drop 21% over the weekend, more than 2 million rapid tests to be distributed,” by Rick Sobey, Boston Herald: “The state Department of Public Health reported a daily average of 1,334 COVID cases over the weekend, which was down 21% from the daily rate of 1,687 infections last weekend.”

— “State sending 2 million rapid at-home COVID-19 tests to cities and towns across Mass.,” by Travis Andersen, Boston Globe: “The Baker administration this week will start sending over 2 million rapid at-home COVID-19 tests to cities and towns for use by their residents, the state Executive Office of Health and Human Services said Monday."

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DATELINE BEACON HILL

— KEEPING HIS CARDS CLOSE: Last summer, House Speaker Ron Mariano said leaving college sports out of a sports-betting bill “probably would be” a dealbreaker. Asked on Monday if that remained the case, Mariano told reporters gathered at the State House that he’s “not going to prejudge a negotiation” that’s only “just begun.” The House authorized collegiate sports betting in its version of the bill now in conference committee; the Senate did not.

— “House Speaker Ronald Mariano says representatives will take up a mental health care bill Thursday,” by Chris Van Buskirk, MassLive: “The House plans to take up a mental health care bill during a formal session Thursday, House Speaker Ronald Mariano said, but the specifics of the legislation are still not clear and Mariano did not elaborate further during a press conference Monday afternoon. … Any bill in the House tackling mental health would also run up against mental health care legislation the Senate passed last fall, and a proposal from Gov. Charlie Baker introduced this spring.”

— “Leaders Mum On Additional Sales Tax Relief,” by Katie Lannan, State House News Service (paywall): “State lawmakers agreed Monday to set Aug. 13 and 14 as the dates for this year's annual sales tax holiday, but legislative leaders wouldn't say whether any sort of reduction in or expanded break from the 6.25 percent sales tax will feature into their relief plans.”

WHAT CITY HALL IS READING

— “Mayor Michelle Wu rejects $10 million police overtime cut proposed by City Council, calling it a ‘false reduction’,” by Emma Platoff, Boston Globe: “Mayor Michelle Wu rejected a $10 million cut to police overtime spending proposed by the City Council, admonishing the body in a letter Monday for a ‘false reduction to the budget that would create unpredictability elsewhere.’ The council flexed its new budgetary powers last week by cutting the perennially controversial overtime budget and directing more funding to other priorities, such as youth jobs programs. … Wu’s response to the council came Monday, when she chided councilors that, ‘as we are all aware,’ state law requires the city to pay all public safety overtime hours worked, meaning cutting the overtime budget now would simply mean paying the bill later.”

— “Councilor proposes Boston apologize for its role in slavery,” by The Associated Press: “The city of Boston would acknowledge and apologize for its role in the trans-Atlantic slave trade, under a resolution to be formally introduced later this week. The proposal by City Councilor Tania Fernandes Anderson listed on Wednesday’s council agenda would also call for the city to commit to repairing slavery’s harm.”

PLANES, TRAINS AND AUTOMOBILES

— ‘EXTREMELY CONCERNED’: More emphasis on rail yard safety, adequate staff at the operations control center, better track maintenance and ensuring no employee certifications have lapsed. Those are the four areas the Federal Transit Administration told the MBTA to address immediately as the feds wrap up their inspection of the beleaguered agency, the Boston Globe’s Taylor Dolven reports.

— “MBTA officials say train derailments trending downward,” by Bruce Mohl, CommonWealth Magazine: “MBTA officials said on Monday that the number of derailments has been trending downward over the last few years, falling by more than 50 percent since 2019.”

— More: “Investigator says Green Line train did not stop at red signal before crash,” by CBS Boston/AP.

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CAMPAIGN MODE

— “Kate Donaghue channels years of political advocacy in race for state House in Westborough,” by Marco Cartolano, Telegram & Gazette: “Since launching her campaign for state representative in a new seat that includes her longtime home of Westborough, Kate Donaghue said she has become a ‘full-time candidate’ and has waged a relentless door-knocking campaign. … Donaghue, 67, is a familiar name in state Democratic campaigning.”

— FIRST IN PLAYBOOK: Ironworkers Local 7 has endorsed Sydney Levin-Epstein for Hampden, Hampshire and Worcester state senator.

— STAFFING UP: Matthew Gifford is now field director for Chris Dempsey’s campaign for auditor, and Mike Cusher is policy and communications director.

DATELINE D.C.

— “Walensky’s secret coach,” by Alex Thomspon, Adam Cancryn and Max Tani, POLITICO: “Rochelle Walensky needed some help. In January 2021, the physician and longtime academic was taking over the public health agency responsible for leading the fight against a once-in-a-century pandemic. With high stakes and little experience in the federal government, the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention began quietly consulting with an executive coach, Tim Sullivan, founder of the Boston-area Wellesley Partners.”

IT'S NOT EASY BEING GREEN

— “‘Seize the moment’: Advocates push state to use pandemic relief funds for climate action,” by Dharna Noor, Boston Globe: “Climate advocates, environmental justice organizers, labor union officials, and clean energy business representatives gathered outside the State House on Monday morning to demand the state use money from ARPA to speed the renewable energy transition.”

MARIJUANA IN MASSACHUSETTS

— “Berkshire County’s recreational cannabis industry pulls in about $200 million a year. One company accounts for a quarter of that,” by Danny Jin, Berkshire Eagle: “Three years after Theory Wellness opened as the first retail cannabis outlet in Berkshire County, 24 licensed recreational-use companies in the Berkshires pull in roughly $200 million in yearly sales. One company, Theory Wellness, accounts for more than a quarter of that, according to estimates The Eagle derived through public records requests.”

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FROM THE 413

— “Greenfield Police Officer of nearly 24 years takes unpaid leave of absence amidst department budget cuts,” by Tristan Smith, MassLive: “The officer said she hopes her leave will help prevent some of the newer officers from being furloughed amidst the recent budget cut. … Greenfield City Councilors voted to reduce the city police’s budget on May 19, weeks after a Hampshire County jury found that the Greenfield Police Department discriminated against a former officer, who is Black.”

— “Pittsfield was considering a ban on 'nip' bottles. A group of local package store owners got together to push back,” by Meg Britton-Mehlisch, Berkshire Eagle: “Local package store owners say that a proposed ban on the sale of small liquor bottles — known as nips — would unfairly target their businesses by going after their most popular products under the guise of combating pollution.”

THE LOCAL ANGLE

— “Boston-area Jewish groups condemn ‘antisemitic attack’ from the Mapping Project; FBI tracking the website,” by Rick Sobey, Boston Herald: “Boston-area Jewish groups are sounding the alarm about a ‘truly vile perpetration of hate against the Jewish community’ as a new pro-Palestine website puts a bullseye on local Jewish organizations, schools and others.”

— “More than 150 rally to keep North Shore Birth Center open,” by Paul Leighton, Salem News: “Chanting ‘Save Our Birth Center, Save Our Choice,’ and ‘Beverly Hospital, Do Better,’ the crowd urged [Beverly Hospital] officials to reverse their decision to close the North Shore Birth Center. The protestors got a boost from several politicians who spoke at the rally, including Congressman Seth Moulton, Salem Mayor Kim Driscoll, state Sen. Joan Lovely, and state Reps. Jamie Belsito, of Topsfield, and Paul Tucker, of Salem.”

— "AG OKs Dighton ban on LGBTQ, other flags at Town Hall — but only Town Hall," by Michael J. DeCicco, Taunton Daily Gazette: "Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey has approved the bylaw the November 2021 Dighton town meeting endorsed restricting the type of flags that can fly at town hall — but struck down a portion that extended the ban to other town-owned properties."

WHAT ELSE YOU SHOULD BE READING

— “Bernie Sanders, Lindsey Graham pull no punches in spirited debate,” by Matthew Medsger, Boston Herald: “It started with a handshake, but U.S. Sens. Bernie Sanders and Lindsey Graham wasted very little time when their debate devolved into the same disagreements they would have had if they stayed in D.C. … Sanders and Graham met in Boston for the first of a series of debates hosted by a coalition of political foundations — the Bipartisan Policy Center, the Orrin G. Hatch Foundation, and the Edward M. Kennedy Institute for the United States Senate — aimed at showcasing the potential for those of differing beliefs to still come together for civil discourse.”

— “Advocates for safe consumption sites in Mass. find hope in shifting political winds as overdose deaths soar,” by Felice J. Freyer, Boston Globe: “Shifting political winds here and around the country have bolstered advocates’ optimism, even as last week’s stunning news of a surge in opioid-related overdose deaths in Massachusetts intensifies their sense of urgency.”

— "They're due $100M in Mass. tax breaks. But they haven't delivered the jobs," by Greg Ryan, Lucia Maffei and Benjamin Kail, Boston Business Journal: "More than half of businesses failed to create the number of jobs they promised last year as part of a state tax-break program, according to a Business Journal analysis. The list includes major employers like MassMutual, the recipient of the program’s largest tax incentive: a $46 million award approved in 2018."

— “Hospitals report over 1,000 patients awaiting discharges with nowhere to go,” by Shira Schoenberg, CommonWealth Magazine: “A survey released Monday by the Massachusetts Health and Hospital Association found that at any given time there are approximately 1,000 hospital patients who are ready to be discharged, but cannot be because there is nowhere for them to get follow-up care."

A message from PhRMA:

Did you know that PBMs, insurers, hospitals, the government, and others received a larger share of total spending on medicines than biopharmaceutical companies? That’s right, more than half of spending on brand medicines goes to someone who doesn’t make them. Let’s fix the system the right way and ensure more of the savings go to patients, not middlemen. Learn more.

SPOTTED — at Abundant Housing MA’s summer social: Boston City Councilor Kenzie Bok, Brookline Select Board Vice Chair and state representative candidate Raul Fernandez, Jamaica Plain state representative candidate Sam Montano and Abundant Housing MA’s Executive Director Jesse Kanson-Beneov, who spoke, per an attendee.

TRANSITIONS — The Boston Globe’s D.C. bureau is adding Lissandra Villa as a national political reporter covering the midterms and Tal Kopan as deputy bureau chief. Villa was a national politics reporter at BuzzFeed and is a Time alum. Kopan currently is a Washington correspondent for the San Francisco Chronicle.

— Alex Lawrence is now Boston's chief people officer and Ashley Groffenberger is chief financial officer as Boston Mayor Michelle Wu splits the Administration and Finance Cabinet into two.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY — to Hannah Rehm and Danny Gaynor. Happy belated to Westfield Mayor Michael McCabe, who celebrated Monday.

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