Middleboro Review 2: POLITICO Massachusetts Playbook: T-ing up a new GM

Wednesday, November 2, 2022

POLITICO Massachusetts Playbook: T-ing up a new GM

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SET IN MOTION — Steve Poftak just cleared the tracks for the next governor to reshape leadership of the beleaguered MBTA.

Poftak, the T’s general manager, will step down on Jan. 3, two days before the next governor is sworn in. The news is not unexpected: some high-level Baker administration officials have already moved on and more will likely follow in the transition between administrations. But Poftak has now set a date that likely accelerates the timeline for either Maura Healey or Geoff Diehl to name his successor.

Plenty of high-profile politicians and transit advocates will be — and in some cases already are — weighing in on the future leadership and structure of an agency dealing with fallout from a scathing safety audit and struggling with its finances and staffing. That could create competing political pressures for the next governor to navigate before even taking office.

Sen. Elizabeth Warren said Poftak’s pending departure creates a “critical opportunity to make much-needed changes.” State Sen. Brendan Crighton, who co-chairs the Legislature’s transportation committee, told the Boston Globe he wants a GM “capable of dealing with safety first.” Boston Mayor Michelle Wu told Playbook the next GM should have “a deep understanding of the agency," experience with managing an organization of the T's scale and "familiarity with the community and political context to drive decision-making.”

Baker, too, could have some say. The outgoing governor suggested an interim general manager could be appointed to help bridge the gap between administrations. “We wouldn’t do that without having some kind of significant conversation with whoever comes next,” Baker told reporters at a campaign event last night. Still, he said it's “very much going to be” up to the next governor and the T’s oversight board to choose Poftak’s replacement.

Healey has already pledged, if elected, to name a new GM . Her campaign declined to share any potential candidates on Tuesday, but said she will “work to address urgent structural, fiscal and workforce challenges at the MBTA, and that includes appointing a new general manager whose top job will be to ensure safety, reliability and accessibility.”

Diehl said his administration will “review our options for all agency personnel during the transition period” and that T leadership is a “top priority.” MassLive has more on Poftak’s resignation letter and tenure .

GOOD WEDNESDAY MORNING, MASSACHUSETTS. Vice President Kamala Harris will hold a get-out-the-vote rally with Healey and other members of the Democratic ticket at 5:30 p.m. at the Reggie Lewis Center in Roxbury.

But some Democratic insiders are questioning why the nation’s second-in-command is coming to campaign for Democrats who are leading their Republican rivals by double digits in polls.

Healey is also trouncing Diehl in fundraising: the Democrat raked in $718,896 in October, the highest monthly haul of her gubernatorial campaign, and has nearly $1.1 million in cash on hand. Diehl, who has filled his recent weeks with fundraisers, also posted his best month yet with $272,644 raised in October. But he has just $115,251 in his coffers for the final days of his campaign, per OCPF.

There are some personal connections at play here. Healey and Harris overlapped as attorney generals. Democratic attorney general nominee Andrea Campbell campaigned for Harris for president.

Harris is also pulling double duty during her visit: She’ll be formally announcing $13 billion the Biden administration is directing to help lower home heating costs this winter, my colleagues report . Sen. Ed Markey and Rep. Ayanna Pressley are set to join Harris at the 2 p.m. event in Boston. The White House fact sheet .

TODAY — Baker speaks at a Health Policy Commission 2022 cost trends hearing at noon at Suffolk Law. Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito attends a Worcester Business Center solar carport ribbon-cutting event at 9:45 a.m. and chairs a Governor’s Council meeting at noon. Rep. Jim McGovern addresses the New England Council at 8 a.m. at the Seaport Hotel in Boston. Rep. Richard Neal addresses the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce at 10 a.m. at the Fairmont Copley Plaza.

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

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DATELINE BEACON HILL

— “Mass. expands eligibility for tax refund checks, direct deposits,” by Alison Kuznitz, MassLive: “The Baker administration previously said Bay Staters who filed their 2021 state tax returns on or before Oct. 17 — and who had a tax liability — would qualify for the refund, which amounts to 14% of an individual’s personal income tax liability for tax year 2021. … Taxpayers who file their 2021 returns by Sept. 15, 2023, are still eligible, the new parameters state.”

— "Baker Aides Working Toward 'Smooth Transition'," by Sam Doran, State House News Service (paywall): "Chief of staff Tim Buckley and senior advisor Elizabeth Mahoney are leading [Gov. Charlie] Baker's transition team along with Cabinet secretaries, press secretary Terry MacCormack told the News Service."

Baker administration agencies and secretaries "have been working on transition documents for the past several weeks and our goal is going to be to meet with people as soon as they want to," the governor told reporters at last night's campaign event. "My goal is to make sure that whatever questions, whatever concerns the incoming administration has, we do everything we can to make sure they get what they need so that when they do start, they hit the ground running."

— "A handful of states are headed to one-party rule — and its drama," by Lisa Kashinsky, POLITICO: "Massachusetts voters are poised to elect a Democrat — state Attorney General Maura Healey — next week and consolidate the party’s control for only the second time in some 30 years after [Gov. Charlie] Baker decided not to seek a third term. Democrats are also on track to win back the governor’s office in Maryland, where they already control the Legislature. And Republicans could gain trifectas in Wisconsin and Kansas, where incumbent Democratic governors are locked in close races. ... One-party rule is generally regarded as a good thing for the party in power, while divided government, the argument goes, allows for key checks and balances. But there are perils to unilateral power. It can bring dormant intraparty fault lines to the surface, torch relationships among lawmakers and splinter the party in power’s voter base."

FROM THE HUB

— “City Council President Flynn seeks to put Boston redistricting on hold,” by Saraya Wintersmith, GBH News: “Boston City Council President Ed Flynn Tuesday called for appointing an independent panel to complete the process of redrawing voter districts for the next decade. The move comes a day before the council’s redistricting chair Liz Breadon was set to recommend a new voter district map. Flynn’s call for a pause conflicts with Breadon’s desire to move forward. Both moves follow an accusation of Open Meeting Law violation lodged by a coalition of South Boston community groups.”

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YAHD SIGNS AND BUMPAH STICKAHS

— FIRST IN PLAYBOOK: Patriots' safety Devin McCourty has endorsed Democrat Rahsaan Hall for Plymouth district attorney and will join him for a get-out-the-vote rally Monday evening at Hall's campaign headquarters, per his campaign. "On the field you need experience, you need determination, and that's why I'm supporting Rahsaan Hall," McCourty says in a self-style video the campaign will use to promote the endorsement.

— ON THE STUMP: The roughly three dozen attendees of Republican auditor nominee Anthony Amore’s event with Gov. Charlie Baker and Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito last night walked by handwritten signs telling them to “believe in women” as they made their way into the Swampscott restaurant. The signs, held alongside several for Amore’s rival, state Sen. Diana DiZoglio , were an apparent reference to allegations of verbal and emotional abuse that Amore’s ex-wife made in court documents pertaining to their divorce. Amore, who has said the allegations are unsubstantiated, thanked his supporters for “braving” the opposition outside.

The event with Baker came a day after MassDems Chair Gus Bickford called for the governor to rescind his endorsement of Amore over the divorce allegations. An impassioned Baker told supporters last night that Amore is “one of the few people who’s ever run for this job who’s built big management teams, who’s actually done audits” and said “he will bring a tremendous amount of credibility” to the role.

— "In race for state auditor, candidates come under fire for evolving views," by Stephanie Ebbert and Samantha J. Gross, Boston Globe: "Amore describes himself as fiscally conservative and socially liberal and supports access to abortion. But a look back at deleted Twitter and blog posts reveal a harder-edged conservatism. ... DiZoglio’s votes on bills and amendments, collected by InstaTrac Inc. and reviewed by the Globe, shows she was more conservative in her early years in politics. She often voted with Republicans, particularly on legislative rules changes and procedures aimed at pushing Democratic leadership for more transparency, and was known for policing public benefits — then a rallying cry of Republicans who were highlighting the fraudulent use of food stamps and welfare assistance."

— FINAL PITCH PROBLEMS: Democrats, including Sen. Ed Markey and state Treasurer Deb Goldberg, are accusing Bristol County Sheriff Tom Hodgson of using antisemitic tropes by referencing George Soros, the billionaire philanthropist and major left-leaning political donor, in a reelection ad . Goldberg, the first Jewish woman elected to statewide office in Massachusetts, tweeted that “Tom Hodgson is clearly not committed to protecting public safety. You can’t use an obvious antisemitic dog whistle in a campaign video and claim ignorance.” Hodgson’s campaign tweeted that his parents are buried in Israel and to "stop the hate."

— “Geoff Diehl is kind of running for governor. Has a haphazard campaign strategy hurt his chances?” by Emma Platoff, Boston Globe: “Embracing Donald Trump in a blue state that loathes the former president, as [Geoff] Diehl has, was never going to be the easiest path to victory. But Diehl has further diminished his chances, many observers argue, with a head-scratching and haphazard campaign strategy that has at times left even some Republicans wondering whether he is really trying to win. As Election Day looms, the top Republican on the ballot is holding very few campaign events; his public schedule has been mostly fund-raisers.”

— “Republican state Rep. candidate alleges racism before debate,” by Matthew Medsger, Boston Herald: “[Republican Marcus Vaughn, a] candidate for the 9th Norfolk District says his Democratic opponent’s supporters greeted him outside a debate studio last week with intimidation and open racism. … Upon his arrival to the studio, his opponent [Kevin Kalkut], Vaughn said, was profusely apologetic.”

IN THE VOTING BOOTH

— “Here’s how Rachael Rollins plans to fight fraud and intimidation on Election Day,” by Ross Cristantiello, Boston.com: “Officials on Tuesday announced that a special election officer had been appointed to oversee election day complaints, threats of violence, and reports of election fraud in Massachusetts during the upcoming Nov. 8 general election.”

— Related: “‘It Wasn't Worth It': Threats Against Election Workers Have Some Leaving the Job,” by Cory Smith, NBC10 Boston: “Following the 2020 election, poll workers and election officials have found themselves the targets of intimidation, harassment and threats of violence. ‘We've seen a little bit of that trend towards threats to election officials, which is why that becomes kind of more of a focus force leading into 2022,’ said Matthew Giacobbi, assistant special agent in charge of the FBI’s Boston Division. ‘A threat to our election workers, is a threat to our democracy.’”

A message from Delta Dental of Massachusetts:

HEALEY WATCH

— “AG’s office offered $200,000 to man who spent 36 years in prison for a wrongful conviction. A jury awarded him $33 million,” by Shelley Murphy, Boston Globe: “On the eve of trial, Attorney General Maura Healey’s office offered to settle a civil lawsuit that Frederick Weichel brought seeking compensation for the 36 years he spent in prison for a wrongful murder conviction. The state would pay Weichel $200,000 to settle that claim as well as his federal lawsuit against two state troopers who helped send him to prison. The offer, just a fraction of what Weichel would be eligible for under law, was ‘absolutely insulting,’ said Weichel’s attorney Mark Loevy-Reyes. Now, the state will have to pay substantially more, after a Suffolk Superior Court jury last month found that 70-year-old Weichel was innocent of the 1980 slaying of Robert LaMonica in Braintree and ordered the state to pay him $33 million in damages. By state law, the award will be capped at $1 million, though the trial judge may order the state to pay Weichel’s legal fees.”

IT'S NOT EASY BEING GREEN

— “New England’s electric grid operator opened its doors to public participation — and got a dressing down,” by Sabrina Shankman, Boston Globe: “New England’s electric grid operator has been famously closed to the public, with most decisions happening behind closed doors, with little or no public input. On Tuesday, yielding to years of pressure, the board of ISO New England opened its doors for the first of what it says will be an annual open meeting. What followed was an hour-long dressing down, as speaker after speaker took the grid operator to task for failing to adequately respond to the climate crisis.”

— “Wind farm, utilities at odds on electricity contracts,” by Bruce Mohl, CommonWealth Magazine: “Commonwealth Wind on Tuesday told state regulators that the contracts for electricity it negotiated with the state’s utilities in May need to be renegotiated because of changed economic circumstances. But the utilities, in their own filing with the Department of Public Utilities, said they had no intention of renegotiating the contracts and they should be approved as drafted. In their own filings, Attorney General Maura Healey and the Department of Energy Resources also called for the approval of the contracts as written, but never addressed the elephant in the room – the claim by Commonwealth Wind that the contracts as currently written would not generate enough revenue to attract the financing needed to build the wind farm. The exchange of legal briefs left the 1,200-megawatt project in limbo, and once again created uncertainty about the state’s ability to meet its greenhouse gas emission targets and bring stability to electricity markets.”

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FROM THE 413

— “Should Springfield be the new Mass. capital? Poll respondents say no,” by Alison Kuznitz, MassLive: “Some 52% of respondents in a new poll released Monday by the University of Massachusetts Amherst and WCVB said they strongly oppose moving the state’s capital from Boston to Springfield, with another 15% somewhat opposing it. Just 3% of respondents strongly supporting making Springfield the new capital, with another 6% somewhat supporting the concept.”

THE LOCAL ANGLE

— “It's now illegal in Mass. to throw out used jeans and worn-out socks,” by Craig LeMoult, GBH News: “It's now against the law in Massachusetts to throw out that used Halloween costume, ripped T-shirt or moth-eaten sweater. Starting today, Massachusetts residents must recycle their old clothing and other textiles instead of tossing them in the garbage. But don't worry, police aren't going to break down your door if you slip up and throw out your skinny jeans. The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection, which oversees waste disposal, says it targets major offenders of waste bans, not individuals.”

— “Calls to suicide lifeline have jumped in Mass. since number switched to 988,” by Lynn Jolicoeur and Lisa Mullins, WBUR: “Massachusetts public health officials and leaders of suicide prevention organizations say they've seen a jump in calls to the national hotline for people in mental health crisis since the switch to the easy-to-remember 988 number took effect over the summer.”

A message from Delta Dental of Massachusetts:

Delta Dental of Massachusetts connects with communities statewide to highlight the importance of oral health. Your oral health is a key predictor of overall health — with direct links to diabetes, heart disease, mental health, and other medical conditions. So, this fall, remind your loved ones – and yourself – to show your mouth some love. Get back to the dentist and remember to practice at-home preventive oral health habits like brushing and flossing regularly. Because the key to good health is right under your nose. Discover the connection between oral and overall health at ExpressYourHealthMA.org.

MEANWHILE IN NEW HAMPSHIRE

— "Poll shows some races in New Hampshire trending toward Republicans," by Adam Sexton, WMUR: "The Saint Anselm College Survey Center poll shows Republican challenger Karoline Leavitt pulling ahead of Democratic U.S. Rep. Chris Pappas, and Republican challenger Don Bolduc is neck-and-neck with Democratic U.S. Sen. Maggie Hassan."

HEARD ‘ROUND THE BUBBLAH

TRANSITIONS — International law firm Withers has added corporate partner Alex Khalarian to its Boston life sciences and tech team.

— Brian Domoretsky joins Benchmark Strategies as a SVP.

— Jackie Kucinich is joining the Boston Globe as Washington bureau chief. She previously was Washington bureau chief for The Daily Beast.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY — to Jeffrey A. Hoffman, Sofia Vilar of J Strategies and Amy Finkelstein.

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 .

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