Middleboro Review 2: POLITICO Massachusetts Playbook: Every vote counts

Saturday, December 10, 2022

POLITICO Massachusetts Playbook: Every vote counts

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TRIALS AND TABULATIONS — GOP state Rep. Lenny Mirra is readying a court challenge to try and keep his North Shore seat after a recount put Democrat Kristin Kassner ahead by just one vote.

Kassner entered the recount 10 votes behind the five-term incumbent in the drastically redrawn 2nd Essex District. But the new results, which still have to be certified by the Governor’s Council, show Kassner up 11,763 votes to Mirra’s 11,762, according to tallies provided by the secretary of state’s office.

“I’m very angry and frustrated, mostly at my own party,” Mirra told Playbook. “The first thing they should have done is not run Charlie Baker out of the party because he was a very popular governor and he would have helped us at the top of the ticket.”

The ongoing recount for 1st Middlesex representative could also wind up in court. Democrat Margaret Scarsdale leads Republican Andrew Shepherd by 11 votes with one town, Lunenburg, left to go on Saturday. She entered the recount 17 votes ahead.

Neither race will change the balance of power in the Legislature. But Republican losses would further shrink the party’s ranks on Beacon Hill — and provide more fodder for Chair Jim Lyons’ opponents in the state GOP leadership fight.

Lyons still hasn’t said whether he’s running again, though a Thursday evening fundraising email read like a pitch for another term.

He is, however, escalating his campaign to kick Ron Kaufman, Massachusetts’ national committeeman, off his perch as Republican National Committee treasurer. Lyons sent an email to RNC members yesterday blaming Kaufman for “his role in creating the existing divisions” within the state party, per a copy of the letter obtained by POLITICO. He also tried to link Kaufman to two ongoing lawsuits, including the one over access to the MassGOP’s bank account.

Neither Lyons nor Kaufman commented yesterday. But Janet Fogarty, Kaufman’s counterpart on the RNC, dismissed Lyons’ missives as a “vendetta” against Kaufman in an email to RNC members last month. She also joined three dozen state committee members and a host of Republican elected officials in sending a letter in support of Kaufman.

GOOD FRIDAY MORNING, MASSACHUSETTS. Where does Baker, who endorsed the GOP candidates in both of these state representative races, fit into all of this?

Well, former Gov. Bill Weld called into GBH's “Boston Public Radio” yesterday to suggest a project the two could take on once Baker’s out of office: “rebuilding the Massachusetts Republican Party.” We’ll see if Baker takes his old boss up on the offer — and if the contingent of MassGOP-ers who believe Baker did little to build the party's bench accepts his help.

TODAY — Boston Mayor Michelle Wu attends a topping-off ceremony at the Josiah Quincy Upper School new building site at 10 a.m. Sens. Elizabeth Warren and Ed Markey and Rep. Jake Auchincloss celebrate federal funding for Fall River at 10:30 a.m. at Durfee High School. Markey tours Cradles to Crayons in Newtonville at 2 p.m.

THIS WEEKEND — Secretary of State Bill Galvin is on WCVB’s “On the Record” at 11 a.m. Sunday.

Tips? Scoops? Reminiscing about other elections decided by just one vote (Julia Mejia's 2019 Boston City Council election, for instance)? Email me: lkashinsky@politico.com .

PROPAGANDA: A message from NextEra Energy:

A Beacon Research poll of Massachusetts’ voters conducted in July 2022 showed that a majority support the use of clean, low-cost, carbon-emissions free nuclear energy to fight climate change . Over 70% of informed voters support including nuclear energy to fight rising energy costs and climate change.

THE LATEST NUMBERS

— “Massachusetts reports 48% jump in COVID cases after Boston-area virus wastewater spike,” by Rick Sobey, Boston Herald: “The Bay State’s daily average of 1,071 COVID cases from the last week is up from the daily rate of 724 virus infections during the previous week. … The south-of-Boston region has seen a significant spike in COVID wastewater levels in the past few weeks, especially after Thanksgiving. The seven-day average in the southern region is now 1,021 viral copies per milliliter, which is up 105% since mid-November. The north-of-Boston region’s seven-day average is now 920 viral copies per milliliter, which is a 135% jump over the last few weeks.”

DATELINE BEACON HILL

— BAKER’S FAN CLUB: America’s most popular governor got a fitting sendoff on GBH’s “Boston Public Radio” yesterday with the help of “Bill from Canton” and “Maura from Cambridge” and “somebody from Dorchester” — better known as former Gov. Bill Weld, Gov.-elect Maura Healey and Boston-Mayor-turned-Labor-Secretary Marty Walsh.

“Oh my God that is SO funny,” Baker guffawed when Weld, for whom he was a Cabinet secretary, got on the line. Baker had figured out the shtick by the time Healey called in — “you’re busted!” he told his replacement — but that didn’t stop her from asking for a favor from the much-taller governor: “I’m cleaning out my office, you’re cleaning out yours. The stuff that’s really up on the high shelves, do you have a ladder?” And he was in stitches once more when Walsh called in with his “complaints” about his old buddy.

Baker gently let down callers who want him to run for president in 2024 — "my wife is really looking forward to having me around a little more." But he did share some post-office plans: The governor, who said state police haven't allowed him to drive a car these past eight years, is looking at buying one, perhaps an electric vehicle.

— “Barely a month after Election Day, Galvin floats tweaks to ‘millionaires tax’ to exempt some homeowners,” by Matt Stout and Dana Gerber, Boston Globe: “In the first sign that lawmakers may tweak the newly approved ballot measure raising taxes on Massachusetts’ wealthiest residents, Secretary of State William F. Galvin said Thursday he intends to file legislation that would exempt some longtime homeowners from paying the surtax when selling their primary house. Galvin signed the final certification of the constitutional amendment on Thursday, officially increasing the state’s 5 percent income tax rate to 9 percent on annual income exceeding $1 million, as of Jan. 1.”

— “Mass. teacher's union to prioritize higher support staff pay, right to strike next year,” by Carrie Jung, WBUR: “The state's largest teachers union unveiled its legislative priorities for the upcoming session, including increasing wages for support staff and boosting the cost of living adjustment for retired educators. … The union will also push to restore the right to strike for public sector employees, which include teachers.”

— “Encore Boston Harbor sports betting license approved by regulators,” by Chris Van Buskirk, MassLive: “Gaming regulators approved Thursday a sports betting license for Encore Boston Harbor, making it the first casino in Massachusetts to gain an initial greenlight and putting it on the path to facilitate in-person betting sometime early next year.”

— More: “Mass. dental insurance overhaul signed into law by Sec. of State Galvin,” by Alison Kuznitz, MassLive.

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HEALEY WATCH

— “Healey, school leaders want to crack the code on combating hate in school sports,” by Esteban Bustillos, GBH News: “About a year ago, Attorney General and now-Gov. elect Maura Healey started having discussions about how to address the well-publicized incidents of hate and hazing among high school teams across the state that had stained headlines. … That effort culminated in the ‘Addressing Hate in School Sports’ conference at TD Garden Thursday. Coaches, school administrators and other school officials from across the commonwealth took a step toward combating hate with hours of roundtables and conversation. Healey said officials hope to convene 13 regional trainings around the state in the coming months on how to create safe environments for students.”

— WAITING GAME: Healey says her team is “working as thoroughly but as expeditiously as we can” to fill out her Cabinet. But “we’re going to have to see” whether everyone will be in place by her Jan. 5 inauguration. Gov. Charlie Baker filled his last Cabinet post about two weeks after he took office in 2015.

Healey also said she’s open to Boston having a seat on the MBTA oversight board, a priority for Boston Mayor Michelle Wu.

PROPAGANDA: message from NextEra Energy:

PLANES, TRAINS AND AUTOMOBILES

— “Feds tell MBTA to resubmit plans to address safety concerns,” by Gayla Cawley, Boston Herald: “The MBTA’s efforts to comply with federal directives hit another roadblock this week, when the feds refused to sign off on 12 corrective action plans pertaining to hiring challenges, safety procedures and rail transit operations. Meredith Sandberg, the T’s deputy chief of quality, compliance and oversight, said the Federal Transit Administration approved three corrective action plans on Tuesday night, but asked the MBTA to resubmit 12 caps with revisions by Jan. 3.”

— “Your CharlieCard can be hacked by an Android phone, MBTA admits,” by Hiawatha Bray, Boston Globe: “A hacker with an Android phone and a little know-how can create their own CharlieCards and ride MBTA buses and subways without paying, according to research from a Boston-based cybersecurity expert. And for now, the MBTA admits there’s not much they can do about it, other than deactivating fraudulent cards.”

— “North-South Rail Link advocates look to get project back on track,” by Gayla Cawley, Boston Herald: “Supporters of a North-South Rail Link project that’s been batted around for a century are dusting off the proposal and making another push, in hopes the incoming administration will show more interest in the pricey connection than the prior one. The project, which was last discussed by transit officials in 2018-19 when a MassDOT feasibility study estimated a hefty cost of $8.6-$17.7 billion, would connect the Amtrak and Commuter Rail lines that currently end at North and South station, via a tunnel under downtown Boston.”

— “Citing unfair labor practices, Logan Airport service workers strike,” by Kathryn Carley, Dig Boston.

FROM THE DELEGATION

— “Warren presses regulators to probe bank ties to crypto,” by Sam Sutton, POLITICO: “Sen. Elizabeth Warren is calling on bank regulators to investigate U.S. financial institutions over their ties to the crypto industry after two banks were buffeted by losses following the collapse of the FTX exchange. The Massachusetts Democrat on Thursday demanded that the agencies provide the names of banks that have granted loans, taken deposits or provided other services to crypto startups as she pushes ahead with planned legislation to crack down on the nascent industry.”

— “Bitcoin Miners Forced to Report Energy Use in Proposed Bill,” by Bloomberg Law: “The legislation, introduced by Democratic Senator Edward Markey, would require crypto miners using more than 5 megawatts of electricity — a threshold that most Bitcoin mining companies would pass — to report emissions and the source of power, according to a copy of the bill shared with Bloomberg News.”

— EYES EMOJI: Rep. Jake Auchincloss is making his play to get onto the House Ways and Means Committee, The Block's Stephanie Murray reports . Rep. Richard Neal will lose his powerful seat atop the committee when Republicans take control of the House in January.

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MARIJUANA IN MASSACHUSETTS

— “Boston marijuana shop opens with construction workers unpaid,” by Shira Schoenberg, CommonWealth Magazine: “On its website, Newbury Street marijuana retailer Rooted In touts its commitment to social justice, equity, and the Boston area community. It boasts of profit sharing with employees and a commitment to building generational wealth for people of color. … But behind the scenes, the just-opened dispensary leaves a trail of unpaid and disgruntled subcontractors — many of them local workers, like those the company claims it is trying to help.”

THE LOCAL ANGLE

— “EPA says Holtec can't dump contaminated wastewater in Cape Cod Bay without new permit,” by Barbara Moran, WBUR: “The Environmental Protection Agency issued another stern letter to the company cleaning up the Pilgrim Nuclear Power Plant in Plymouth, warning them not to dump contaminated wastewater into Cape Cod Bay. In the letter to Holtec president Kelly Trice, the EPA reaffirmed that unauthorized discharges into the Bay would be a violation of the Clean Water Act.”

— “Latest Twitter lawsuit says company targeted women for layoffs,” by Daniel Wiessner, Reuters: “Twitter Inc has been hit with another lawsuit stemming from the recent purging of half its workforce, this one accusing the social media company of disproportionately targeting female employees for layoffs. … Shannon Liss-Riordan, a lawyer for the plaintiffs, said women ‘had targets on their backs’ once Musk acquired the company, regardless of their talent and contributions. Liss-Riordan represents current and former Twitter employees in three other pending lawsuits filed in the same court since last month.”

PROPAGANDA: A message from NextEra Energy:

Affordable, carbon-emissions free, reliable electricity from nuclear energy. Seabrook Station lowers consumer energy costs in Massachusetts and New England by providing a year-round, low-cost, baseload energy supply. And American-made nuclear energy supports hundreds of jobs across New England.

HEARD ‘ROUND THE BUBBLAH

TRANSITIONS — Divya Chaturvedi of Wilmington and Kim Shea of Winchendon will join the Commission on the Status of Women.

SPOTTED — Former MA-04 Rep. Barney Frank on the House floor (with current MA-04 Rep. Jake Auchincloss) as lawmakers passed same-sex marriage protections . Frank, the first congressman to voluntarily come out as gay, said he was “there for the birth [of the Defense of Marriage Act], and I’m here for the funeral.” Tweet .

HAPPY BIRTHDAY — to the Boston Globe’s James Pindell and Brian Muldoon.

HAPPY BIRTHWEEKEND — to David Todisco, Jessica Enes, Susan Milligan and Jasper Craven, who celebrate Saturday; and to Sunday birthday-ers Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry, Jossie Valentín and Kat Cline.

NEW HORSE RACE ALERT: BLOCKCHAIN MELODY — Massachusetts Playbook and The Horse Race alum Stephanie Murray, now a reporter for The Block, rejoins the pod to talk hosts Jennifer Smith and Lisa Kashinsky through the wild world of crypto. Steve Koczela shares the findings from the latest MassINC poll of BPS parents. Subscribe and listen on iTunes and SoundCloud .

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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