Middleboro Review 2: POLITICO Massachusetts Playbook: Republican donors come home

Tuesday, March 7, 2023

POLITICO Massachusetts Playbook: Republican donors come home

Presented by Save Our Benefits Massachusetts

CARNEVALE CASHES IN — The MassGOP’s financial fortunes are starting to look up.

Allies and donors of former Gov. Charlie Baker are banding together to bail out the nearly bankrupt state GOP and its new leader, Amy Carnevale, as the party stares down potentially more than $600,000 in debt left over from Jim Lyons’ tenure.

Their first big move: a $10,000-per-head fundraiser Thursday evening at the University Club in Boston hosted by Carruth Capital President Chris Egan, former MassGOP Chair Jennifer Nassour and Baker administration alums Brian Shortsleeve and Mike Kennealy, according to an invitation obtained by Playbook.

Baker-world donors are making good on their pledges to pump money back into the party under its new leadership. Egan was behind two donor letters, one in 2021 and another this past January , offering to float the struggling party financially — but only if state committee members ousted Lyons as chair. Nassour has already donated $5,000 since Carnevale was elected at the end of January, according to state campaign finance reports.

But Carnevale will need more than just a few big checks. The party is facing hundreds of thousands of dollars in unpaid invoices and several probes into its finances. That includes state campaign finance regulators’ investigation into whether Lyons coordinated with a political action committee last year to dig up dirt about now-Gov. Maura Healey.

And money can’t solve all of Carnevale’s problems. Tensions are still running high on the deeply divided state committee. Carnevale extended an olive branch to the Baker wing by replacing Lyons’ finance chair, Rick Green, with Kennealy. And she’s attempting to win over other members by prioritizing "election integrity." But her pick for “election integrity liaison" — Caroline Colarusso, a former congressional candidate and one-time Lyons ally who backed Carnevale for chair — is unlikely to move Lyons' most ardent allies to her column.

Carnevale is already clashing with some Lyons supporters over whether to remove Pat Crowley as treasurer. Lyons sued Crowley last year over access to the party's bank accounts. Now 16 state committee members, including former gubernatorial nominee Geoff Diehl, are asking Carnevale to call a vote of no confidence in Crowley at the party's June meeting. They’re also asking her to put a resolution calling for Crowley’s resignation on the agenda for a vote.

Carnevale told Playbook it’s “premature” to make any moves regarding Crowley. Brian Kelly, the former Whitey Bulger prosecutor who Carnevale hired to review the lawsuit, is set to issue a report “in coming days" that's expected to spell out whether the party should proceed with the litigation, she said.

GOOD TUESDAY MORNING, MASSACHUSETTS. The GOP is wrapping up the other three lawsuits on its docket in the meantime, including Nicaela Chinnaswamy's long-running battle to be seated on the state committee.

Chinnaswamy no longer lives in the district she had been fighting since 2020 to represent on the board, Carnevale said, bringing one of the party's most notable legal and political fights in recent years to a quiet end.

TODAY — Healey testifies on her budget at 11 a.m. at the State House’s Gardner Auditorium, the first of eight hearings lawmakers have planned across the state about her fiscal year 2024 spending plan. Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox is on GBH’s “Boston Public Radio” at 11:30 a.m.

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DATELINE BEACON HILL

— “State auditor launches probe of convention center authority as Black leaders call for investigation of racial discrimination claims,” by Andrea Estes, Boston Globe: “State Auditor Diana DiZoglio said Monday that she is launching an audit of the Massachusetts Convention Center Authority to look into allegations of racism in hiring, promotions, and procurement practices as Black leaders from around the state called for independent investigations. In response, convention center authority officials said they would launch an investigation of their own, hiring a private law firm to review ‘our policies and procedures, including the experience of employees of color within the organization or those of event attendees of color.’”

— “Smuggled smokes: Seizure of illegal tobacco jumps in Massachusetts, according to report,” by Matthew Medsger, Boston Herald: “In June of 2020 Massachusetts became the first state to implement a full ban on the sale of menthol and flavored tobacco products and vaping devices. ... The result has been a jump in tobacco product seizures, up from 5,377 in 2021 to 18,483 in 2022, according to the annual report .”

— “Taxes Running $1 Billion Over Benchmark,” by Michael P. Norton, State House News Service (paywall): “Through the first eight months of fiscal 2023, tax collections of $23.6 billion are running 0.2 percent behind the record fiscal 2022 haul but are outpacing the state's benchmarks by about $1 billion, or 4.4 percent.”

VAX-ACHUSETTS

— CLOSING TIME: With Covid-19 cases falling and rapid tests readily available, the state is winding down operations at the last of its “Stop the Spread” testing sites. The last 11 sites will close by the end of the month , WBUR’s Priyanka Dayal McCluskey and Nik DeCosta-Klipa report.

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FROM THE HUB

— “Suffolk Sheriff Steve Tompkins fined for giving niece job, having employees run errands,” by Sean Philip Cotter, Boston Herald: “Suffolk County Sheriff Steve Tompkins has paid a $12,300 fine for breaking state ethics law by creating a paid position for his niece and ‘repeatedly’ asking his staff to do his personal errands. Tompkins, who’s served as sheriff since 2013, signed an agreement admitting to the violations, and he’s paid the fine, according to the state ethics commission.”

— “Police Commissioner Cox brings back former BPD lawyer as chief of staff,” by Danny McDonald and Ivy Scott, Boston Globe: “Boston’s police commissioner has appointed a new chief of staff, and the choice is being met with opposition from one law enforcement organization that represents officers of color. Nicole Taub, a former BPD lawyer who most recently worked for the town of Braintree as chief of staff and town solicitor, will fill the post.”

— SUFFOLK SPECIAL: Something’s been missing from the growing list of 9th and 10th Suffolk state representative hopefuls until now — a woman. Amparo “Chary” Ortiz , a longtime BU School of Public Health administrator and BPS mom, is eyeing Veterans Secretary Jon Santiago ’s former 9th Suffolk seat and plans to file paperwork with state campaign finance regulators today, according to a person familiar with her plans. Another possible entrant, neighborhood activist Jonathan Alves , told Playbook he's "strongly considering" a bid and has already filed with the state.

PLANES, TRAINS AND AUTOMOBILES

— “Ridership on fare-free MBTA buses more than doubled in program's first year,” by Jeremy Siegel, GBH News: “The city of Boston is preparing to release a report on the fare-free programs in the coming weeks. But a GBH analysis of data from the T shows that ridership more than doubled between the week of Feb. 15, 2021, before the program started, and the same week this year. Ridership on these lines is also up about 16 percent from before the pandemic, unlike other MBTA bus lines, where ridership is about 21 percent lower systemwide compared to mid-February 2020.”

— “Greater Boston Chamber pushes Governor Healey to pay up to hire a new T boss,” by Jon Chesto, Boston Globe: “[S]tate records show that former MBTA general manager Steve Poftak earned an annual base salary of nearly $340,000 last year, although additional pay (primarily deferred bonuses from two previous years) brought his 2022 pay package up to $417,000. Chamber chief executive Jim Rooney said [Gov. Maura] Healey — who is on the hunt for Poftak’s replacement right now — should be prepared to offer a base range of $450,000 to $500,000 to attract the right candidate.”

— "Gov. Maura Healey wants East-West rail to move forward ‘as quickly as possible’," by Alison Kuznitz, MassLive: "Healey, forecasting from her nascent administration to the end of her four-year term, said she hopes construction for East-West rail is underway by then."

A message from Save Our Benefits Massachusetts:

MAHTY MONITOR

— LET THE EXIT INTERVIEWS BEGIN: Outgoing Labor Secretary Marty Walsh is “not going to rule” out a run for governor someday, he told The Washington Post . But for now he’s looking back on his legacy leading the Labor Department for two years. That includes defending the Biden administration for imposing a deal on rail workers to avert a strike after several unions rejected the initial agreement Walsh helped broker. Hindsight is 20/20, and Walsh thinks maybe things could've been different if he'd had more time to work on the initial deal.

FROM THE DELEGATION

— ENDING HUNGER: Rep. Jim McGovern has introduced a bill to increase federal reimbursements for free, reduced-price and paid-rate breakfasts and lunches at schools. The Healthy Meals Help Kids Learn Act comes as extra federal SNAP benefits have expired and Gov. Maura Healey ’s bill to extend that aid for three months works its way through the state Senate this week. “We’re lucky we have a governor in Maura Healey” as Republicans take aim at SNAP in Congress, McGovern said on MSNBC .

FROM THE 413

— “Local communities debate pros and cons of 4-year mayoral terms,” by Jeanette DeForge, Springfield Republican: “Currently, the length of mayoral terms statewide is evenly split with 23 communities having four-year terms for mayors while 24 have two-year terms. But in Western Massachusetts, four-year terms are more popular, with Easthampton, Greenfield, Holyoke, Northampton, Pittsfield and Springfield all having switched to longer terms over the past 12 years. Agawam, Chicopee, North Adams and Westfield continue to have two-year terms.”

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THE LOCAL ANGLE

— “Everett School Committee won’t renew contract of superintendent who accused mayor of racism,” by Christopher Huffaker, Boston Globe: “The Everett School Committee voted Monday night not to renew the contract of the district’s superintendent, the latest turn in a tumultuous few years for the district and the city’s government. Superintendent Priya Tahiliani received a strong show of support from town residents, but the School Committee voted 6 to 4 against renewing her contract, after years of tension between her and the mayor."

— “Natural gas bills to drop after winter spike,” by Christian M. Wade, Eagle-Tribune: “The state Department of Public Utilities said it has approved a reduction in the base rate for gas charged by National Grid and Eversource, as of March 1. On average, the rate adjustments will save residential natural gas customers an average of 10% on their monthly bills through May, when new seasonal rates will go into effect, the state agency said. Combined, both utilities serve nearly 1.3 million gas customers in Massachusetts, including the north of Boston region.”

— “City Councilor Oliver apologizes for offensive Facebook posts,” by Arthur Hirsch, New Bedford Light: “Newly elected New Bedford City Councilor Shawn Oliver, whose Facebook posts mocking transgender people and their advocates have prompted a high-school student protest and public officials’ criticism, on Monday said that while he meant no harm, ‘I do see that my actions caused harm and for that, I apologize.’”

MEANWHILE IN NEW HAMPSHIRE

— “Biden reelection bid faces resistance from some Democrats,” by Steve Peoples, The Associated Press: “Democrats across New Hampshire are upset with the Democratic president for trying to end the state’s status as home to the first-in-the-nation presidential primary. But their concerns about [President Joe] Biden run much deeper, in line with a majority of Democratic voters nationwide, who question the 80-year-old president’s plans to soon launch his reelection campaign.”

— TRAIL MARKER: Democrat Marianne Williamson is heading to New Hampshire for a series of presidential campaign events from March 8-13. Team Biden doesn’t seem too perturbed about his potential 2024 primary challenger: White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre drew laughs from the press corps yesterday when she waved away a question about Williamson by saying she can’t feel the self-help guru’s “aura.”

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HEARD ‘ROUND THE BUBBLAH

TRANSITIONS — Robert C. Ross , the former chief legal counsel to former Gov. Charlie Baker, has joined Boston law firm Greenberg Traurig LLP .

HAPPY BIRTHDAY — to Christina Gregg.

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