Middleboro Review 2: POLITICO Massachusetts Playbook: Wu’s naysayers try new tactics

Wednesday, July 19, 2023

POLITICO Massachusetts Playbook: Wu’s naysayers try new tactics

MAKING A LIST, CHECKING IT TWICE — It’s time we talk about The List.

Boston Mayor Michelle Wu is being ripped by the right for having her office send a list of her most vocal critics to the police department. Wu’s office sent the names a year ago, at the request of the cops in preparation for Bunker Hill Day after the mayor said she, her family and her team were “harassed” at last year’s Dorchester Day parade.

But it didn’t go public until her detractors started circulating it online a few weeks ago. Now Boston Herald columnist Joe Battenfeld is comparing Wu to President Richard Nixon and his infamous “opponents list.” And Fox News is saying Wu’s actions “raise concern” that she’s “attempting to silence or intimidate her critics.”

The mayor is brushing aside the criticism — and laughing off the comparisons to Nixon. “I never take it personally when people disagree. That’s how we get better as a city government,” Wu told reporters at an unrelated event on Tuesday. But “it’s clear when it crosses the line.”

Politicians at all levels of government and across the ideological spectrum have been facing a rise in harassment and threats in recent years. At the local level, women in elective office are three times more likely than men to be targeted for harassment or violence.

“The reality is that we have a public safety plan for nearly all of our public events now because it is necessary,” Wu said, adding that The List was “certainly” not an intimidation tactic.

Demonstrators protest Boston Mayor Michelle Wu's vaccine mandates in late 2021. | AFP via Getty Images

But the renewed scrutiny of Wu’s loudest critics and how she handles them offers a glimpse into how the mayor’s opponents have been shifting their tactics.

Gone are the days of early morning demonstrations outside of Wu’s Roslindale home (in part because she got an ordinance passed to fine people who picket private residences in the overnight hours). Wu’s naysayers have moved onto other ways of needling the mayor, like filing a lawsuit over the city’s outdoor dining fees for North End restaurants (they eventually dropped it ).

Now three of her most vocal critics have set their sights on the city council . Catherine Vitale and Shawn Nelson are among the eight candidates running for four at-large seats. Padma Scott is running in District 7. All three have protested the mayor and her vaccine mandates. All three are on The List.

“I’m sick of being ignored by local government,” Vitale told Playbook. “My activism didn’t just start with protesting Mayor Wu.”

Saying these candidates are long shots would be an understatement. Vitale had just $800 in her campaign account at the start of the month (she’s currently soliciting donations for her official campaign kickoff next week). Nelson had just $60. No paperwork was available for Scott.

The councilors they’re running against, meanwhile, had between $20,000 and $138,000 in their coffers at the start of July. And unlike some council challengers who have the backing of politicians and unions who can help them marshal people to the polls, this trio faces the challenge of translating largely online antagonism of Wu into votes at the ballot box.

GOOD WEDNESDAY MORNING, MASSACHUSETTS. Also on The List: Patrick Mendoza, the North End restaurateur who’s been on the run since allegedly opening fire outside Boston’s Modern Pastry last week.

TODAY — Wu is in Chinatown at 10 a.m. and launches a new youth bike program at 11:15 a.m. in Mattapan.

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

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DATELINE BEACON HILL

— CLOSED FOR BUSINESS: The State House remains closed today “out of an abundance of caution” as officials continue to investigate the electrical fire that broke out in the basement yesterday, State House Superintendent Tammy Kraus said.

The fire and evacuation — the second of the day, after an earlier fire alarm — disrupted committee hearings and sent hundreds of lawmakers, staffers, visitors, reporters and even Gov. Maura Healey , Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll and Auditor Diana DiZoglio out onto the street.

As firefighters worked to get "dangerously high levels of carbon monoxide" out of the building, Senate Minority Leader Bruce Tarr told reporters that lawmakers may now "have to quicken the pace on a couple of things" to get them done before the August recess. No word on whether one of those things is the now-19-day-late state budget.

— COST-BENEFIT ANALYSIS: Healey’s trade trip to Ireland cost $83,835 for airfare, hotels, ground transportation and meals for the governor, Cabinet secretaries, undersecretary and staff who traveled with her.

The state is shouldering the majority of the cost: $49,418 of the trip’s total is coming out of the state’s tourism trust fund, while quasi-public MassTech is footing $21,719 of the bill and the Massachusetts Competitive Partnership is paying $12,698. Healey’s mother, who accompanied her on the trip, paid her own way , per the Globe.

So what is Massachusetts getting in return? Stronger relationships with “leaders in business, technology, clean energy and education,” Healey spokesperson Karissa Hand said in a statement.

“By fostering these partnerships, we have already heard from several companies looking to discuss expansion in Massachusetts,” she said non-specifically. New clean tech initiatives were also discussed, including increased collaboration between Massachusetts and Ireland to fund research and development in the clean energy sector.

— More: “Healey administration declines to detail cost of other state-funded trips,” by Chris Van Buskirk, Boston Herald: “The administration declined a Herald records request filed May 10 for airfare and hotel receipts for all flights leaving and returning to Massachusetts and hotel stays outside the state since the start of the year for the governor and accompanying staff members.”

— “Sports wagering plummets to $323M in June,” by Christian M. Wade, Eagle-Tribune: “Massachusetts’ sports wagering industry took more than $323 million in bets last month, continuing a decline in revenue amid a summer slump of major sporting events.”

— “Beacon Hill wrangles over pothole money,” by Christian M. Wade, Eagle-Tribune: “In March, the House and Senate approved bills calling for $350 million in borrowing for transportation needs across the state, including $200 million for the state's Chapter 90 program, which pays for resurfacing of roadways and other capital projects. … [N]egotiations have dragged on for nearly four months, and it's not clear what is holding up the final bill.”

— “Retail electricity firms take new tack in fight against Healey, Campbell, and Wu,” by Bruce Mohl, CommonWealth Magazine.

FROM THE HUB

— “Marty Walsh among several subpoenaed in Boston City Hall sexual harassment case,” by Danny McDonald, Boston Globe: “Martin J. Walsh, the former Boston mayor and US labor secretary, was subpoenaed this week to testify about a City Hall sexual harassment scandal that rocked his mayoral administration and prompted him to fire one of his Cabinet chiefs in 2017 .”

— “Boston reparations panel to seek pause on Mayor Wu’s land giveaway plan,” by Saraya Wintersmith, GBH News: “The Boston task force charged with recommending reparations suggestions will ask Mayor Michelle Wu to consider a temporary halt to her plan to give away vacant city properties."

— SURPRISE: Outgoing Boston City Councilor Michael Flaherty has been quietly sworn in as a Massachusetts Convention Center Authority board member by Boston Mayor Michelle Wu , the State House News Service reports . Flaherty was previously critical of a MCCA land deal in South Boston .

PLANES, TRAINS AND AUTOMOBILES

— “Lawmakers advance plan for new T oversight agency,” by Taylor Dolven, Boston Globe: “The Legislature’s joint transportation committee greenlit legislation that would take MBTA subway safety oversight power away from the Department of Public Utilities and create a new Office of Transit Safety in charge of supervising safety on all MBTA modes of transportation, including bus, commuter rail, paratransit, and ferry, and regional transit authorities."

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MARIJUANA IN MASSACHUSETTS

— “Cannabis commission retaliating against pot lab for speaking out, committee hears,” by Matthew Medsger, Boston Herald: “Lawmakers meeting to hear public testimony on several bills aimed at changing the way the cannabis industry works in the Bay State instead got an earful from speakers who say pot regulators are not listening to whistleblowers and retaliating against licensees who complain.”

FROM THE 413

— “Farmers warn crop diseases could follow this month's floods,” by Paul Tuthill, WAMC: “The governor of Massachusetts is pledging assistance to farmers who sustained losses in this month’s river flooding, but it remains unclear as to what form the relief will come in. … An effort by State Rep. Natalie Blais, whose Hampshire and Franklin counties district includes many impacted farms, to include $20 million for relief in a supplemental budget bill got sidetracked on Beacon Hill last week. With backing from the governor, another attempt to pass it will be made this week.”

— “Greenfield requests ‘pause’ in donations for homeless, migrants clustered in hotel,” by Stephanie Barry, Springfield Republican.

THE LOCAL ANGLE

— “Lawrence: Police chief got $784K settlement after outside investigation,” by Jill Harmacinski, Eagle-Tribune: “While Alfred Donovan, a retired Massachusetts police chief who runs APD Management Inc., said the allegations against [Chief Roy] Vasque were ‘sustained,’ the city agreed to pay Vasque the lump sum-payment and announced his retirement. … Donovan said he was directed by (Mayor Brian) DePena to conduct an investigation ‘into allegations that (Vasque) has allegedly failed to lead the Lawrence Police Department in a manner worthy of the position of Chief of Police.’”

— "'Why did you lie to me?' Worcester council debates ordinance on anti-abortion clinics," by Marco Cartolano, Telegram & Gazette: "Almost exactly one year ago, the City Council voted 6-5 to order the city solicitor and administration to develop a draft ordinance regulating the advertising practices of clinics that advise against abortion. City Manager Eric Batista said during Tuesday's City Council meeting ... such an order was likely unconstitutional."

— “Man on probation for vandalizing Kennedy compound arrested for trespassing there,” by WBZ.

— “Biden's new push to cancel student debt could wipe out $592M for Mass. borrowers,” by Jenny Hellwig, Boston Business Journal.

MEANWHILE IN NEW HAMPSHIRE

— TRUMP DIPS: Donald Trump continues to lead the GOP presidential primary field in New Hampshire by a sizable margin, according to a new Granite State Poll that dropped as the former president said he expects to be indicted again . But support for Trump dipped slightly between the UNH’s April and July surveys, down to 37 percent from 42 percent.

— “Former state lawmaker charged with sexual exploitation of children [in Mass.],” by The Associated Press.

MEANWHILE IN RHODE ISLAND

— “‘That’s not my signature’: Newport residents dispute more Matos nomination papers,” by Tim White, Eli Sherman and Ted Nesi, WPRI: “The signature scandal swirling around Sabina Matos’s campaign for Congress is widening, as several Newport residents tell Target 12 their signatures were forged on nomination papers submitted to election officials for Matos."

— “15 candidates qualify for R.I’s First Congressional District ballot,” by Edward Fitzpatrick, Boston Globe.

HEARD ‘ROUND THE BUBBLAH

TRANSITIONS — BlueHub Capital has named Karen Kelleher the next president of the BlueHub Loan Fund.

— Phillip Jasak is now finance director for the NHGOP.

— Cecely Reardon has been appointed commissioner of the Department of Youth Services after serving as acting commissioner since January 2022.

— Lynn Mayor Jared Nicholson is part of the seventh class of mayors to participate in the Bloomberg Harvard City Leadership Initiative; alumni include Michelle Wu and Pete Buttigieg.

— Dawn Brantley is now director of the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency after serving as its acting director since October 2021.

— Northampton Fire Chief Jon Davine has been selected as the state’s next fire marshal .

— Sarah Weinstein is now director of public affairs at the Commerce Department. She most recently was comms director for Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.).

HAPPY BIRTHDAY — to Milton state Sen. Walter Timilty, Jordan Meehan, state Rep. Simon Cataldo and Google’s Catherine Cloutier.

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