Middleboro Review 2: POLITICO Massachusetts Playbook: Trump guilty verdict lands in Mass.

Friday, May 31, 2024

POLITICO Massachusetts Playbook: Trump guilty verdict lands in Mass.

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A PROGRAMMING NOTE: Lisa here. We’ve got a lot of news to cover today. But first we’ve got some of our own to share.

Friday, June 7, will be my last day authoring Playbook. After three years at the helm, I’m handing the reins fully over to the very capable Kelly Garrity and moving to cover the presidential race full time for POLITICO’s politics team, where I’ll be a national political reporter writing about both Joe Biden's and Donald Trump’s campaigns.

I’m not going far. I’ll still be based in Boston and covering politics across New England, including Massachusetts’ marquee elections and New Hampshire’s gubernatorial and congressional races.

But as my purview expands, I’m so excited for Kelly to take over Playbook and make it her own. This transition has been a long time coming — Kelly joined the Playbook team as a guest author early last year and became my co-author last fall. Already a regular at the State House and Boston City Hall, she’s got a sharp wit and an even sharper eye for news.

If you haven’t met Kelly yet , you will soon! And start sending your tips and scoops her way at kgarrity@politico.com . Also, stay tuned — we’ve got something special in the works. I’ll save my thank yous and goodbyes for next week. For now, to the rest of the news.

Former President Donald Trump and attorney Todd Blanche attend his criminal trial at Manhattan Criminal Court on May 30, 2024, in New York City. | Pool photo by Mark Peterson

GUILTY — The Bay State’s top Democrats are united in their distaste for Donald Trump. But they can’t seem to agree on how they — or President Joe Biden — should play the bombshell criminal conviction of the former president in the middle of a high-stakes election campaign.

Some seized on Trump being found guilty of falsifying business records to cast him as “unfit” to hold the office again. Trump is a “threat” and “dangerous” — and now, “a convicted felon,” members of the all-Democratic federal delegation said in statements (Rep. Ayanna Pressley), fundraising pitches (Rep. Jim McGovern) and phone interviews in the hours after the verdict came down. Sen. Ed Markey simply posted a picture of Big Papi wearing No. 34 — a nod to the number of counts Trump was convicted on.

Rep. Seth Moulton said Trump’s conviction “raises the stakes for November.” It should also, he said, serve as a wake-up call for Democrats to “work a lot harder” as polls continue to show a tight race between the current and former presidents and Trump continues to rake in campaign cash off his legal troubles .

“Nobody should want a convicted felon to be elected president,” Moulton told Playbook. Democrats, he added, “need to look ourselves in the mirror and say: Why on earth is this even close?”

Rep. Jake Auchincloss told Playbook that Democrats should focus on drawing a “broader contrast” with Republicans who present their party as one of law and order but are “nominating a convicted felon for president.”

But after a trial that was highly politicized — mainly by a defendant who used his soapbox outside the Manhattan courtroom to try to undermine the institutions that would rein him in — other Democrats are wary of their party turning the jury’s all-guilty verdict into a campaign cudgel.

“This isn’t about the politics and it shouldn’t be about the politics,” Sen. Elizabeth Warren told Playbook over the phone. “I am deeply saddened that Donald Trump put our nation in this position.”

Others were similarly measured in their remarks. “In America, no person is above the law — regardless of wealth, fame, or position,” House Democratic Whip Katherine Clark said in a statement. Attorney General Andrea Campbell said simply : “Equal justice under law.”

Also unable to come to a consensus on how to handle Trump’s new criminal record: Republicans.

The MassGOP rushed to defend Trump from what Chair Amy Carnevale called “political prosecution.” But the two main Republican U.S. Senate candidates, neither of whom plan to vote for Trump in November, both tried to avoid politicizing the verdict.

Quincy City Council President Ian Cain said the trial’s conclusion “allows the country to get back to work” on other issues. Attorney John Deaton called for people to “remain faithful in our institutions — both our justice system and our democracy” with a nod to November’s election.

GOOD FRIDAY MORNING, MASSACHUSETTS. We've got more local reaction and the view from swing-state New Hampshire . One person who hasn't said a thing yet? Gov. Maura Healey.

TODAY — Healey has no public events. Lt. Kim Driscoll speaks at a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the Basketball Hall of Fame at 11 a.m. in Springfield. Boston Mayor Michelle Wu hosts a coffee hour in South Boston at 9:30 a.m. and attends the Age Strong Commission’s senior prom at 1:45 p.m. in Brighton.

THIS WEEKEND — Former Somerville mayor and NECEC President Joe Curtatone is on WBZ's "Keller @ Large" at 8:30 a.m. Sunday. Moulton is on WCVB’s “On The Record” at 11 a.m. Sunday.

Tips? Scoops? Trump verdict reactions? Email us: kgarrity@politico.com and lkashinsky@politico.com .

A message from Choose Who You Use:

A new study published earlier this year revealed that if customers chose a retail electric provider over a utility in 2022 and 2023 the combined savings would have been $1.7 billion. Join the Choose Who You Use coalition to protect electricity choice and preserve Massachusetts ratepayers’ ability to choose the most affordable, renewable options for them. Learn more.

DAY IN COURT

THE ROOM WHERE IT HAPPENED — “Just before news of a verdict dropped, Trump was smiling. Then the whiplash hit,” by Kyle Cheney and Erica Orden, POLITICO.

— “Yes, Donald Trump can still be president as a convicted felon,” by Ben Feuerherd, POLITICO.

— “There’s a real possibility Trump can’t vote in November,” by Ben Feuerherd, POLITICO.

— “Will Trump’s guilty verdict hurt him in November? Here’s how to read the coming polls,” by Adam Wren and Lisa Kashinsky, POLITICO.

DATELINE BEACON HILL

— “Healey’s newest round of pardon recommendations has raised the eyebrows of the Governor’s Council,” by Josh Landes, WAMC: “The Western Massachusetts representative on Governor Maura Healey’s Governor’s Council says she’s puzzled by three new pardon recommendations from the first-term Democrat … [after] two of the three men on governor’s newest slate of pardon recommendations come to the Governor’s Council without the support of the Advisory Board of Pardons.”

— “He earns an extra $61,000 to lead two committees. They never considered a bill,” by Emma Platoff and Laura Crimaldi, The Boston Globe: “As chairman of two committees in the Massachusetts Senate, Democrat Mark Montigny of New Bedford earns $61,000 in leadership stipends, which bump up his annual pay to $162,000 — more than double the base salary of state lawmakers. But it’s unclear what the Senate Committee on Intergovernmental Affairs and the Senate Committee on Steering and Policy have achieved under his leadership.”

— “New bill could assist intellectually divergent, autistic patients,” by Kinga Borondy, Telegram & Gazette.

— “Crunch time is coming to Beacon Hill,” by Gintautas Dumcius, CommonWealth Beacon.

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YAHD SIGNS AND BUMPAH STICKAHS

UP FOR DEBATE — GOP Senate hopeful Ian Cain threw down the debate gauntlet Thursday, challenging fellow Republican John Deaton to “a series of debates” before September’s primary.

Deaton’s not playing ball — yet. “We're happy to have a conversation with Mr. Cain about possible debates once he proves himself a credible candidate with a serious campaign; he has a long way to go in that regard,” Deaton’s campaign manager Michael Gorecki said in a statement.

Cain’s campaign clapped back: "Sounds to me like John Deaton is refusing the opportunity to debate and hiding from legitimate questions about his attacks on police, support of Obamacare, and open border, pro-amnesty position,” Rebecca Schieber , a Cain campaign official, said in a statement. “We look forward to hearing from their campaign to debate on the issues."

OOPS — The initial letter Cain’s campaign sent to Deaton’s team requesting the debates was signed “Ian Cain, Republican for State Representative,” according to a copy reviewed by Playbook . Schieber said the error was “my mistake.”

FIRST IN PLAYBOOK — State Rep. Denise Garlick is endorsing Dave Reservitz for the open District 2 Governor’s Council seat.

ISRAEL-HAMAS WAR

— “MIT protesters walk out of graduation, march down Mass. Ave. in support of Palestinians,” by WBUR: “Dozens of graduates walked out of MIT's commencement ceremony on Thursday, chanting slogans in support of Palestinians in Gaza and condemning the university for its actions in disciplining protesters. The walkouts continued to chant before moving on to Massachusetts Avenue, where they unfurled banners and briefly blocked traffic. They then marched to the Charles River, crossing the Mass. Ave. Bridge and cutting off traffic into Boston.”

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FROM THE HUB

— “Clash over Boston mayor’s move to hike commercial tax rates,” by Gayla Cawley, Boston Herald: “Boston Mayor Michelle Wu directed neighborhood liaisons to reach out to residents as part of a last-ditch effort to stack a Thursday City Council hearing with positive testimony for her controversial proposal to increase commercial tax rates. At the same time, Regan Communications, a public relations firm known for being critical of the mayor’s policies, was attempting to stack the deck with opponents from the business community, who testified against the legislation at the meeting.”

— “‘I’m not sure people are actually paying attention.’ Wu struggles to rally popular support for property tax push,” by Niki Griswold, The Boston Globe.

THE RACE FOR CITY HALL

GARRISON GEARS UP — Althea Garrison isn’t retiring from running for elective office after all. But instead of running for state representative as she initially indicated, the perennial candidate is preparing to run for Boston mayor next year , she told CommonWealth Beacon’s Gintautas Dumcius.

BALLOT BATTLES

— “MCAS opponents double the number of signatures needed to advance ballot question,” by Grace Zokovitch, Boston Herald: “Advocates have gathered 25,000 signatures, twice the number needed, to advance a ballot question overturning the MCAS graduation requirement to the November ballot, the Massachusetts Teachers Association announced Thursday.”

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MARIJUANA IN MASSACHUSETTS

— “Few takers for pot pardon certificates,” Christian M. Wade, The Eagle-Tribune: “Healey signed a ‘first-in-the-nation’ executive order in mid-March granting an ‘automatic’ pardon to those with previous misdemeanor convictions for possession of marijuana, which has been legal for more than seven years. The pardons don’t apply to convictions after March 13, and exclude charges such as possession of marijuana with intent to distribute, distribution, trafficking, or operating a motor vehicle under the influence. The order also allowed those who are eligible to request a ‘certificate’ from the state verifying the pardon.”

— “How Many People Work In Mass Cannabis? It Depends On Who You Ask,” by Chris Faraone, Talking Joints Memo.

THE LOCAL ANGLE

— “Martha’s Vineyard criminal cases in jeopardy amid district attorney’s dispute with sheriff’s office,” Sean Cotter, The Boston Globe: “The Cape and Islands district attorney’s office said Thursday it may have to begin dropping criminal cases on Martha’s Vineyard because the Dukes County sheriff’s office isn’t providing sufficient information about its officers’ disciplinary histories.”

— “Markey pays visit to Sturdy Hospital in Attleboro,” by Natasha Connolly, The Sun Chronicle.

A message from Choose Who You Use:

Massachusetts’ utility customers have recently seen some of the highest electric rates in the country, but customers who chose retail electric providers could have saved hundreds of dollars over the last two years. The last thing we should be doing during this moment is eliminating this choice for Massachusetts consumers and forcing people to live under monopoly utility service.

Choose Who You Use is committed to protecting real electricity choice in Massachusetts. We believe the power to choose energy should be in the hands of the people. In Massachusetts, individuals should be able to choose the type of energy they want and how to pay for it. Learn more.

HEARD ‘ROUND THE BUBBLAH

HAPPY BIRTHDAY — to WPRI’s Ted Nesi, Katie Sagarin and Gena Mangiaratti.

HAPPY BIRTHWEEKEND — to Sunday birthday-ers Kathryn Grosso Gann and Liam Horsman.

NEW HORSE RACE ALERT: BETTER LATE THAN NEVER — Hosts Steve Koczela, Jennifer Smith and Lisa Kashinsky talk chronic absenteeism and the state’s lack of legislative competition. State House News Service’s Chris Lisinski joins to discuss differences in the state budget proposals and end-of-session scaries. Subscribe and listen on iTunes and Sound Cloud .

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