Middleboro Review 2: POLITICO Massachusetts Playbook: Your next governor?

Wednesday, August 14, 2024

POLITICO Massachusetts Playbook: Your next governor?

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OUT OF OFFICE — Diana DiZoglio could become governor sooner than some people think.

Acting governor, that is. Gov. Maura Healey is heading to the Democratic National Convention next week, where Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll, Secretary of State Bill Galvin and Attorney General Andrea Campbell are all delegates. State Treasurer Deb Goldberg is traveling for a wedding and will be away for the week, according to her office.

That means DiZoglio, who, as auditor, is next up in the gubernatorial line of succession, is likely to serve as the state’s chief executive next week — for some time, at least. DiZoglio confirmed that Healey’s office had been in touch with her team about taking on the role as acting governor next Tuesday.

Just what could the Methuen Democrat, who has been floated as a potential gubernatorial contender down the line, do with her temporary powers? The state’s constitution leaves the possibilities wide open: Acting governors “have full power and authority to do and execute all and every such acts, matters and things as the governor or the lieutenant-governor might or could lawfully do or execute, if they, or either of them, were personally present,” per Article LV . Galvin, when he’s held the role (many times ) in the past, has signed off on sizable spending bills .

DiZoglio could use the opportunity to draw attention to an issue –- the way Boston City Councilor Ed Flynn did when he met with officials about conditions around Mass. and Cass during a stint as acting mayor last summer.

The timing — just a few weeks after an end to formal sessions that left many frustrated with the Legislature's opaque lawmaking style — would make for an easy opportunity to highlight the message behind the ballot campaign she’s backing that would let her office audit the Legislature.

But DiZoglio doesn’t have anything planned yet. “I’ll be at the State House for whatever the day brings,” she told Playbook Tuesday night.

During past conventions, the state’s top Democrats coordinated their travel to ensure power never transferred this far down the line of succession. In 2012, then-Gov. Deval Patrick, Lt. Gov. Tim Murray and Galvin coordinated their travel to North Carolina to ensure one of them was always in the state, according to State House New Service archives .

GOOD WEDNESDAY MORNING, MASSACHUSETTS . Keep an eye out for a temporary power shift in Boston, too. Both Mayor Michelle Wu and City Council President Ruthzee Louijeune are delegates, though the Mayor’s office didn’t immediately have an answer on who might end up as acting mayor Tuesday night. If the mayor and the council president are both out of state at the same time, the city’s charter calls for the council to vote on who should fill in.

TODAY — Gov. Maura Healey and Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll host a regional cabinet meeting at 10 a.m. in Falmouth. Healey makes a stop on the state’s first-ever ice cream trail at the Four Seas Ice Cream in Barnstable at 2 p.m. Driscoll attends the College Promise National Convening at 3 p.m. in Boston. Boston Mayor Michelle Wu speaks at a ceremony for the Patrick J. Kennedy Elementary School at 10 a.m. in East Boston and attends the Colin Joy's Project rock painting and music party at 5:15 p.m. in South Boston. Rep. Lori Trahan is on GBH News’ “Morning Edition” at 7:20 a.m.; Democratic Whip Katherine Clark is on at 8:20 a.m.

Have a tip, story, suggestion, birthday, anniversary, new job, or any other nugget for the Playbook? Get in touch: kgarrity@politico.com .

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DATELINE BEACON HILL

POLITICAL THEATER — An impassioned speech calling for change in Massachusetts captivated those gathered in the Senate chamber Tuesday night — but it didn’t bring any of the bills left on the negotiating table at the end of last month closer to the finish line.

The chamber hosted opening performances of “A Light Under the Dome,” Tuesday afternoon and evening, a play that recreates abolitionist Angelina Grimke's powerful 1838 speech before Massachusetts lawmakers that took place in the room it’s being performed in.

Tickets (which are free) are sold out for the remaining performances today and Thursday, but those looking to catch the show can join a waitlist . The production is produced by Plays In Place and commissioned in partnership with the National Parks Service. It’s the first of three plays that will make up the “Suffrage in Black & White” series (The two other plays are set in Faneuil Hall and King’s Chapel Parish House, and expected to run in 2025 and 2026.)

The performance may be the most action the chamber sees any time soon, as Democrats get ready to head to the Democratic National Convention next week in Chicago..

Healey did get a chance to talk to Senate President Karen Spilka this week, according to her office, but details about the conversation were sparse. “The governor and Senate president had a good conversation and look forward to the work ahead to advance critical priorities for Massachusetts with the legislature,” a Healey spokesperson said in a statement.

— “Gov. Healey’s office spent thousands on high-end hotels with taxpayer-funded credit cards,” by Chris Van Buskirk, Boston Herald: “Gov. Maura Healey’s office stayed at four and five-star hotels across the world multiple times last fiscal year, racking up thousands on taxpayer-funded credit cards for swanky digs, according to data provided to the Herald through a public records request.”

*****STEWARD*****

— “Tempers boil as Carney founders: State, city will not act to save hospitals from going unde,” by Matthew Medsgar, Boston Herald: “If residents of Dorchester thought they were going to hear some good news regarding the fate of their community hospital during a Department of Public Health hearing, officials were quick to dash those hopes when they said there is nothing they can do to stop what is happening. The state cannot and will not get in the way to stop the closure of Steward Health Care’s Carney Hospital, DPH commissioner Dr. Robbie Goldstein told a crowd hundreds-strong at Florian Hall on Tuesday.”

— “Massachusetts will have a path to more midwives and birth centers — if lawmakers can agree,” by Hannah Reale, GBH News: “Advocates had hoped to see a sweeping maternal health package sent up to Gov. Maura Healey on the last night of formal sessions at the end of July, but lawmakers have yet to reach a compromise. It’s one of several bills that have passed in both chambers but still need to be ‘conferenced,’ in Beacon Hill lingo, due to differences between the two versions. State Rep. Marjorie Decker, a Democrat who’s sitting on the joint-chamber committee to find a compromise between the House and Senate versions, told GBH News she expects the maternal health bill to pass ‘before the summer’s over.” State Sen. Patrick O’Connor, a Republican also on the committee, said in a statement that he hopes the legislation will be voted on “very soon.’”

****STEWARD****

— “Groton Select Board calls for Healey administration to declare state of emergency in hospital closures,” by Peter Currier, The Lowell Sun: “ Joining other towns within the hospital’s area of coverage, the Groton Select Board voted unanimously Monday evening to support a resolution calling for Gov. Maura Healey to declare a state of emergency in the impending closure of Nashoba Valley Medical Center. After hearing from members of the local delegation to the Legislature, including state Reps. Dan Sena and Margaret Scarsdale and state Sen. John Cronin, Groton’s Select Board voted to follow in the footsteps of towns like Ayer and Townsend in calling for a state of emergency.”

— “Lawmaker: Catholic Church lobbied against Mass. bill that would end cap on nonprofit liability,” by Nancy Eve Cohen, New England Public Media.

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FROM THE HUB

— “Yusufi Vali, Wu’s outgoing deputy chief of staff, bids bittersweet farewell to Boston City Hall,” by Niki Griswold, The Boston Globe.

WHEN THE BOSTON HERALD WAS GIVEN AWAY FOR FREE IN TRAIN STATIONS, IT WAS WORTH THE PRICE! NOW IT HAS BECOME MOSTLY GOSSIP & SPECULATION, FEW FACTS! THERE ARE OTHER GROUPS THAT OPPOSE THE LOCATION.

— “Boston Mayor Wu responds to ‘speculation’ that her influence killed Krafts’ Everett soccer stadium plan,” by Gayla Cawley, Boston Herald: “Boston Mayor Michelle Wu weighed in on speculation that she had influence over killing a plan she had expressed concerns with on Beacon Hill that would have cleared the way for the Kraft Group to build a soccer stadium in Everett. Language included in a multi-billion dollar economic development bill that would have freed up roughly 43 acres of land along the Mystic River to build an arena and park cleared the Senate, but not the House, where Wu is said to have more powerful allies and influence.”

MORE BOSTON HERALD FALSE INFORMATION!

— “Boston Mayor's office says she did not request meeting with Red Sox over Duran incident,” by Patriot Ledger staff: “Contrary to a report on social media, Boston Mayor Michelle Wu did not request a meeting with the Boston Red Sox in the wake of All-Star outfielder Jarren Duran's use of an anti-gay slur against a heckler during Sunday's game, according to an email from Wu's press office. The Patriot Ledger contacted Wu's office on Tuesday after Boston Herald reporter Gabrielle Starr had posted the following on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, on Monday: ‘Per source, Boston Mayor Michelle Wu has requested a meeting with the Red Sox regarding the Jarren Duran incident.’ The post was later taken down. The unsigned reply from the general email account of Wu's press office read: ‘Thanks for reaching out about this to confirm. We don't think the reporter had a real source because that information was completely made up.’”

MIGRANTS IN MASSACHUSETTS

— “Remade Worcester City Motel to shelter families, refugees in Shrewsbury,” by Toni Caushi, Telegram & Gazette: “Less than a mile from where the Kenneth F. Burns Memorial Bridge brings in motorists from Worcester, a square sign with blue lettering along Route 9 continues to be a landmark symbolic of ‘what once was.’ Once dilapidated by the weight of time, the building at 235 Boston Turnpike, known by many as the Worcester City Motel, has seen efforts to breathe new life into it since renovations that started in 2021. … According to an announcement made by Town Manager Kevin J. Mizikar at a Select Board meeting on June 25, the location is set to shelter families most recently living at the former Days Inn in Shrewsbury, part of a state-funded sheltering program.”

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PLANES, TRAINS AND AUTOMOBILES

— “Medway sends letter to state officials formally opposing MBTA Communities Law,” by Tom Benoit, The Milford Daily News: “The town has sent a letter to several state government officials expressing its formal opposition to the MBTA Communities Law, which requires the town to zone for more housing near public transit stations. The letter, dated July 16 and signed by four of the five Select Board members, is addressed to Gov. Maura Healey; state Senate President Karen Spilka, D-Ashland; state Rep. Jeffrey Roy, D-Franklin; state Rep. Michael Soter, R-Bellingham; and state Attorney General Andrea Campbell. The letter also requests the officials' ‘collective efforts’ in repealing the law.”

YAHD SIGNS AND BUMPAH STICKAHS

— “Springfield candidates for state Senate spar over campaign violation allegations,” by Jeanette DeForge, The Springfield Republican: “The campaign manager for Sen. Adam Gomez has filed a two-page list of ethics and campaign violation accusations against the senator’s primary opponent, City Councilor Malo Brown, who vehemently denies all.”

— “In vote-by-mail era, no rest for weary election workers,” by Jacqueline Munis, The Boston Globe.

WALZ WATCH — Boston Mayor Michelle Wu will be among the Bay State politicians attending Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz ’s Boston fundraiser tonight.

FIRST IN PLAYBOOK — Boston City Councilor Tania Fernandes Anderson is endorsing attorney Allison Cartwright in the race for Suffolk County Supreme Judicial Court clerk.

— Vote Pro-Choice unanimously endorsed Milton Select Board Erin Bradley in her bid for the Norfolk, Plymouth, and Bristol district state Senate seat.

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IT'S NOT EASY BEING GREEN

— “What a Trump or Harris presidency could mean for the EPA in New England,” by Barbara Moran, WBUR.

— “Amid Investigation, Vineyard Wind Resumes Turbine Construction,” by Ethan Genter, Vinyard Gazette: “A month after its 300-foot long blade folded over and scattered debris across the region, Vineyard Wind this week resumed building turbines off the Island’s southern coast. Saying it had permission from the federal government, the offshore wind energy developer announced in a statement that a barge would leave New Bedford Tuesday morning carrying several towers and one nacelle out to the construction site for installation while cleanup efforts continue. The work is some of the first major construction being done since the blade malfunction on July 13.”

THE NATIONAL TAKE — “A giant wind turbine blade fell into the sea. It washed up on Nantucket,” by Joanna Slater, The Washington Post.

FROM THE 413

— “Union raps UMass as university pulls back from felony protest charges,” by Scott Merzbach, Daily Hampshire Gazette: “A University of Massachusetts union representing 1,500 campus employees is calling out the administration for “authoritarian” actions and cracking down on free speech after learning that two student leaders of the Students for Justice in Palestine chapter were facing possible felony charges for allegedly inciting a riot for their role in establishing a pro-Palestinian encampment last spring.”

— “Should the Pittsfield fire chief earn the same pay grade as the city police chief? Mayor Peter Marchetti thinks so,” by Greg Sukiennik, The Berkshire Eagle.

THE LOCAL ANGLE

— “Haitian migrant accused of rape detained by feds while out on bail, DA says,” by Charlie McKenna, MassLive: “A 26-year-old Haitian national who is accused of raping a 15-year-old girl at a hotel in Rockland was detained by federal immigration officials outside his home in Brockton Tuesday morning, according to Plymouth County District Attorney Tim Cruz’s office.”

— “Brother of man killed by police asks feds to intervene in Fall River amid yearslong battle,” by Eli Sherman and Tim White, WPRI: “When Fall River police shot and killed Anthony Harden in November 2021, the two officers involved said it was necessary because Harden attacked one of them with a knife. Bristol County District Attorney Thomas Quinn agreed and ruled the deadly force was ‘justified.’ … In most of these types of cases involving police in Massachusetts, Quinn’s ruling would have ended the matter. But that didn’t happen with Harden, whose brother Eric Mack has spent more than two years challenging Quinn and his conclusions.”

— “Fall River and Highlands mansion owners sue over Airbnb rentals,” by Jo C. Goode, The Herald News.

— “North Attleboro boil water advisory lifted; town manager says bacteria findings were apparently wrong,” by Stephen Peterson, The Sun Chronicle.

— “Framingham Public Schools will receive $120,000 as part of vape lawsuit settlement,” by Norman Miller, MetroWest Daily News.

A message from Uber:

Massachusetts Uber and Lyft drivers will soon receive comprehensive benefits alongside their new pay rate. Benefits include health insurance stipends for those working over 15 hours a week, paid sick leave, and occupational accident insurance. These enhancements provide vital support and security for drivers, ensuring they have access to essential healthcare and financial protection. These new benefits mark a significant improvement in the quality of life for rideshare drivers.

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HEARD ‘ROUND THE BUBBLAH

TRANSITIONS — David Clay started as the new British Consul to New England. He is based in Boston.

SPOTTED — Former state Senator and U.S. Ambassador to Ireland Claire Cronin in Boston, Pic!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY — to POLITICO’s Peter Canellos, Dani Rodrik, Augusta Davis and Mark Mitchell.

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