 | By Kelly Garrity | Presented by Mass General Brigham | FIRST IN PLAYBOOK: NORFOLK DA’S RACE TAKES SHAPE — As two high-profile cases roil the office, a longtime attorney with a history of prosecuting domestic violence crimes and representing survivors of sexual abuse is jumping into the race for Norfolk County District Attorney. Djuna Perkins, a former assistant district attorney in Suffolk County and past assistant attorney general, is running for the post currently held by embattled District Attorney Michael Morrissey. Morrissey has taken heat for his office’s role in two recent cases involving police: the much-watched case involving Karen Read, which ended in a mistrial (though a retrial is set to begin next year); and the more recently resurfaced case involving the death of Sandra Birchmore , which federal officials are now investigating as a murder after Norfolk officials ruled it a suicide in 2021 – despite determining that a Stoughton police officer whose text messages investigators say indicated had committed statutory rape against her was the last person to see her alive . The questions plaguing Morrissey’s office about its handling of the cases are what motivated Perkins, a Democrat, to throw her hat in the ring two years before the position will be on the ballot. “Like many observers, I've seen a pattern of missteps in the Norfolk County DA’s office that are extremely troubling to me,” Perkins told Playbook over the phone last night. “Two lives were lost, and neither family has closure. … The way these cases are handled is not the way I was trained to be a prosecutor at all.” Perkins, who also served as chief of the Suffolk County District Attorney's domestic violence unit, said she believes her decades of experience handling sensitive cases is what makes her a good fit for the role at a time when people have “lost faith in the current district attorney's ability to seek justice for them.” “For 10 years I was a prosecutor handling some of the most serious, awful crimes that can be imagined,” said Perkins, who has also given analysis on the recent cases that have thrust the DA’s office into the news. “And for the past 20 years, everything I've done has been advocating for people who are victims of crime, specifically sexual assault, sexual abuse, domestic violence, and trying to hold them accountable in various settings.” She’s not the only one eyeing the seat. Craig MacLellan, a former prosecutor in the Suffolk County District Attorney’s office who also worked on the Massachusetts Commission on Judicial Conduct, is also “exploring” a bid, the Boston Herald reported over the weekend — and he cited similar reasoning. Both recent cases “give rise to serious concerns relative to the objectivity and integrity of the investigative process, which is extremely damaging to the overall mission of the office,” MacLellan told the Herald. Whether Morrissey plans to run again is unclear — he didn’t respond to a voicemail left for him last night. But with a competitive field already forming, it could shape up to be a bruising reelection battle. There’s also a chance Morrissey steps down before then, as some political analysts have suggested he may do. That would give Gov. Maura Healey the opportunity to select his replacement, according to state law (an appointment that wouldn’t require approval from the Governor’s Council, according to the secretary of state’s office). When asked, Perkins declined to call for Morrissey to step down before his term is up. “I think that's really his own decision to make,” she said, but she added, “I think that I would offer a much better alternative, whenever it may be.” GOOD TUESDAY MORNING, MASSACHUSETTS . Tips? Scoops? Running for something? Email me: kgarrity@politico.com TODAY — Gov. Maura Healey and Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll are on El Mundo Boston at 8:30 a.m. and 8:10 a.m. respectively, and kick-off Massachusetts 250, a tourism initiative celebrating the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution, complete with Paul Revere and other historical reenactors at 11 a.m. at the State House; Boston Mayor Michelle Wu , state Auditor Diana DiZoglio and other state and local officials attend. Wu and Superintendent Mary Skipper will provide an update on school transportation at 8:30 a.m. in Dorchester. Attorney General Andrea Campbell is on GBH’s “Boston Public Radio” at 11 a.m.
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| | A message from Mass General Brigham: At Mass General Brigham, we harness the collective strength of our healthcare system to provide research-driven cancer care for the patients and communities we serve. Mass General Brigham is number one in hospital medical research. We perform the most cancer surgeries and have the most cancer specialists in New England. We have the region’s only proton therapy center and provide access to more than 1,000 clinical trials annually. We’re one against cancer. Learn more. | | | |  | DATELINE BEACON HILL |
| THIS IS THE SOLUTION! — “Lawmaker feels 'sense of optimism' for strained shelter system from work-permit progress,” by Katie Lannan, GBH News. — “Community college faculty sound alarm on salaries,” by Alexa Lewis, Daily Hampshire Gazette. — “Teachers union blasts use of millionaires tax money,” by Christian M. Wade, The Eagle-Tribune: “ A supplemental budget filed by Gov. Maura Healey aimed at closing out the previous fiscal year budget calls for spending $225 million in millionaires tax proceeds to cover costs for grants to child care programs, universal free school meals, transportation service expansions, and other items. But the Massachusetts Teachers Association, a chief proponent of the tax, is blasting the proposal to use the money this way, saying the funding needs should have been covered by other revenue sources.”
| | FROM THE HUB |
| — “Boston Mayor Wu says remaining COVID relief funds to be spent on affordable housing, small business initiatives,” by Gayla Cawley, Boston Herald. — “Whittier Street aims to close gaps for diagnosing developmental disabilities in kids of color,” by Paul Singer, GBH News: “For children with developmental disabilities, early diagnosis and intervention is critical for ensuring the best possible future as they grow up. This is the principle behind a new program launched this summer at Whittier Street Health Center in Roxbury, where a new clinician has been brought on board specifically to speed up the diagnoses of children with developmental disabilities — particularly low-income and children of color, who more often struggle to get these services.” — “Global toy brand mulls HQ move to Boston,” by Greg Ryan and Mary C. Serreze, Boston Business Journal. HASBRO!
| | BALLOT BATTLES |
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— “Senate education chair says he’ll vote to scrap MCAS grad requirement,” by Michael Jonas, CommonWealth Beacon: “Sen. Jason Lewis, who co-chairs the Joint Committee on Education, said he plans to vote for the ballot question that would end the requirement that all students pass the 10th grade test in English, math, and science before receiving a diploma. Lewis said he will file legislation in January to implement in its place a requirement that all students complete a state-established sequence of high school courses in order to graduate."
| | YAHD SIGNS AND BUMPAH STICKAHS |
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"R" VOTERS are lazy & conspicuously uninformed.....SCRUTINIZE THE CANDIDATES!
MASS GOP & the ADOLESCENT LOGAN TRUPIANO are equally as uninformed...
THE SUPREME COURT HAS CRIMINALIZED HOMELESSNESS & CLEARLY THE MASS GOP HASN'T FIRGURED IT OUT!
ASKED: MURATORE: If elected, what are the top 3 issues you want to address?
I'd also like to get the sales tax down to 5%. There are things that we can do that can help people in Massachusetts and make us more competitive.
MURATORE ignored that the SURTAX is LOCAL!
Is the Commonwealth supposed to FUND the LOCAL SHORTFALL?
PIE IN THE SKY IGNORANCE!
MORE BLABBER:
The immigration crisis, housing issues, and affordability are all connected. These issues are intertwined and one impacts the other. For instance, we proposed changing the right to shelter laws in the House on three different occasions in the past year. Instead of changing it, they said anyone can be in a shelter for nine months and then can go into housing. They are taking housing away from people that live here. It causes affordability issues for Massachusetts residents. People are leaving Massachusetts because of these issues. It's affecting everybody. I have six daughters — two were able to get houses early on, and I have a couple others in their 20s and they can't afford to move out on their own, and they stay with us.
MURATORE whines & enumerates issues...NO SOLUTIONS!
The HOUSING CRISIS pre-existed the issue surrounding immigrants,
Although recent statistics are unavailable, it was previously reported that HALF of those in SHELTERS were MASSACHUSETTS RESIDENTS. REPUBLICANS want to falsely claim that immigrants are the issue and regurgitate MAGA GOP propaganda, that is not the case.
Several years ago, the Brockton School System did a survey and determined 20,000 students were HOMELESS.
MURATORE in spite of his BLABBER, what are the CAUSES?
How about the WALL STREET CAPITOL VENTURES that have gobbled up RENTAL HOUSING and jacked up prices? Who owns rental property on the CAPE?
There is no indication that MURATORE has investigated the CAUSES or the SOLUTIONS other than faithfully regurgitating GOP PROPAGANDA.
MURATORE is just another LAZY REPUBLICANS, whining, with no research, facts, insights or solutions.
Have you noticed that investors rehab old building and create LUXURY OVERPRICED APARTMENTS? How about the McMansions that suck up land & energy?
CRYPTO SCAMMER JOHN DEATON VOTED 3 TIMES IN 20 YEARS! HE IS NOT ONLY UNINFORMED, BUT A LIAR ABOUT SENATOR ELIZABETH WARREN'S RECORD! HE HAS NO CONNECTIONS TO MASSACHUSETTS OTHER THAN CARPETBAGGING! PRESIDENTIAL PICK — Who does Republican Senate hopeful John Deaton plan to vote for if not former President Donald Trump or Vice President Kamala Harris? CARPETBAGGER SAYS LITTLE ABOUT HIS POLICIES....JUST MORE BLABBER BECAUSE HE'S UNINFORMED! CHARLIE BAKER'S FAILURES WERE IGNORED BY THE MEDIA...THE CURRENT MBTA PROBLEMS ARE BAKER'S LEGACY! HIRING OUT OF STATE HACKS WHO WERE OVERPAID & INCOMPETENT CONTRIBUTED TO THE MBTA PROBLEMS - CHARLIE BAKER ASKED FOR & WAS GRANTED FULL CONTROL OF THE MBTA! “I haven’t thought that hard on it, but the first person’s name that comes to mind for me would be someone like Charlie Baker,” Deaton told CommonWealth Beacon’s Gintautas Dumcius. More from the interview. ENDORSEMENT ALERT — Fomer Gov. Charlie Baker and former Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito endorsed state Rep. Mathew Muratore in his bid for the open Plymouth and Barnstable state Senate seat, after the Republican eked out win in a primary race that came down to a recount. Muratore's primary opponent, Kari MacRae , has pledged to challenge the outcome in court. But Muratore is already going on the offensive against his Democratic opponent, state Rep. Dylan Fernandes , who sailed through the primary without any opposition — and who has the support of Gov. Maura Healey and Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll . — “Yarmouth election to find temporary replacement for Michael Stone after August death,” by Heather McCarron, Cape Cod Times.
| | DAY IN COURT |
| — “Massachusetts town that sued Northeastern University over land dispute loses lawsuit in appeals court,” by Rick Sobey, Boston Herald. — “Boston ICE agents arrest Salvadoran national charged with raping Nantucket child: ‘Detestable and disturbing crimes’,” by Rick Sobey, Boston Herald: “Local ICE agents arrested a 28-year-old Salvadoran national who has been charged with raping a Nantucket child. ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations Boston recently nabbed Bryan Daniel Aldana-Arevalo, who’s charged with numerous sex crimes against a child on Nantucket. … Aldana-Arevalo unlawfully entered the U.S. on an unknown date, at an unknown location, without having been inspected, admitted or paroled by a U.S. immigration official, according to ICE.”
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| | A message from Mass General Brigham:  
| | | | | MIGRANTS IN MASSACHUSETTS |
| THE SUPREME COURT CRIMINALIZED HOMELESSNESS! — “Demonstrators denounce Mass. five-day limit for migrant families in overflow shelters,” by Samantha J. Gross and Rachel Umansky-Castro, The Boston Globe. CICERO INSTITUTE? ALWAYS KOCH BACKED? KOCH park their GAZILLIONS offshore, does NOTHING for the good of ANYONE! READ DARK MONEY BY JANE MAYER available at your public library....all about GREED & uniting the WEALTHY ANONYMOUS 1% to rape & destroy the environment as if it doesn't matter to their legacy.
It doesn't benefit DEMOCRACY, Americans or the ENVIRONMENT!
KOCH generously funded opposition to WIND TURBINES off CAPE COD to protect their DIRTY ENERGY INVESTMENTS & promoted their DIRTY ENERGY POLLUTION.
Do we want to live in a KOCH WORLD lacking humanity & solutions? COMMON DREAMS
| | ON CAMPUS |
| DOMESTIC TERRORISM! INVESTIGATE! IDENTIFY! INCARCERATE!
— “Pittsfield police say they've arrested juveniles over possible online threats against city schools,” by Greg Sukiennik, The Berkshire Eagle. RELATED — “Students threaten school shooting in West Bridgewater ‘prank’; Waltham threat ‘non-credible’,” by Kiera McDonald, The Boston Globe. MORE — “Investigators find no credible threat from TikTok post that listed Attleboro school and a dozen others nationwide,” by David Linton, The Sun Chronicle.
| | IT'S NOT EASY BEING GREEN |
| — “State climate chief hears from area farmers on putting climate-resilient methods into practice,” by Chris Larabee, Greenfield Recorder.
| | FROM THE 413 |
| — “Two years on, Amherst police alternative CRESS still finding footing,” by Scott Merzbach, Daily Hampshire Gazette: “Even with limited calls for the Community Responders for Equity, Safety and Service, and the department losing half its staff in recent months, the director is confident that a base is being built for success.”
| | THE LOCAL ANGLE |
| — “Nurses file complaints over 'horrific conditions' at Framingham Union Hospital,” by Marilyn Schairer, GBH News.
excerpt: She said those clusters of patients occur due to staffing shortages in the patient review and case management departments at Framingham Union. The case managers are now expected to see 70 cases in one day, which she said is unrealistic. “Most safety standards have been mitigated just so people can get patients what they need in Tenet’s time frame with minimal staffing and resources. I’m worried about what is happening for our patients as a result,” said Adam Crawford, who works in the hospital’s telemetry unit, which serves patients requiring continuous cardiac and vital sign monitoring. The MNA has filed multiple rounds of complaints against the for-profit, Dallas-based Tenet Healthcare Corporation over conditions at other hospitals, including St. Vincent Hospital in Worcester. On March 6 this year, the Joint Commission validated nurses’ complaints against Tenant after an investigation at St. Vincent’s that found the hospital to be “non-compliant with applicable patient care conditions for Medicaid and Medicare Services Conditions.”
| | WHAT ELSE YOU SHOULD BE READING |
| — “‘He kept pushing’: State Police recruit who died spoke of hazing-like conditions, but persisted,” by Dan Glaun and Travis Andersen, The Boston Globe: “A close friend of Enrique Delgado-Garcia, the State Police recruit who died Friday after a training exercise, said that Delgado-Garcia described grueling, hazing-like conditions at the academy but had been determined to push through and accomplish his goal of joining the police ranks." RELATED — “Inquiry into death of recruit will not be handled by Worcester DA; conflict cited,” by Toni Caushi, Telegram & Gazette. — “Plymouth jail complaints reveal pattern of abuse against ICE detainees, report claims,” by Shannon Dooling, WBUR. — “Inspector General slams ‘sham’ and ‘failure’ at Star Store,” by Colin Hogan, The New Bedford Light.
excerpt:
NEW BEDFORD — A damning report on the entire history of the Star Store since 1996 — its public procurement, upkeep, and ultimate demise — was released Monday by the state Office of the Inspector General. The 138-page report details how incompetence, mismanagement, and wastefulness abounded among all involved public parties: the University of Massachusetts, the state’s Division of Capital and Asset Management and Maintenance (DCAMM), the city of New Bedford, and the city’s legislative delegation, including Sen. Mark Montigny. “The state-funded lease of the Star Store on behalf of [UMass Dartmouth] was flawed from its inception and resulted in a waste of public funds,” wrote Inspector General Jeffrey Shapiro. In total, Shapiro found that taxpayers had furnished more than $60 million in payments to the Star Store’s owner, Paul Downey, on terms “unfavorable” to the commonwealth. He said necessary improvements to the building were ignored due to ambiguities in the lease, despite “generous” provisions in the rental payments to provide for that upkeep. Public entities failed to coordinate the $1 purchase of the arts campus building at the lease’s end, which Shapiro said led to the “wasting of nearly $4 million in public funds” in short-term leases until UMass Dartmouth abruptly vacated the building in August 2023. | | MEANWHILE IN NEW HAMPSHIRE |
| SCRUTINIZE THE VOTING RECORD OF KELLY AYOTTE IN CONGRESS! SHE WAS DEFEATED FOR GOOD REASON!
New Hampshire Attorney General[edit]Clean air emissions standards[edit]Ayotte joined Attorneys General from eight other states to sue federal regulators over a rules change that made clean air emissions standards for power plants less strict and eliminated clean air reporting and monitoring requirements.[17][18] In 2005, the court agreed with Ayotte and the others that the Environmental Protection Agency must measure changes in the emissions from power plants and could not exempt power plants from reporting their emissions.[18] Ayotte v. Planned Parenthood of Northern New England[edit]In 2003, the United States District Court for the District of New Hampshire found the Parental Notification Prior to Abortion Act, a New Hampshire law requiring parental notification of a minor's abortion, unconstitutional, and enjoined its enforcement. In 2004, New Hampshire Attorney General Peter Heed appealed the ruling to the United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit, which affirmed the district court's ruling. In 2004, Ayotte appealed the First Circuit's ruling to the Supreme Court, over the objection of incoming Democratic Governor John Lynch. Ayotte personally argued the case before the Supreme Court.[citation needed] The Supreme Court unanimously vacated the district court's ruling and remanded the case back to the district court, holding that it was improper for the district court to invalidate the statute completely instead of just severing the problematic portions of the statute or enjoining the statute's unconstitutional applications.[22] In 2007, the law was repealed by the New Hampshire legislature, mooting the need for a rehearing by the district court.[23] In 2008, Planned Parenthood sued to recover its attorney fees and court costs from the New Hampshire Department of Justice.[24] In 2009, Ayotte, as attorney general, authorized a payment of $300,000 to Planned Parenthood to settle the suit.[25] INSPECTORS WERE IN IRAN & ASSURED IRAN'S COMPLIANCE! She has been an outspoken critic of the Iran nuclear deal, saying that Iran is the largest state sponsor of terrorism in the world.[51] She proposed strict new sanctions on Iran.[52] Ayotte sponsored 217 bills, including:[73] CHECK THE LINK: WIKIPEDIA
Ayotte has been named to several corporate boards of directors, including Caterpillar Inc., News Corp., BAE Systems, Boston Properties, Blink Health, Bloom Energy, and Blackstone Group.[86] Ayotte opposes increasing the minimum wage,[106] and opposes federal legislation to index the minimum wage to inflation, reflecting adjustments in the cost of living.[107] Ayotte said she supports the current federal minimum wage, but that "each state should decide what is best" when it comes to raising it.[108] In 2010, Ayotte said she was open to raising the Social Security retirement age for younger workers in an effort to avoid long-term insolvency, but does not support changes for people at or near retirement.[107][109] Ayotte opposed passage of the Employee Free Choice Act ("Card Check"), which would have amended the National Labor Relations Act to allow employees to unionize whenever the National Labor Relations Board verified that 50% of the employees had signed authorization cards, therefore bypassing a secret ballot election.[110] In 2010, when asked about climate change, Ayotte acknowledged that "there is scientific evidence that demonstrates there is some impact from human activities" but stated that "I don't think the evidence is conclusive."[116][121] She opposed both a cap-and-trade system and a carbon tax to reduce carbon emissions.[116] In 2011, she voted to limit the EPA's ability to regulate greenhouse gas emissions.[122] In 2012, Ayotte voted with four other Republican senators to defeat a proposal to block the Environmental Protection Agency from promulgating the first federal standards regulating air pollution from power plants.[115] In 2013, she voted for a point of order opposing a carbon tax or a fee on carbon emissions.[123] Ayotte favors repealing the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare),[127] and has repeatedly voted to repeal the ACA.[128] She has described the ACA as a "success tax" on successful businesses,[129] and says that the ACA drives up the costs of health care.[130] Abortion and reproductive rights[edit]In 2024, Ayotte said she supports the current New Hampshire abortion law, which permits abortion on request until 24 weeks of pregnancy.[137] Previously, she said she was pro-life except in cases of rape, incest, or danger to the life of the mother.[138] She said in 2010 that Roe v. Wade should be overturned.[139][140] In 2014, she led a Republican effort to call for a vote on a bill to implement a 20-week nationwide abortion ban.[141] While in the Senate, Ayotte offered legislation to make birth control available over-the-counter without a prescription, which she argued would increase access and allow flexible spending accounts and health savings accounts to be used to purchase it.[142] She voted to shift federal funding from Planned Parenthood to other community health centers that also serve low- and middle-income women and families, but opposed an attempt to shut down the federal government over the issue.[143][144] Ayotte was given a 100% rating by National Right to Life and an 82% by the pro-life Campaign for Working Families.[98] NARAL Pro-Choice America gave her a 15% rating and pro-choice Planned Parenthood gave her a 6% rating.[98]
— “Candidates for N.H. governor seek broader support in shadow of presidential campaign,” by Steven Porter, The Boston Globe: “With just 50 days until the general election, Republican and Democratic candidates in New Hampshire who emerged victorious last week in their respective primaries are now looking to grow their bases of support. For former US senator Kelly Ayotte, the GOP nominee for governor, those efforts include outreach not only to independents but also to registered Democrats who might consider voting for her rather than former Manchester mayor Joyce Craig, their own party’s nominee.” — “Poll shows Ayotte with narrow lead over Craig in tight race for New Hampshire governor,” by Adam Sexton, WMUR.
| | HEARD ‘ROUND THE BUBBLAH |
| HAPPY BIRTHDAY — to MassDems Chair Steve Kerrigan, David Wade and JJ Klein.
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| | A message from Mass General Brigham: At Mass General Brigham, we harness the collective strength of our healthcare system to provide research-driven cancer care for the patients and communities we serve. Mass General Brigham is number one in hospital medical research. We perform the most cancer surgeries and have the most cancer specialists in New England. We have the region’s only proton therapy center and provide access to more than 1,000 clinical trials annually.
The vision for Mass General Brigham is to build a world-class center of cancer care, with the patients at the center of everything we do. New collaborations, new treatments, and innovative approaches. Leading to new hope and possibilities. At Mass General Brigham, we’re one against cancer. Learn more. | | | 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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