POLITICO Nightly: New England’s primary

 

BY MIA MCCARTHY Presented by Steuben County Industrial Development Agency Campaign signs for Republican presidential candidates former President Donald Trump and former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley in Loudon, New Hampshire. | Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images PRIMARY FRENEMIES — The first-in-the-nation primary is New Hampshire’s quadrennial time in the national spotlight, its cottage industry and its opportunity to have an outsized role in determining the next president. What’s less appreciated is the role neighboring Massachusetts is playing in shaping Tuesday’s primary. From the electorate (filled with Massachusetts ex-pats) to the ads they are watching (nearly all of them purchased in the Boston media market) to the polls (The Boston Globe, Boston’s Suffolk University and NBC10 Boston are among those polling the race), there is a subtle Massachusetts imprint that gives the election a more regional feel than any of the other early state contests. Many of those voting Tuesday will have Massachusetts ties — according to an October University of New Hampshire study , a quarter of all New Hampshire residents were born in Massachusetts. In 2022, over 23,000 people — 47% of everyone who moved to New Hampshire that year — moved across the border, making the Granite State the top destination for those leaving Massachusetts. That doesn’t mean the two states have high regard for each other. Hinting at the longstanding rivalry between them, 32 percent of likely New Hampshire primary voters said in October that too many people are moving from Massachusetts to the Granite State. The upcoming race for governor is already highlighting the divide between New Hampshire and its more progressive neighbor. Republican Kelly Ayotte has blamed Massachusetts border cities Lawrence and Lowell for her state’s fentanyl problems; in her campaign announcement, she warned that “We are one election away from becoming Massachusetts in New Hampshire, and I’m not gonna let that happen.” To reach voters in populous southern New Hampshire — the state doesn’t have its own media market — campaigns must purchase ads in the Boston media market. Republican campaigns spent over $38 million on ads in the Boston market from the start of 2023 through the primary, compared to just over $1 million spent in each of the other two markets (Burlington, Vermont- Plattsburgh, New York; and Portland-Auburn, Maine) that reach New Hampshire. The proximity to New Hampshire — Manchester is just over an hour’s drive from Boston up Interstate 93 — has traditionally enabled Bay State pols and activists to stream over the border to campaign for their preferred candidates. Last weekend, Boston Mayor Michelle Wu joined Rep. Annie Kuster (D-N.H.) in Manchester and Nashua to convince voters to write in President Joe Biden on Tuesday’s ballot. Democratic Gov. Maura Healey, who was raised in New Hampshire, has played a key role in the write-in campaign. On the Republican side, former MassGOP Chair Jennifer Nassour, who co-chairs Massachusetts Women for Nikki Haley, told Nightly she has put about 3,000 miles on her car in four days traveling to New Hampshire the past week. She brought other Massachusetts Republicans with her to knock on doors in frigid weather. Those who couldn’t make the trek volunteered on the phones from their Massachusetts homes, Nassour told POLITICO . The focus up north makes sense. For many in New England, the New Hampshire primary is often the only game in town — it’s a lot more dynamic than the primaries in deep blue Massachusetts or Vermont that get lost in the whirl of Super Tuesday. That’s why you’ll also often find Massachusetts residents among the political tourists at campaign events across New Hampshire. At tonight’s Haley event in Salem, POLITICO’s Lisa Kashinsky found three Massachusetts residents among the first seven people she interviewed. Welcome to POLITICO Nightly. Reach out with news, tips and ideas at nightly@politico.com . Or contact tonight’s author at mmccarthy@politico.com on X (formerly known as Twitter) at @Reporter_Mia .   A message from Steuben County Industrial Development Agency: President Biden, Buy America is not just policy, it’s real jobs in places like Hornell, part of Steuben County in upstate New York where we’re busy building America’s high-speed trains. We’re counting on your support to ensure that we retain hundreds of jobs and add new ones to build the new trainsets for Brightline West. Don’t allow a waiver to build trainsets overseas. Let’s build the trains and keep those jobs here in America.   WHAT'D I MISS? — Burgum says he won’t seek third term as governor: A month after dropping out of the presidential race, North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum has announced he won’t seek a third term as governor . Burgum, who repeatedly polled in the single digits while in the race for president, recently endorsed former President Donald Trump. The North Dakota governor dropped out of the race last month after operating on a mostly self-funded campaign, thanks to his prior career as a software entrepreneur. — Trump’s defamation trial is postponed, complicating his possible testimony: Testimony in Donald Trump’s federal defamation trial was canceled today after a juror reported feeling ill , pushing the next possible trial day to coincide with Tuesday’s primary contest in New Hampshire. As a result, Trump lawyer Alina Habba asked U.S. District Judge Lewis Kaplan to delay Trump’s own testimony until Wednesday. “My client reminded me tomorrow is the New Hampshire primary and he needs to be in New Hampshire,” Habba said, with Trump, the Republican presidential frontrunner, seated alongside her. Habba said Trump had arrived in court today “planning to testify.” — Murphy says border talks ‘largely done,’ signaling potential final phase: Bipartisan border talks are “largely done” and have advanced to the Senate Appropriations Committee — signaling talks are entering a potential final phase — according to lead Democratic negotiator Sen. Chris Murphy. “Our work is largely done,” Murphy (D-Conn.) said. “The conversation has really moved over to Appropriations. So, there’s no reason why we couldn’t begin consideration this week.” Murphy said the bill text is not yet finalized, but noted “we need to give people the ability to read and understand” the deal before a vote. He added that both caucuses have already been briefed “on the outlines of what we have agreed upon.” Senators will want time to review the bill and potentially propose amendments, but the process for that will ultimately be up to leadership.   JOIN 1/31 FOR A TALK ON THE RACE TO SOLVE ALZHEIMER’S: Breakthrough drugs and treatments are giving new hope for slowing neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s disease and ALS. But if that progress slows, the societal and economic cost to the U.S. could be high. Join POLITICO, alongside lawmakers, official and experts, on Jan. 31 to discuss a path forward for better collaboration among health systems, industry and government. REGISTER HERE .     NIGHTLY ROAD TO 2024 HAMMERED HOME — President Joe Biden is hammering his message on reproductive freedom this week with executive actions, a new campaign ad and a campaign rally on the same day as the New Hampshire primary, reports POLITICO. The messaging and policy blitz marking what would have been the 51st anniversary of Roe v. Wade is part of broader election-year strategy to frame the 2024 race as a choice between Democrats who pledge to protect abortion and contraception and Republicans who have called for further restrictions. NO TO NO LABELS — The chief strategist on Dean Phillips’ presidential campaign ruled out the idea he would run for president on a No Labels ticket should his current Democratic primary bid fail, reports POLITICO. “He’s not” running with No Labels, said Jeff Weaver at an event Phillips hosted this morning at the Nashua Country Club. “He’s not running outside the Democratic Party.” Weaver’s comments come less than a day after Phillips himself left the door open to being the presidential standard bearer for a third-party bid. BALLOT BATTLES — The Massachusetts ballot law commission dismissed two 14th Amendment challenges seeking to bar Donald Trump from appearing on the state’s Super Tuesday presidential primary ballot today, citing lack of jurisdiction over the matter. POLITICO reports the challengers, led by liberal activist group Free Speech for People and prominent labor attorney Shannon Liss-Riordan, plan to appeal to the state’s highest court.   A message from Steuben County Industrial Development Agency: In 2015 there were 250 train manufacturing jobs at Alstom’s plant in Hornell, NY. Today, thanks to strong Buy America provisions there are nearly 700 men and women building high-speed trains. Today the Biden-Harris administration has a decision – keep supporting Buy America and creating more jobs in upstate New York and small towns across the country, or allow trains for Brightline West to be made in Germany. The choice should be clear. Buy America works for places like Steuben County but only when it is upheld consistently. Steuben County workers stand ready to build high-quality high-speed trains for Brightline West and deliver them in an ambitious timeframe to meet the goals of Brightline West and the nation. Let’s build America’s high-speed trains in America, not overseas.   AROUND THE WORLD Houthi fighters brandish their weapons during an anti-Israel and anti-U.S. rally in Yemen's capital Sanaa today. | Mohammed Huwais/AFP via Getty Images MORE AIRSTRIKES — The U.S. and U.K. conducted large-scale air and missile strikes on Houthi rebel facilities across Yemen today, according to a U.S. and British official, reports POLITICO. The airstrikes are a step up in operations against the militant group as it vows to continue attacking ships in the Red Sea. The U.S. military has launched multiple rounds of preemptive strikes against Houthi anti-ship missile sites that were preparing to fire against international shipping over the past week. But those strikes have failed to deter the militants from continuing to attack commercial vessels transiting the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden. This is the second time U.S. and U.K. forces have conducted joint air and missile strikes on the Houthis in Yemen since the group began attacking international shipping in November. The two militaries, with support from Australia, the Netherlands, Canada and Bahrain launched strikes for the first time on Jan. 11, after the Houthis ignored weeks of warnings by Washington and its allies to stop the attacks. Since then, the U.S. has hit Houthi targets a half-dozen times on its own, but those strikes were conducted against what the Pentagon has characterized as an “imminent” threat and were smaller in scale. President Joe Biden and his top aides have repeatedly said strikes on Houthi targets alone won’t stop the Iran-backed militants from threatening commercial ships in the Middle East. Administration officials say it could take weeks, maybe months, to apply the necessary military, economic and diplomatic pressure to force the Houthis to change course. FARMED OUT — French farmers will protest “for as long as necessary,” the leader of the biggest farming union warned today, as rural discontent hits the campaign agenda ahead of June’s European election, reports POLITICO EU. New French Prime Minister Gabriel Attal and far-right leader Jordan Bardella engaged in a remote standoff over the weekend, both trying to address farmers’ concerns with Bardella taking aim at President Emmanuel Macron’s track record while Attal tried to appear understanding of the hardships the sector faces. Bardella, a 28-year-old MEP, leads Marine Le Pen’s National Rally’s list for the EU election. Attal, 34, was appointed prime minister earlier this month in a direct response to Bardella’s momentum and is set to play a key role in the European race. The protesting farmers, who are blocking highways to make themselves heard, are airing grievances about taxes on tractor fuel, access to water and overregulation. Several hundreds have taken part, setting up checkpoints on highways near the city of Toulouse. The windows of a local government building in the nearby city of Carcassonne were blown out by an explosion with two graffiti tags from a winemaker collective left at the scene of the incident. The French protests echo demonstrations across Europe in recent weeks, in particular in Germany, Poland and Romania. Though local grievances vary, the root cause of these protests lies in EU policy, said Arnaud Rousseau, president of France’s main FNSEA farmers’ union. Rousseau, in a radio interview, blasted “incomprehensible European policy” and said the European Commission’s Farm to Fork strategy to make farming greener was hurting economic growth in the agricultural sector.   YOUR GUIDE TO EMPIRE STATE POLITICS : From the newsroom that doesn’t sleep, POLITICO's New York Playbook is the ultimate guide for power players navigating the intricate landscape of Empire State politics. Stay ahead of the curve with the latest and most important stories from Albany, New York City and around the state, with in-depth, original reporting to stay ahead of policy trends and political developments. Subscribe now to keep up with the daily hustle and bustle of NY politics.      NIGHTLY NUMBER 322,000 The predicted Republican voter turnout in Tuesday’s New Hampshire’s presidential primary, according to the secretary of state’s office . Democratic turnout is expected to be 88,000 voters. RADAR SWEEP GET IN, WE’RE GOING SHOPPING — American malls look like they’re in the midst of a death spiral — unless Gen-Z can save them . The idea runs somewhat contrary to popular conceptions of a phone-addicted generation that hangs out less with their peers than ever before. But research shows that Gen-Z is fueling a post-pandemic rebound for malls. Experts think this has to do with the generation’s need for instant gratification: Gen-Z doesn’t want to order something online and have it show up even a day later, they’d rather get a product now. Ironically, the ability to instantly download a tv show may be connected to the rise in interest in brick-and-mortar stores, where everything is right there for immediate consumption. Ashley Ahn reports for the Los Angeles Times. PARTING IMAGE On this date in 1973: The U.S. Supreme Court decides Roe v. Wade. Pictured are an estimated 5,000 people marching around the Minnesota Capitol building in St. Paul protesting the decision, which ruled against state laws that criminalize abortion. | AP Did someone forward this email to you?  Sign up here .   Follow us on Twitter Charlie Mahtesian @PoliticoCharlie Calder McHugh @calder_mchugh Mia McCarthy @Reporter_Mia   FOLLOW US

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POLITICO Massachusetts Playbook: Bill Weld talks 2024

 

BY KELLY GARRITY , MIA MCCARTHY AND LISA KASHINSKY Presented by GRANITE STATE OF MIND — When former Massachusetts Gov. Bill Weld ran for president against Donald Trump in 2020, his goal was to take the then-incumbent out in New Hampshire, a state where multiple incumbent presidents have suffered serious political blows from which they never recovered. “The plan was to get 30 percent in the primary in New Hampshire and cause Trump to stumble the same way Pat Buchanan did with the first President Bush in 1992,” Weld told Playbook during a recent interview. “I was right there for that, and I saw the impact even 30 percent in the primary could have.” Four years later, another Republican is looking to do the same. Nikki Haley, who’s earned a well-timed bump in the polls, boosted by the endorsement of the state’s popular GOP Gov. Chris Sununu, has some extra wind at her back that Weld never did. Though Trump is essentially running as an incumbent again, he doesn’t currently wield the power or the megaphone of the White House. And Haley’s running against a version of Trump that is facing down dozens of criminal charges. Trump’s baggage, Weld said, could be his undoing. “I'm not sure Mr. Trump lasts in this election at all. I used to run the criminal side of the Justice Department in Washington, so I probably have a better insight into the enormity of the problems he's gonna face on account of the two federal indictments,” Weld said. “The two federal indictments, which are filled with 20-year felonies, exposing Mr. Trump to hundreds of years in prison. That's not a bagatelle.” Weld, a two-term Republican governor who won in deep blue Massachusetts, is a relic of a Republican Party that has evolved around Trump and his MAGA movement — which is probably why the former governor is now working with No Labels, the centrist group eyeing a late-entry bipartisan ticket in 2024, he told Playbook. Playbook caught up with Weld in New Hampshire recently, where he joined Saint Anselm’s “Politics and Eggs” breakfast featuring Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.). Here’s what he had to say:  The conversation has been edited for length and clarity. What do you think of the current Republican primary candidates?  Well, I like Governor Haley. I like Governor Christie. His decision to drop out was probably a realistic move. But I think he made a real contribution. So, he’s going to be heard from going forward. He spoke truth to power, as far as Trump is concerned. Are you planning to back Haley, now that Christie is out of the race?  Well, I'm working with No Labels. We'll see if that 60 percent of the electorate who say they want a third party, see whether that translates to votes, as opposed to being “open to” a third party. If it translates to votes, I think No Labels will make a move. Massachusetts is one of the states challenging Trump’s ballot eligibility. Do you think Trump should be removed from the ballot?  I’m not there with bells on for removing people from ballots just in general. But I'm talking with some people in Washington who filed friend of the court briefs on all these 14th Amendment cases, and I'm still discussing it with them. I guess you can put me down as undecided. As somebody who ran against Trump, any advice for the candidates currently facing him?  I don't think I would draw on my own experience to look for advice. I would say let's think about what's best for the country. And if you think putting somebody in who says he's going to punish his enemies and no one can stop him would be best for the country, then by all means vote for him. I don't happen to agree with that. GOOD MONDAY MORNING, MASSACHUSETTS . Happy New Hampshire primary-eve! TODAY — Gov. Maura Healey and Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll announce affordable housing grants at 10 a.m. in Jamaica Plain. Healey and Driscoll swear in Ben Adeyinka as an associate justice on the Housing Court at 1 p.m. at the State House. Healey, Driscoll, Senate President Karen Spilka and House Speaker Ron Mariano hold a leadership meeting at 2 p.m. at the State House. Boston Mayor Michelle Wu testifies on behalf of a home rule petition that would restructure the BPDA at 11 a.m. at the State House. Tips? Scoops? Birthdays? Email us:  lkashinsky@politico.com ,  kgarrity@politico.com  and  mmcarthy@politico.com.   A message from Equinor: The energy transition is the defining opportunity of our time and Massachusetts is helping lead the way. At Equinor, we are determined to use our competence, skills, and innovative spirit to continually search for solutions that will advance the energy transition. Our ambition is to break new ground, create lasting value, and supply energy to a thriving world while achieving net zero by 2050. Discover more about Equinor at www.equinor.com/USA.   DATELINE BEACON HILL HOUSE WAYS IN — Massachusetts House Ways and Means Chair Aaron Michlewitz has joined the chorus of legislative leaders who are saying tax hikes are off the table to fund Gov. Maura Healey ’s ambitious agenda amid fiscal headwinds. “I think the speaker said it best — we'd be schizophrenic by saying we would be lowering taxes one day and then raising taxes the next,” the North End Democrat said during a Sunday interview on WCVB’s “On the Record,” borrowing a colorful line House Speaker Ron Mariano first used when asked about the possibility of raising taxes following Healey’s State of the Commonwealth speech. Healey has until Wednesday to file her budget, which she has promised will be fiscally responsible. But “the devils will be in the details, and we’ll have to see how it plays out when they file their budget and what we can and can’t afford,” Michlewitz said. MEANWHILE: “Healey moves to allow cities and towns to raise taxes on hotels, meals, cars,” by Matt Stout, The Boston Globe: “Governor Maura Healey, who this week swore off raising state taxes, unveiled sweeping legislation Friday that would allow towns and cities to raise their taxes on hotel stays, cars, and meals by as much as 33 percent to help bolster their local coffers. … The proposals are notable, not only because it would mean Massachusetts residents could pay more for a night out or a hotel stay, but because Healey said a day prior that she would not pursue any tax or fee increases this year to help balance the state budget.” — “​​37 Massachusetts communities to get disaster aid for last year’s flooding,” by The Associated Press: “Thirty-seven Massachusetts communities damaged by flooding last year will be getting a share of $10 million in disaster relief funding, the governor’s administration said Saturday.” — “Healey backs Everett soccer stadium,” by Gintautus Dumcius and Michael Jonas, CommonWealth Beacon: “The team looking to bring a soccer stadium to Everett’s waterfront appears to have a new center forward who could help them score a win: Gov. Maura Healey. The proposal for the 25,000-seat stadium ran into trouble at the State House last year. Language meant to speed the project along was added into the Senate version of a closeout budget bill, but it was dropped from the final version of the bill, as the House’s lead negotiator, Boston Rep. Aaron Michlewitz, said there were ‘unanswered questions’ about the environmental impact, and acknowledged concerns from the owners of nearby TD Garden about potential competition from the stadium.” — “MassDOT’s $310K Office of Possibility now ‘The Lab,’ still tasked with exploring new ideas,” by Chris Van Buskirk, Boston Herald   JOIN 1/31 FOR A TALK ON THE RACE TO SOLVE ALZHEIMER’S: Breakthrough drugs and treatments are giving new hope for slowing neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s disease and ALS. But if that progress slows, the societal and economic cost to the U.S. could be high. Join POLITICO, alongside lawmakers, official and experts, on Jan. 31 to discuss a path forward for better collaboration among health systems, industry and government. REGISTER HERE .     MEANWHILE IN NEW HAMPSHIRE WRITE-IN BIDEN GETS BOSTON BUMP — Boston Mayor Michelle Wu became the latest high-profile Bay Stater to head north to help President Joe Biden avoid an embarrassing finish in New Hampshire’s looming presidential primary. Wu and an entourage from Massachusetts joined Rep. Annie Kuster (D-N.H.) and Granite Staters in trying to convince voters to write in the president’s name on Tuesday, after he passed on putting his name on the primary ballot amid an intraparty spat over the order of this year’s nominating calendar. In Nashua, Wu warned (without naming the former president) of what a second Donald Trump term would mean for Boston — and for democracy. “We barely survived that period of time as a country, as a democracy,” Wu told the group who had gathered at a local restaurant to pick up signs with sample ballots for volunteers to hold outside polling places on Election Day. — Also spotted in New Hampshire: state Sen. Sal DiDomenico , Boston City Councilors Sharon Durkan and Ben Weber and Boston Housing Authority Administrator Kenzie Bok . The SPOILERS step forward! NO LABELS IS A SCAM! DESANTIS BACKS DOWN — A day after canceling morning cable news hits in favor of a planned “meet and greet” in Manchester, New Hampshire, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis announced he was ending his presidential campaign . The news, which DeSantis delivered in a pre-taped spot recorded in his home state (released just before his favored NFL team, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, took the field) came as a shock to few in the political world who had watched the wheels come off the Florida governor’s campaign even before he lost in all of Iowa’s 99 counties in last week’s caucuses. On his way out, DeSantis announced he was endorsing Trump — despite Trump’s regular mockery of him on the campaign trail. Trump played nice, congratulating DeSantis for running “a really good campaign” during a rally in Rochester Sunday night and saying he “appreciate[s]” the governor’s support. — Kimberly Leonard , Gary Fineout and Sally Goldenberg on the long, slow collapse of the DeSantis campaign . WITH RON GONE — With DeSantis out, Nikki Haley gets the two-person race she wanted in New Hampshire. But his exit, and his endorsement of Trump, likely make it harder for her to topple — or at the very least, injure — him here, Lisa and Natalie Allison report . Chris Sununu has destroyed his credibility! "R" voters are conspicuously uninformed, refuse to research, refuse to ask questions. NOT A SINGLE PERSON is asking about NIKKI HALEY's history! Refuses to release her TAX RETURNS. What's she hiding? What's the source of her WEALTH? As Governor, NIKKI HALEY raised taxes. NIKKI HALEY is a DIRTY ENERGY KOCH SOCK PUPPET: Bought & Paid For! How about the $9 BILLION Hole in the Ground that ratepayers are funding? SOUTH CAROLINA SPENT $9 BILLION TO DIG A HOLE IN THE GROUND AND THEN FILL IT BACK IN https://theintercept.com/.../south-caroline-green-new.../ POLL — "With DeSantis out, Suffolk/Globe tracking poll shows Trump continues to lead Nikki Haley in N.H. primary," Suffolk University/The Boston Globe/NBC10 Here’s where the (remaining) candidates are today: DONALD TRUMP — holds a rally at the Margate Resort in Laconia at 9 p.m. NIKKI HALEY — hosts a meet and greet with Commissioner Ken Merrifield at the VFW in Franklin at 10 a.m. and a rally at Tuscan Village North in Salem at 6 p.m. DEAN PHILLIPS — holds a town hall in Manchester at 6 p.m. MARIANNE WILLIAMSON — holds a town hall at Heartsong in Hooksett at 7 p.m.   A message from Equinor:     FROM THE HUB — “Wu plans to extend fare free bus pilot,” by Bruce Mohl, CommonWealth Beacon: “At a Boston Civic Summit on January 13, [Boston Mayor Michelle] Wu said the free fare pilot on three MBTA bus routes has worked well over the last two years, with the routes attracting more riders than any other lines in the city. The pilot, with the city reimbursing the T for lost fare revenue, is currently scheduled to end on February 29.” WALGREENS used bogus excuses to close other stores across the nation ! — “Residents and officials ‘not finished fighting’ Walgreens closures in Boston’s communities of color,” by Tori Bedford, GBH News. 2024 WATCH — “Peake announces retirement from long-held legislative seat,” by Tim Wood, The Cape Cod Chronicle: “State Representative Sarah Peake announced Friday that she will not seek re-election when her current term ends Dec. 31. The Provincetown Democrat is in her ninth term representing the Fourth Barnstable District, which stretches from Harwich to the Cape’s tip. She said she is announcing her retirement now to give potential candidates for the seat ample notice that it will be open.” — “Carey exits for county bid, prompting the 413’s first legislative race of 2024,” by Matt Szafranski, Western Mass Politics & Insight: “Easthampton State Rep Daniel Carey’s announced he would not seek a fourth term. A lifelong native of the city, Carey will instead seek the open Clerk of Courts position for Hampshire County. … [One] candidate, Easthampton Town Council President Homar Gomez, has confirmed a bid for [the seat].”   YOUR GUIDE TO EMPIRE STATE POLITICS : From the newsroom that doesn’t sleep, POLITICO's New York Playbook is the ultimate guide for power players navigating the intricate landscape of Empire State politics. Stay ahead of the curve with the latest and most important stories from Albany, New York City and around the state, with in-depth, original reporting to stay ahead of policy trends and political developments. Subscribe now to keep up with the daily hustle and bustle of NY politics.      THE LOWELL CONNECTOR — “$100K investigation: No unlawful hiring practices by Lowell Public Schools,” by Melanie Gilbert, The Lowell Sun: “ The investigative report by the Boston-based law firm of Brody, Hardoon, Perkins & Kesten, which cost more than $100,000, suggested that the district move forward to address deficient, inconsistent and unclear guidance in district personnel policy to strengthen the overall employment directives and climate.” — “UMass Lowell student advocates for bill to establish financial literacy requirements in Mass. schools,” by Peter Currier, The Lowell Sun. THE LOCAL ANGLE STEWARD invested heavily in EMERGENCY ROOMS! If you have an auto accident, they don't require pre-approval to run expensive tests and exhaust your PIP Coverage and they do! The better doctors have mostly left and gone elsewhere. STEWARD laid off older, highly qualified workers and hired newer, inexperienced, lower paid employees. STEWARD made MORTON the COVID hospital for the $$$ and ignored appropriate COVID protocols. It's time for a serious evaluation of the POOR CARE from these FOR PROFIT HOSPITALS! — “Steward Health Care says financial difficulties jeopardize care at Mass. facilities,” by Deborah Becker, WBUR: “The operator of 9 Massachusetts hospitals says financial challenges are jeopardizing its ability to keep them running, which could leave patients struggling to access care and result in thousands of layoffs for health care workers. Steward Health Care System, a for-profit company that serves thousands of patients in Massachusetts, is in talks with the state to try and stay afloat.” — “Classes canceled in Newton Monday as union, School Committee fail to reach accord,” by John Hilliard, The Boston Globe: “Classes in the city’s public schools will be canceled Monday, after striking educators and the School Committee failed to broker a deal for a new contract over the weekend, the city’s schools superintendent said in an email to parents Sunday night.” — “Is tutoring the answer to pandemic learning loss?,” by Michael Jonas, CommonWealth Beacon: “As schools across the country face the daunting challenge of making up ground lost due to the Covid disruptions, one of the most promising strategies is an approach launched in Boston 20 years ago — on the top floor of a former auto parts store.”   A message from Equinor: The energy transition is the defining opportunity of our time and Massachusetts is helping lead the way. Our world needs energy to keep moving forward — but it must be affordable reliable, and sustainable. We all have a role to play. At Equinor, we’re using our competence, skills, and innovative spirit to continually search for solutions that will advance the energy transition. Our ambition is to break new ground, create lasting value, and supply energy to a thriving world while achieving net zero by 2050. We're delivering safe, secure, and reliable energy while creating jobs and investing in a more sustainable US energy system. But this is only the beginning. Discover more about Equinor at www.equinor.com/USA.   HEARD ‘ROUND THE BUBBLAH HAPPY BIRTHDAY — to Lauren DeFilippo, state Rep. Josh Cutler, Massachusetts Gaming Commissioner and former state Rep. Brad Hill, Sarah Mattero, Carson McGrath, Stephen Glick and Gail Shalan. 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 .   Follow us on Twitter Lisa Kashinsky @lisakashinsky Kelly Garrity @KellyGarrity3   Subscribe to the POLITICO Playbook family Playbook  |  Playbook PM  |  California Playbook  |  Florida Playbook  |  Illinois Playbook  |  Massachusetts Playbook  |  New Jersey Playbook  |  New York Playbook  |  Ottawa Playbook  |  Brussels Playbook  |  London Playbook View all our politics and policy newsletters FOLLOW US

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