Wednesday, February 7, 2024

POLITICO Nightly: Nikki Haley’s hard ceiling

Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley speaks during a campaign rally at the University of South Carolina, Aiken on Feb. 5, 2024. | Brandon Bell/Getty Images

ROUGH ROAD AHEAD — There’s no way around it. Nikki Haley’s defeat in Tuesday’s Nevada Republican primary was a bad look for her longshot campaign. Not only did she fail to win, she lost by a humbling 2-to-1 margin to the ballot designation “None of these candidates.”

The Nevada primary was meaningless in every way. No delegates were at stake. Turnout was abysmal. Haley made no effort to win the state at all. Donald Trump’s name wasn’t even on the ballot.

Still, it served as a reminder of the hard ceiling the former U.N. ambassador is up against in state after state. According to entrance and exit polls, Haley won just 15 percent of self-identified Republicans in Iowa, and just 25 percent in New Hampshire in a head-to-head matchup with the former president.

In Nevada — where Tuesday’s primary was so irrelevant no one bothered to conduct exit polling — Haley managed just 31 percent in a contest where only registered Republicans could vote.

It’s a very small sample, but it speaks clearly about the party’s thinking: From the Northeast to the Midwest to the Mountain West, Haley has been unable to win more than about a third of the party base.

The map ahead doesn’t offer much more hope. On Thursday, Nevada will hold another contest — state GOP-sanctioned caucuses that were essentially engineered for a Trump victory. Since Haley’s name will not even appear on caucus ballots, Trump will clean house with delegates.

In a best case scenario, Haley could pull off a surprise in the U.S. Virgin Islands caucuses, which also take place Thursday. But then comes South Carolina, her home state where she continues to trail Trump by wide margins in the polls.

Haley’s campaign vows it will continue on through Super Tuesday on March 5, even if it suffers a defeat in South Carolina on Feb. 24. And if that’s the case, the results in two big upcoming states will provide an even fuller picture of how the contemporary GOP thinks.

The first is Michigan on Feb. 27. The Trump era has been rough on the once-proud Michigan Republican Party, including a post-2020 descent into election-denialism madness that continues to consume the party. (If you haven’t been following, just Google “dumpster fire” or “chaos” and “Michigan Republican Party”). Much of the trouble can be traced to forces unleashed by Trump. The upcoming primary offers GOP voters an unparalleled opportunity to weigh in on the dysfunction and perhaps assign blame.

The other place to watch is California, where the Republican Party is so anemic that two whole generations of its voters have never known a two-party state (The Schwarzenegger interregnum doesn’t count). It is Super Tuesday’s biggest prize, offering the largest cache of delegates of any state. Trump has been slaughtered there twice in the general election — and will likely lose there again by a landslide margin this year, threatening down-ballot GOP candidates up and down the state. Whatever her flaws, Haley — who has a rally scheduled in Los Angeles tonight — would almost certainly be a stronger candidate at the top of the ticket in California. Whether the GOP base cares is a different story. The most recent poll out of the Golden State shows him with a nearly 40 percentage point advantage.

Welcome to POLITICO Nightly. Reach out with news, tips and ideas at nightly@politico.com . Or contact tonight’s author at cmahtesian@politico.com or on X (formerly known as Twitter) at @PoliticoCharlie .

CONGRESS OVERDRIVE: Since day one, POLITICO has been laser-focused on Capitol Hill, serving up the juiciest Congress coverage. Now, we’re upping our game to ensure you’re up to speed and in the know on every tasty morsel and newsy nugget from inside the Capitol Dome, around the clock. Wake up, read Playbook AM , get up to speed at midday with our Playbook PM halftime report, and fuel your nightly conversations with Inside Congress in the evening. Plus, never miss a beat with buzzy, real-time updates throughout the day via our Inside Congress Live feature. Learn more and subscribe here.

WHAT'D I MISS?

— Senate Republicans officially block foreign aid bill with border changes: Senate Republicans today blocked a package that included aid for Ukraine, Israel, Taiwan and provisions to beef up border security , a long-coming conclusion to tortuous bipartisan negotiations. The bill failed to advance 49-50, falling short of the 60-vote threshold. The defeat officially ends the unsuccessful talks to shore up border protections that went on for four months.

— Jeffries open ‘in principle’ to national security-only package if Senate can pass: House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said he’s open “in principle” to a national-security-only aid package if the Senate is able to pass one, while stressing he still wants to review the details. “We have to move forward in a comprehensive way to address our national security issues,” he said at a weekly press conference today. Jeffries added that “several Republicans who are not in leadership” have expressed an openness toward working with House Democrats on “a comprehensive national security package” with funds for Israel, Ukraine and allies in the Indo-Pacific like Taiwan, as well as assistance for Palestinians.

— U.S. drone strike kills senior Iran-backed militia leader in Baghdad: The U.S. military killed a senior leader of an Iran-backed militia group responsible for dozens of recent attacks on U.S. troops in Iraq and Syria, the Pentagon announced today. The drone strike on the Kataib Hezbollah leader in eastern Baghdad was part of the Biden administration’s multi-phase retaliation for a Jan. 28 drone strike on a small outpost in Jordan, Tower 22, which killed three U.S. soldiers and injured dozens more, according to the Pentagon.

NIGHTLY ROAD TO 2024

MEET AND GREET — When the Supreme Court holds arguments Thursday on Donald Trump’s eligibility to be president, the justices won’t be hearing from members of Washington, D.C.’s elite circle of Supreme Court specialists. Instead, the three lawyers presenting the case are all from outside the Beltway and have little experience at the high court’s lectern. Here’s what to know about the three advocates who will present what may be the most important election case since Bush v. Gore .

DUTY CALLS — Norma Anderson — the Anderson in the Trump v. Anderson case that the Supreme Court will hear on Thursday — is taking on Trump over whether he is eligible to serve as president after his role in the Jan. 6, 2021 attack on the Capitol.

Anderson, a lifelong Republican who rose through the state party to become one of the top GOP lawmakers in Colorado, told POLITICO she immediately agreed to participate when recruited by an attorney working with the liberal government watchdog group Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington. Read POLITICO’s full profile of Anderson here .

And for further coverage of the blockbuster Supreme Court hearing Thursday, make sure to check out POLITICO’s liveblog , which will launch at 9:00 AM and update throughout the day.

AROUND THE WORLD

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, left, takes a seat before his meeting with France's Foreign Minister Stephane Sejourne, right, in Jerusalem Monday, Feb. 5, 2024. | Pool photo by Gil Cohen-Magen

FIGHTING WORDS — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu today rejected Hamas’ terms for a cease-fire and hostage-release agreement , calling them “delusional” and leveling harsh criticism of any arrangement that leaves the militant group in full or partial control of Gaza after the war.

He vowed to press ahead with Israel’s war against Hamas, now in its fifth month, until achieving “absolute victory,” reports The Associated Press.

Netanyahu made the comments shortly after meeting the visiting U.S. secretary of state, Antony Blinken, who has been traveling the region in hopes of securing a cease-fire agreement.

“Surrendering to Hamas’ delusional demands that we heard now not only won’t lead to freeing the captives, it will just invite another massacre,” Netanyahu said in a nationally televised evening news conference.

SHOT ON GOAL — France is trying to kill European football’s Super League once and for all, POLITICO EU reports.

France has rallied European Union support for a joint statement from member countries, which would look to ensure a “link between annual performance in domestic competitions and all European competitions,” according to a draft seen by POLITICO. The statement has been signed by all EU members apart from Spain.

French President Emmanuel Macron’s government is now urging the European Commission to draft legislation that solidifies that link. The language connecting domestic performance and international qualification in the French memo goes further than any previous EU statements, which have never before targeted the Super League so explicitly.

Put simply, it would mean: UEFA’s Champions League, in; A22’s Super League, out.

A22 Sports Management, the promoter company behind the Super League, has been attempting to resurrect their project — which first launched before instantly collapsing in April 2021 — since a Court of Justice of the EU ruling in December last year cracked open a door for their plans.

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NIGHTLY NUMBER

$1.6 trillion

The amount that the federal budget deficit is expected to top by the end of the year, according to new projections from the Congressional Budget Office. The deficit is also expected to grow by another $1 trillion over the next decade.

RADAR SWEEP

THE DO NOTHING CAUCUS — The Dutch have a specific word for doing absolutely nothing: niksen. And the concept, the art of doing nothing according to some of its practitioners, is taking off. It’s sometimes hard to define, but the idea is making doing nothing a purposeful act : instead of filling every inch of your free and alone time with watching TV or listening to music or reading or cooking, you decide to do nothing, crucially with no expectation of an outcome. Niksen’s biggest advocates suggest that it can be a great stress relief. Part of the reason why is that rather than other popular stress relief strategies, it’s not promising a silver bullet of change. Rather, the idea is that you take some time to do nothing, and see where that takes you, preferably without expectations. For The Guardian, Viv Groskop writes about the phenomenon and speaks with Olga Mecking, the author of Niksen: Embracing the Dutch Art of Doing Nothing.

PARTING IMAGE

On this date in 1968: The Olympic Flag is carried by French Alpine troops during a procession at the opening ceremony of the 1968 Winter Olympics in Grenoble, France. | AP

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As Steward Health flails, once-supporters of Ralph de la Torre now criticize the CEO

ADDITIONAL ARTICLES ON LINK BELOW

Boston Herald via Getty Images)
Many former colleagues and health care leaders describe de la Torre, 57, as an ambitious, sometimes brash, executive who helped save the struggling Caritas Christi Health Care, a six-hospital Catholic health care network. De la Torre made no secret of his plans beyond Caritas — and beyond Massachusetts. He oversaw the transformation of Caritas into Steward, a national company operating dozens of facilities in states across the country.
Steward declined to make de la Torre available for an interview. The company has blamed its financial problems largely on the COVID-19 pandemic and low reimbursement rates from Medicare and Medicaid, which insure more than 70% of its patients. Steward has also pointed out it pays taxes that nonprofit hospitals do not pay. But some health care leaders have suggested de la Torre's ambitions were too great, and he lost his way trying to create a national and international health care conglomerate.

'A visionary'

When he took the helm of Caritas in 2008, de la Torre promised to deliver a new model of care, one that would focus on helping patients in underserved and low-income communities. The idea was to coordinate patient care to avoid duplicating services and prevent errors. The model was encouraged by the Affordable Care Act, the landmark federal health care bill also known as "Obamacare."
De la Torre received numerous awards for his work. He once hosted then-President Obama at his Newton home for a Democratic fundraiser. De la Torre had written to the president suggesting his company's model could improve the health care system, not just in Massachusetts but nationwide.
At a 2014 fundraiser, de la Torre spoke passionately about his mission to provide people with "really good health care in their community — not just where they can afford it, but where they can access it."
"That's really what it's all about," de la Torre told the crowd at the benefit for Whittier Street Health Center, a Roxbury clinic that provides health care and social services for many low-income patients.
That year, the organization's annual roast honored de la Torre. Presenters took turns delivering jokes about de la Torre's notoriously prickly personality, his love of boats and his ego. Andrew Dreyfus, then the head of the state's largest insurer, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts, imagined where de la Torre might be in 2024. He suggested de la Torre would likely be in charge of much of the Massachusetts health care industry.

"I'd like to propose a toast to Ralph de la Torre — a visionary, a leader and soon, no doubt, to be my boss," Dreyfus quipped.
Philanthropist and former advertising executive Jack Connors, the man some credit with putting de la Torre on a path to becoming a health care magnate, joined in the jokes at the fundraiser, suggesting that praise from de la Torre was an accomplishment.
"If [Ralph] were to pat you on the back, you would list it on your resume," Connors, now 81, said.
Jack Connors poses in his old downtown office, located in the Hancock Tower in Boston in July 2021. (Erin Clark/The Boston Globe via Getty Images)
As chair of the board at Partners HealthCare, later rebranded Mass General Brigham, Connors introduced de la Torre to the people looking for the next leader at Caritas. Connors said a mutual friend introduced them. Connors knew of de la Torre's reputation as a surgeon and an innovator at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. But Connors said he now believes de la Torre's objectives changed.
"Ralph decided that his first priority was to make himself wealthy," Connors said. "Several people tried to encourage him to spend more time with patients and learn their needs."
Still, Connors and others describe de la Torre as "brilliant." They point to his credentials as a graduate of Duke University, Harvard Medical School and MIT. Former colleagues use terms like "persuasive" and "hardworking" when talking about de la Torre, and mention his direction of the Cardiovascular Institute at Beth Israel.
Dr. Ralph de la Torre, then-CEO of Caritas, spoke at a public hearing about the sale of Caritas Christi Health Care to a private investor in 2010. (Stuart Cahill/MediaNews Group/Boston Herald via Getty Images)
De la Torre's skills as a surgeon were widely admired, although his medical license has since expired. Yet even at Beth Israel, his ambition and personal style alienated some people.
"He was a very gifted surgeon," said Dr. Frank Sellke, former chief of cardiothoracic surgery at Beth Israel. "He's a very talented individual and very smart. But he's a bit on the aggressive side, and he doesn't take any prisoners in how he deals with things."
A few years into de la Torre's time at Beth Israel, he became chief of cardiac surgery and Sellke's supervisor. Sellke said he found the move surprising, because he didn't think de la Torre had enough experience. Sellke left Beth Israel and became a professor at Brown University's Warren Alpert School of Medicine and chief of the Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery at Lifespan Hospitals. He said he holds no ill will toward de la Torre, but hasn't been in touch with him since 2008.

Two deals that turned the tide

Although de la Torre has done few media interviews, he often mentioned during speaking engagements that his parents came to the U.S. from Cuba in 1960 and settled in Florida, where he was raised. While running Caritas, he lived in Newton with his wife and children, and the family summered on Cape Cod. He is now divorced.
Connors said he used to feel proud that de la Torre kept the Caritas hospitals running because the facilities were struggling under a mountain of debt when de la Torre took the helm. But along the way to building a national health care network, Connors said another side of de la Torre emerged. He became known for ostentatious symbols of wealth, such as a $40 million dollar yacht and expensive real estate — all acquired while running hospitals designed to serve vulnerable patients.
"I'm not opposed to people taking care of themselves, but he forgot to take care of the hospitals and the patients," Connors said.
Some of de la Torre's critics point to his 2010 deal with Cerberus Capital Management, a private equity firm, as a turning point. It was about two years after he became CEO of Caritas. The deal, which eventually gained approval from the state's attorney general, promised to provide approximately $400 million for capital improvements, with at least one major project at each of Caritas' six hospitals. It also promised an even larger sum to wipe away the system's debt and right its pension plans.
"I'm not opposed to people taking care of themselves, but he forgot to take care of the hospitals and the patients."
JACK CONNORS
The new owner of the hospitals would be Steward Health Care System, an affiliate of Cerberus helmed by de la Torre. The entry of a for-profit company into the state's health care landscape raised eyebrows at the time, but the prospect of shoring up the system's finances ultimately outweighed the concerns.
However, it wasn't until 2016 that another deal positioned Steward to become a much larger company. Under de la Torre's leadership, Steward agreed to sell all of its real estate — including the hospital buildings themselves — to Medical Properties Trust (MPT), a real estate investment firm. The deal brought in $1.25 billion for Steward, but the company would have to pay rent to MPT. Steward used part of the proceeds to pay back Cerberus for its initial investment, and then began acquiring hospitals across the country — and even beyond its borders.
Steward moved its headquarters to Texas a year after the deal. In 2020, a physicians group, led by de la Torre, bought out Cerberus entirely and obtained a controlling stake in Steward. Today, the company operates more than 30 hospitals in eight states and employs some 16,000 people in Massachusetts alone.
But it's also in serious debt. Earlier this year, MPT revealed that Steward owes $50 million in back rent, and it has loaned the company tens of millions of dollars. Because Steward is a private company, its financial documents and details of its executive compensation are not public. But a 2020 audit of Steward's books indicated the company had a $1.5 billion deficit.
Other financial reports show that in 2021, Steward paid MPT an $11 million dividend as part owner of Steward. Health care industry experts said that suggests even more money went to de la Torre and the Steward management team, since they have an even larger stake in the company.

Questions about Steward's future

Steward's facilities dot the eastern part of Massachusetts and include St. Anne's Hospital in Fall River, St. Elizabeth's Hospital in Brighton, Norwood Hospital, Holy Family Hospital in Methuen and Haverhill, Good Samaritan Medical Center in Brockton, Carney Hospital in Dorchester, Nashoba Valley Medical Center in Ayer and Morton Hospital in Taunton.
St. Elizabeth's Medical Center, a Steward Health Care family hospital in Brighton, Mass. (Robin Lubbock/WBUR)
The company is in the process of closing New England Sinai Hospital, a rehabilitation facility in Stoughton. Steward had promised to renovate Norwood Hospital, which was damaged by flooding in 2020. It's unclear if the facility will ever reopen.
Although Steward executives have said they have no current plans to close any other Massachusetts facilities, several health care leaders in the state questioned the financing deal Steward announced last week to keep its operations in the state afloat. The company said the deal will allow it time to negotiate the sale of a separate physicians group, and consider transferring ownership of at least one of its medical facilities. The terms of the deal have not been made public, and state health officials said they will be monitoring Steward hospitals — including daily visits to some locations to ensure the quality of patient care.
When thinking about De La Torre now, Dreyfus, the former Blue Cross Blue Shield leader, described de la Torre as "a tough negotiator" who should get credit for helping to preserve some Massachusetts community hospitals.
"I worked with him fairly closely, and he always struck me as someone who was deeply committed to his organization," Dreyfus said. "I think now we just have to say, 'Well, we still have these important community resources, these important hospitals, out there and how can we stabilize them.' "
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts' former president and CEO, Andrew Dreyfus, middle, talks with Lowell General Hospital's then-CEO Normand Deschene, left, and others, at Lowell General Hospital in 2011. (Wendy Maeda/The Boston Globe via Getty Images)
As for Jack Connors, he thinks he made a mistake by helping open doors for de la Torre. Connors can't recall exactly when he last spoke with de la Torre, but said it was at least five years ago when he declined de la Torre's invitation to be on Steward's board.
Connors expressed confidence state officials, such as health and human services secretary Kate Walsh, herself a former hospital administrator, will come up with ways to minimize the impact of Steward's financial struggles. But what Connors said he feels about de la Torre is "beyond disappointment."
"I'm kind of sick about it," Connors said. "This is Massachusetts, a place where people come from around the world to learn how to help other people. That's what I thought Ralph wanted to do and I was mistaken."

How Steward Health Care went from hospital savior to the precipice of failure
Steward says it has deal to temporarily stabilize finances, does not plan to close Mass. hospitals
Deborah Becker Host/Reporter
Deborah Becker is a senior correspondent and host at WBUR. Her reporting focuses on mental health, criminal justice and education.
More…

https://www.wbur.org/news/2024/02/06/ralph-de-la-torre-steward-profile

POLITICO Massachusetts Playbook: Nikki Haley's Bay State heavy hitters

BY LISA KASHINSKY AND KELLY GARRITY

NOTICE: NOT A SINGLE SOURCE IS SCRUTINIZING NIKKI HALEY'S HISTORY!

NO TAX RETURNS?

HER WEALTH?

AS GOVERNOR, NIKKI HALEY RAISED TAXES

SOUTH CAROLINA SPENT $9 BILLION TO DIG A HOLE IN THE GROUND AND THEN FILL IT BACK IN https://theintercept.com/2019/02/06/south-caroline-green-new-deal-south-carolina-nuclear-energy/

FIRST IN PLAYBOOK: HALEY’S MASS. LEADERSHIP TEAM — Nikki Haley is tapping some big names in Massachusetts Republican circles to helm her campaign in this Super Tuesday state.

Former MassGOP Chair Jennifer Nassour, who’s already been running the state’s “Women for Nikki” chapter and organizing local fundraisers for Haley, will now chair the former South Carolina governor’s campaign here.

State House Minority Leader Brad Jones, state Rep. Hannah Kane , former Baker administration finance secretary Mike Heffernan and businessman Peter deSilva will serve as co-chairs.

Also involved: state Reps. Kim Ferguson , Paul Frost , Joe McKenna , Mathew Muratore , Mike Soter, David Vieira and Donald Wong ; former state Reps. Shawn Dooley and Lenny Mirra ; Baker administration alum Georgia Polemenakos ; Greg Casey , former chief of staff to former Sen. Scott Brown ; former Republican national committeewoman for Massachusetts Jody Dow and more than a dozen other Republican activists and business leaders.

Haley’s Bay State rollout comes as her campaign targets Super Tuesday states with open- or semi-open primaries in which independents can cast ballots. The slate of 16 contests accounts for 36 percent of the total delegates available, making it mathematically likely to be Haley’s last stand in the GOP primary that’s down to her and former President Donald Trump .

And it could be her first chance to win a contest. Haley is likely to lose her home state to Trump. And she's already fallen short in Iowa, New Hampshire and Nevada, where she suffered a non-binding but embarrassing loss in Tuesday night's primary to "none of these candidates." Trump is expected to romp in the contest that will actually award delegates in the state, Thursday's Republican Party-run caucus.

Massachusetts voters got a taste of Nikki Haley as she campaigned in New Hampshire. Now, she's turning her attention here. | Joe Raedle/Getty Images

Massachusetts only has 40 delegates up for grabs on March 5 (compared to 161 in Texas and 169 in California). But our electorate — independents make up more than 60 percent of registered voters — is fertile ground for Haley as she looks to build on the coalition that boosted her within 11 points of Trump in New Hampshire.

“We are looking at independents and expanding the Republican electorate to people who have not traditionally participated in Republican primaries,” Betsy Ankney , Haley’s campaign manager, said on a call with reporters earlier this week.

Haley’s state leadership team, a mix of conservative and moderate Republican lawmakers and allies of former GOP Gov. Charlie Baker , reflects that aim. She’s also attracted financial support from high-profile donors like Jonathan Kraft and New Balance Chair Jim Davis .

But even in deep-blue Massachusetts, where voters have twice rejected Trump in general elections by wide margins, the former president could prove a formidable and potentially unbeatable primary opponent. Trump won the 2016 GOP primary here with 49 percent of the vote and went on to crush former Gov. Bill Weld in his home state by nearly 80 points in 2020. And he’s got a long-established base of supporters, being led once more by former Bristol County Sheriff Tom Hodgson .

Haley needs to hold Trump under 50 percent of the vote here in order to win delegates, thanks to updated rules the party passed earlier this year . That task is harder now that the race is down to two. And she could come into Super Tuesday significantly weakened after a string of losses. A Suffolk University poll out this morning shows Trump beating Haley among likely Republican primary voters here 55 percent to 38 percent.

Still, Ankney argues, the campaign is “up for that challenge.”

GOOD WEDNESDAY MORNING, MASSACHUSETTS. The Republican primary for GOP state Sen. Peter Durant ’s old House seat isn’t over yet.

Dudley Selectman John Marsi claimed victory Tuesday night. But the race was close — unofficial tallies have Marsi leading Southbridge Town Councilor David Adams by roughly 150 votes. Adams told Playbook he’s waiting to concede until he has a chance to check with Dudley’s clerk on the breakdown for write-in votes in the town. “If the numbers are what I think they are, then I have no problem conceding,” he said.

TODAY — Gov. Maura Healey pitches her budget to lawmakers at noon at the State House. Boston Mayor Michelle Wu is on “Java with Jimmy” at 9 a.m. AG Andrea Campbell is joining the Vermont and Rhode Island AGs for an 11:45 a.m. panel at the Rappaport Center . Auditor Diana DiZoglio testifies on her budget at 1 p.m.

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

DON’T MISS POLITICO’S GOVERNORS SUMMIT: Join POLITICO on Feb. 22 to dive into how Governors are wielding immense power. While Washington remains gridlocked, governors are at the center of landmark decisions in AI and tech, economic development, infrastructure, housing, reproductive health and energy. How are they setting the stage for the future of American politics, policies and priorities? How are they confronting major challenges? Explore these questions and more at the 2024 Governors Summit. REGISTER HERE .

DATELINE BEACON HILL

HEAR ME OUT — We’re on track to get our first real insight into how lawmakers who control the state’s purse strings are feeling about Maura Healey’ s budget when the governor descends to the Gardner Auditorium at noon to pitch her $58 billion spending plan.

The Legislature’s chief budget writers, House and Senate Ways and Means Chairs Aaron Michlewitz and Michael Rodrigues , were already warning of the need for “sound fiscal discipline” before January’s revenue report showed collections falling short of benchmarks for the seventh straight month.

Pay close attention to how they update those remarks today, especially with the Boston Herald reporting that Administration and Finance Secretary Matthew Gorzkowicz is not ruling out more cuts to the current budget (he did say there’s nothing currently in the works).

BIG DAY FOR BILLS — The budget hearing coincides with the deadline for joint committees to decide which of the bevy of bills before them will live to see another day and which will be banished to study — in other words, legislative death. Or, as is common on what’s known as Joint Rule 10 day, lawmakers will just ask for extensions.

Some joint committees are still sorting through bills, but others have already decided which proposals are in and which ones are out. One notable bill that’s already — and unsurprisingly — been sent to study: legislation that would legalize teacher strikes. One that’s moving on: a pilot program for safe-injection sites.

And two that lawmakers are asking for more time on : bills that would extend collective bargaining rights to legislative staff and put a moratorium on prison construction.

DEPARTURE LOUNGE — Longtime state Rep. William “Smitty” Pignatelli says he’s stepping aside next year after two decades representing his sprawling Berkshires district. Pignatelli joins a growing list of lawmakers who are either running for other offices or retiring from the Legislature after this session. His friends and colleagues told the Berkshire Eagle that whoever succeeds him will have big shoes to fill.

— “State lawmakers hear proposal from Gov. Maura Healey to leverage rainy day fund for federal infrastructure dollars,” by Greg Sukiennik, Berkshire Eagle: “Gov. Maura Healey's administration wants to leverage interest from the state's rainy day fund to attract federal dollars into the state. … Administration and Finance Secretary Matthew Gorzkowicz and Federal Funds and Infrastructure Director Quentin Palfrey pushed against the idea that slowing tax collections means the state should reconsider using the reserve funds as leverage.”

— “Mass. Gaming Commission looks to study sex trafficking in casinos,” by Jennifer Smith, CommonWealth Beacon.

— “State legislators are again debating whether insurers should fully cover childbirth. Here’s why it’s different this time,” by Katie Johnston, The Boston Globe

FROM THE HUB

FOOD FIGHT — Boston’s outdoor dining program is set to return this spring, but most North End restaurateurs will be left out again. Like last year, the city is limiting permits in the tightly packed neighborhood to restaurants with sidewalk patios and preventing owners from adding more on-site seating.

North End restaurateurs have been battling the city over the program for years, alleging in lawsuits that the extra costs and tighter restrictions amount to discrimination against the Italian enclave. Boston Mayor Michelle Wu maintains that it's an effort to balance business owners’ wishes with the views of the neighborhood’s residents. And this year the city “may craft additional neighborhood-specific guidelines” for the North End “as the program advances,” according to Tuesday’s announcement. Dive deeper with The Boston Globe and WBUR .

PLANES, TRAINS AND AUTOMOBILES

FREE FARES KEEP ROLLING — Three key bus routes in Boston will remain free to ride for another two years after Wu found $8.4 million more in federal pandemic aid to pump into the pilot program. The move won plaudits from Sen. Ed Markey and Rep. Ayanna Pressley , who have proposed a federal grant program to help state and local fare-free efforts. But it’s a break with Healey, whose budget proposal calls for reducing fares for low-income riders. More from CommonWealth Beacon and The Boston Globe .

FROM HARVARD YARD

— “US Education Dept. investigates Harvard following complaint from Pro-Palestinian students,” by Kirk Carapezza, GBH News: “The U.S. Department of Education’s civil rights division launched an investigation into Harvard this week after Arab, Muslim and pro-Palestinian students alleged discrimination on campus."

DAY IN COURT

— “Second Mass. State Trooper charged in CDL bribery case retires, dishonorably discharged, agency says,” by Tonya Alanez, The Boston Globe: “A second Massachusetts State Trooper charged in a bribery scandal involving commercial driving licenses has retired and been dishonorably discharged, the department said Tuesday night. Joel Rogers had been suspended without pay since Jan. 31."

DATELINE D.C.

MAGA GOP continue to prove their inability to GOVERN!

DYSFUNCTION JUNCTION — House Republicans failed to muscle through articles of impeachment against Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas and a standalone Israel aid bill Tuesday, in a stunning blow to Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.).

All nine of Massachusetts’ House members voted against the impeachment charges. But Rep. Jake Auchincloss broke rank with the all-Democratic delegation when it came to the Israel aid bill that Johnson put forward in place of the bipartisan border deal that also includes billions of dollars in aid for Israel, Ukraine and Taiwan.

“It is shameful how House Republicans have turned one of our closest allies into a political weapon,” Auchincloss, a staunch supporter of Israel, said in a statement . “Now that this stunt has played out, I encourage the Speaker to bring to the floor legislation that will actually be signed into law."

BIDEN’S GOT A FRIEND IN HEALEY (AGAIN) — Speaking of the border deal, President Joe Biden is getting backup from Healey and other Democratic governors as he tries to salvage the bill, Lisa reports . Whether their pressure campaign is working is a different story.

— “Health care workers urge Neal to stand up for Gaza cease-fire,” by James Pentland, Daily Hampshire Gazette.

MARIJUANA IN MASSACHUSETTS

PUT THAT IN YOUR PIPE AND SMOKE IT — Some good financial news for Massachusetts: Marijuana sales in the state have reached new highs. The business set a new record with $1.56 billion in gross annual sales last year, according to the Cannabis Control Commission.

FROM THE 413

— “Springfield mayoral aide warned by campaign finance officials over social media posts,” by Adam Frenier, NEPM: “The chief of staff for Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno has been cited by state campaign finance officials over the use of a personal social media account. Tom Ashe allegedly used his own Facebook account, on three occasions, to promote fundraising activities for unnamed candidates for office which is a violation of state law.”

THE LOCAL ANGLE

— “Condos in John Adams' backyard?” by Peter Blandino, Patriot Ledger: “In a growing city with a long history, the old and the new inevitably clash. That is happening now in the Adams Birthplace Historical District, just to the south of the city's downtown, where a developer has proposed a four-story condominium building directly across from the two 17th-century homes where John Adams and John Quincy Adams, the nation's second and sixth presidents, were born.”

— “As Steward Health flails, once-supporters of Ralph de la Torre now criticize the CEO,” by Deborah Becker, WBUR.

MEANWHILE IN NEW HAMPSHIRE

— “Fake Biden robocall linked to Texas-based companies, New Hampshire attorney general announces,” by David Wright, Yahya Abou-Ghazala and Brian Fung, CNN: “A robocall that used an AI voice resembling President Joe Biden’s to advise New Hampshire voters against voting in the state’s presidential primary has been linked to a pair of Texas-based telecommunications companies, the state’s attorney general announced on Tuesday.”

HEARD ‘ROUND THE BUBBLAH

HAPPY BIRTHDAY — to former Uxbridge state Rep. Kevin Kuros, Keri Rodrigues, Mike Cummings, Mark Townsend, Michel R. Scheinman and Beth Robbins.

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