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SHUTDOWN SCARIES — There was a moment midway through House Democratic Whip Katherine Clark’s town hall in Waltham over the weekend when frustration bubbled over. “It’s not enough!” people shouted as someone in the crowd of anxious constituents waved a sign featuring a request: “Try doing something.” Democrats in Congress have struggled to shake the notion that they’re not doing enough — or at least something , as Saturday’s sign-waver noted — to keep President Donald Trump and his newly created Department of Government Efficiency in check. Now, with Congress barreling toward a potential government shutdown Friday, Democrats are weighing a tough calculus: whether to lend Republicans enough votes to keep most government operations from grinding to a halt — or risk a shutdown until they can extract some concessions from the ruling party. Narrowly avoiding a shutdown has become a regularity in Washington in recent years. Passing stopgap continuing spending resolutions has been the norm for a while now , but Republicans’ narrow majority in the House has meant they’ve regularly had to get help from Democrats to keep money flowing to fund the government. Now Democrats are weighing whether it's time for the break-glass measure. The challenge: Government shutdowns are historically unpopular, and can be politically damaging to the party seen as responsible. The five-week partial shutdown that bled from 2018 into 2019 meant furloughs for many federal workers and strained working conditions for others. But with tens of thousands already out of a job as a result of DOGE’s cuts — and with a base itching to see them take action to check Trump’s power — Democrats are leaving the door open. In a letter to members over the weekend, Clark, Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and Caucus Chair Pete Aguilar didn’t explicitly tell them to vote no on the CR Republicans unveiled Saturday Clark on Saturday didn’t definitively indicate that shutdown is imminent. But she was already trying to get ahead of Republicans who will likely seek to blame the minority if they can’t get enough members of their own caucus on board with the funding patch. “There's never been a shutdown in this country where one party controls the White House and the House and the Senate, so don't look at us. Don't look at us,” she said. GOOD MONDAY MORNING, MASSACHUSETTS. Hope you all enjoyed the extra hour of sunlight last night. TODAY — Gov. Maura Healey and Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll make an energy affordability announcement at 11 a.m. in Lowell and huddle with legislative leaders at 2 p.m. in Healey’s office. Have a tip, story, suggestion, birthday, anniversary, new job, or any other nugget for the Playbook? Drop me a line: kgarrity@politico.com . | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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— “Diana DiZoglio acknowledged ‘threats’ to impartiality in legislative audit, records show,” by Chris Van Buskirk, Boston Herald: “State Auditor Diana DiZoglio acknowledged multiple times over the past two years that there are “threats” to her ability to impartially audit the Legislature because of her past work as a Massachusetts lawmaker, according to paperwork she signed obtained by the Herald. But in each of the documents, the former legislator maintained she is able to direct a bias-free audit of the House and Senate because of multiple safeguards and guidance her office received from a federal agency during a meeting in 2023 ahead of her first legislative probe. The Auditor’s General Counsel, Michael Lueng-Tat, said DiZoglio continues to be involved in the legislative audit effort because the office consulted with the U.S. Government Accountability Office, which ‘indicated that our assessments regarding independence threats and safeguards are consistent with’ general auditing standards found in the so-called Yellow Book.” MORE FROM THE AUDITOR’S OFFICE — “State auditor Diana DiZoglio says right to audit Mass. legislature not up for debate. ‘It is the law,’” by Jon Keller, WBZ News. — “In Massachusetts, detectives are allowed to lie in interrogations. A new bill seeks to change that,” by Dan Glaun, The Boston Globe. — “Stricter Mass. gun law in crossfire with safety activists, firearms advocates,” by Andrea Macho, Telegram & Gazette. PETER DURANT has an already questionable history since his first action in office was to endorse the FLORIDA FASCIST! excerpt from the article: Sen. Peter Durant, R-Spencer, has been outspoken in pushing for repeal and has already begun to file several bills aimed at rolling back key provisions of the gun law. “The gun bill, as it was passed, really only hurts law-abiding citizens and makes their life much more difficult,” Durant said. “It makes it much more difficult to exercise their Second Amendment right.” ***GUN ZEALOTS**** "R" VOTERS NEED TO SCRUTINIZE CANDIDATES! JOHN GASKY HAS A READING COMPREHENSION PROBLEM! THE APPEALS COURT DECISION IS WIDELY AVAILABLE & PERTAINED TO HAND GUNS! SPONSORED THE LEGISLATION! JOHN GASKY RAN UN-OPPOSED! BIG MISTAKE FOR THIS CLOWN! HAND GUNS! Federal law banning handgun sales 18- to 20-year-olds is unconstitutional, appeals court rulesMASSACHUSETTS: MASS GOP JOHN GASKY IGNORANCE IS NOT A SOLUTION!****BEWARE! GUN ZEALOTS RETURN!****
****BEWARE! GUN ZEALOTS RETURN!**** STUDIES INDICATE THAT THE MAJORITY OF AMERICANS FAVOR STRONG GUN LAWS THAT PROTECT THE PUBLIC ARTICLE WORTH READING! The 10 States With the Highest Gun Death Rates
excerpts: At the same time, 60% of U.S. adults viewed gun violence as "a very big problem," and data illuminates why: There were more than 48,000 gun deaths across the U.S. in 2022, according to figures from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. That’s down slightly from the year before but still amounts to more than 130 people dying from a gun injury each day, frequently in connection with suicide or homicide. The states with the lowest firearm fatality rates include Rhode Island (3.1 per 100,000), Massachusetts (3.7) and Hawaii (4.5), all of which require background checks and/or permits for gun purchases and firearm training. In six of the 10 states with the lowest death rates, handgun sale records are sent to law enforcement. Most of those 10 states also regulate the open carry of firearms. https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/articles/states-with-the-highest-gun-death-rates THE MAJORITY OF VOTERS SUPPORT GUN REFORM! SUPPORT THOSE GROUPS! PAY ATTENTION BECAUSE A SMALL ACTIVE GROUP OF WELL FUNDED GUN ZEALOTS OPPOSE THOSE EFFORTS! OTHER STATES ALLOW GUN PURCHASES WITH NO PERMITS, NO BACKGROUND CHECKS & NO LIMITS THERE IS NO TRACKING OF THOSE GUNS THAT ARE FLOODING OUR STREETS — “Groups sue state over firearm age restrictions,” by Christian M. Wade, The Eagle-Tribune: “A coalition of gun rights groups are suing Massachusetts over a ban on the sale of handguns and semi-automatic firearms to anyone age 18 to 20, arguing that the state’s restrictions are unconstitutional in the wake of recent federal court rulings. The lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court in Boston on Friday, alleges that the state’s age restrictions violate the Second Amendment and are ‘inconsistent’ with the nation’s history of firearm regulation. They are asking a judge to declare that the restrictions on 18- to 20-year-olds unconstitutional and prohibit the state from enforcing them.” PAY WALL — “Lawmakers, police leaders push new bill to close gap in state Heart Law for police, including at UMass Amherst,” by Mitch Fink, Daily Hampshire Gazette. ‘FED UP’ — In the wake of DOGE’s federal job cuts, Gov. Maura Healey’s office launched a new website Friday featuring resources for fired federal workers and highlighting open positions in state government. Other states, like New York and Pennsylvania , have made similar efforts to attract former federal employees. More from the Boston Globe. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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ABOUT WU'S LEGAL TEAM — The team Boston Mayor Michelle Wu hired from Cahill Gordon & Reindel for $650,000 to help with her congressional hearing prep was led by Ed O’Callaghan, who previously served in the Justice Department as principal counselor to the deputy attorney general, according to a member of Wu’s team who participated in the preparation. Wu also had a hand from a crew at WilmerHale — the firm that helped prepped two of the college presidents before their testimony. The WilmerHale team, who helped out pro bono, was led by Wu’s longtime mentor, Bill Lee, and formal prep sessions were held in WilmerHale’s Boston and D.C. offices. — “Boston advocacy groups push back against proposed school closures,” by John Hilliard, The Boston Globe: “A coalition of 17 Boston advocacy groups critical of four proposed school closures next year called on the city’s public schools administrators last week to produce a long-range facilities plan in collaboration with families and advocates. In a statement, the Build BPS/Green New Deal Stakeholders Coalition said the proposed closures of the Dever Elementary School, and the Excel, Mary Lyon Pilot, and Community Academy high schools disproportionately harm low-income Black and Latino students. The group said Boston Mayor Michelle Wu and Superintendent Mary Skipper should create a new plan for the future use and closures of school buildings with greater community input.” — “Boston city employees cash in thousands with unused sick and vacation time,” by Joe Dwinell and Gayla Cawley, Boston Herald: “More than 30 city employees cashed in on unused vacation and sick time last year, boosting their take-home pay by more than $100,000 in a public-sector perk a fiscal watchdog is warning must end. They were not alone. Another 135 city employees also used the ‘other’ category to pad their gross pay, a Herald analysis of Boston’s 2024 payroll shows. It’s all a budgetary danger zone, warns Marty Walz, interim president of the Boston Municipal Research Bureau.” PAY WALL BOSTON HERALD PROPAGANDA RAG! | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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FIRST IN PLAYBOOK — State Reps. Mike Moran and Kevin Honan and Boston City Councilor Liz Breadon endorsed Boston Mayor Michelle Wu at Moran’s St. Patrick’s Day Brunch in Allston over the weekend. — “Kraft blasts Wu’s $650K sanctuary city hearing prep tab,” by Matthew Medsgar, Boston Herald: “Mayoral candidate Josh Kraft took aim at his opponent, incumbent Michell Wu, over the weekend, blasting her for spending over half a million dollars to prepare for her grilling by the House Oversight Committee in Washington last week. ‘I understand preparation, but in a time when the city is becoming more and more fiscally vulnerable, I think $650,000 preparation is a lot of money. There should have — if it was me — I would have looked at other, more cost effective measures, to prepare for testimony in D.C.,’ Kraft told WCVB in an interview aired Sunday. … Kraft also said Wu could have made last Wednesday’s trip with a significantly smaller entourage. Wu’s rival said he would have left behind most of the dozen or so staffers who went along with the mayor on her trip.” PAY WALL BOSTON HERALD PROPAGANDA RAG! WATCH — Kraft’s interview is here . THE NEWTON NEBBISH TAP DANCING AROUND THE ISSUE: “There is a court date on March 18 on whether this change in White Stadium can happen legally, so I don’t understand the rush to start the demolition now,” Kraft said. “It started at $50,000, now it's $100,000, you know it’s just going to go up. If we really wanted to change the stadium for high school kids, the city wouldn’t have worked on a pre-process, creating an RFP with the soccer team owners. It proves to me that this wasn’t about the kids, it was about the soccer team.” Kraft was asked about his family’s project to build a professional soccer stadium in Everett for the New England Revolution, and if Boston needs two professional soccer stadiums roughly five miles from each other. When asked how he would convince voters that between his family and the city of Boston, he would have Boston's best interests at heart, Kraft said, “Well, first of all, I'd recuse myself, as I said, and then I will show you through my actions that I'm always going to put the city first. ”
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