Tuesday, March 4, 2025

POLITICO Massachusetts Playbook: Tonight’s guest list

THOU DOTH PROTEST TOO MUCH — Democrats sometimes played up the theatrics during President Donald Trump’s speeches before Congress in his first term.

This time, the strategy is different. There's no high-profile boycott planned. Instead, Democrats were given private guidance to bring a guest “who has been harmed by the Trump administration’s early actions or will be hurt by the House Republican budget,” POLITICO’S Nicholas Wu reported Monday . And many in Massachusetts are following along.

Here’s who they’re bringing:

— Sen. Ed Markey is bringing the Chrissy Lynch, the president of the Massachusetts AFL-CIO. “The AFL-CIO has long represented workers across the Commonwealth and the country in fighting back when billionaires like Trump and Musk try to push them down,” Markey said in announcing Lynch as his guest .

— Sen. Elizabeth Warren will be joined by Wellesley's Doug Kowalewski, a former National Science Foundation employee whose job was cut as part of the DOGE’s efforts to slash the size of the federal government.

— Rep. Ayanna Pressley has invited Claire Bergstresser of Everett , a wheelchair user who worked at the Department of Housing and Urban Development until last month when her job was cut.

— Rep. Richard Neal is bringing Michael Slater , a U.S. Army veteran who lost his job at the Springfield Vet Center as a result of federal layoffs across the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs mid-February.

— Rep. Jake Auchincloss is bringing Dr. Atul Gawande, the former assistant administrator for global health at USAID and a former general and endocrine surgeon at Brigham and Women’s Hospital.

— Rep. Lori Trahan is bringing a mom from Gardner who relies on Medicare coverage for a daughter who’s battling a disease, according to her office.

— House Democratic Whip Katherine Clark has invited Sarah Wroblewski, whose son Declan is fighting cancer.

— Rep. Jim McGovern is bringing Sue Koehler of Leominster, who relies on Medicaid, per the Boston Globe’s Tal Kopan .

— Rep. Seth Moulton isn’t bringing anyone. “Are you kidding me, I wouldn’t subject anyone to that misery,” he said.

Lawmakers usually use their guests for the president’s big speech to highlight an issue or cause they’re close to. This time around, Democrats are aligned in their mission: stopping cuts to federal funds and jobs.

GOOD TUESDAY MORNING, MASSACHUSETTS . Here's what to watch for during tonight's address. Trump takes the House rostrum at 9 p.m.

TODAY — Gov. Maura Healey has no public events. Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll speaks at the Massachusetts Association of Early Education & Care’s advocacy day at 10:30 a.m. at the State House. Boston Mayor Michelle Wu joins a press conference alongside members of the state's congressional delegation at 2 p.m. in D.C. Auditor Diana DiZoglio visits the Mystic Learning Center at 4 p.m. in Somerville.

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

DATELINE BEACON HILL

2026 WATCH — No Republican has officially jumped into the governor’s race, but former MBTA Chief Administrator Brian Shortsleeve already has some backing for a TBD-bid.

In an email sent Monday to Republican Town Committee members, state Rep. Marc Lombardo said he's “excited to support Brian Shortsleeve as a Republican candidate for governor,” and asked the Republican Town Committee when their members might be available to meet Shortsleeve.

Lombardo, one of the more conservative Republicans in the House GOP caucus, unsuccessfully challenged House Minority Leader Brad Jones for his position earlier this year. His support could help Shortsleeve, who served under former Gov. Charlie Baker, appeal to the party's right flank.

Meanwhile, Gov. Maura Healey may have a primary challenge of her own. Andrea James, whose website describes her as the founder of The National Council For Incarcerated and Formerly Incarcerated Women and Girls, filed paperwork with the state’s campaign finance office to run for governor as a Democrat, an early step toward launching a campaign. More on James from the Boston Globe.

CUE THE LAUGH TRACK — Gov. Maura Healey is going on “Late Night with Seth Meyers” Wednesday night, marking the second national media hit for Healey in less than a week.

— “Mass. spending on shelters housing migrants, locals hits half a billion in FY25, data shows,” by Chris Van Buskirk, Boston Herald: “Gov. Maura Healey’s administration has already spent more than half a billion dollars this fiscal year on taxpayer-funded shelters housing migrants and local families, according to public data, though state officials contend the number of new arrivals in the system is decreasing. In a report released last week before Healey signed another spending bill that shuttled millions to the shelter system, the governor’s top budget-writers said Massachusetts spent just over $520 million in the seven and a half months since the fiscal year started in July 2024.”

THE BLOVIATORS IGNORE THIS:

More than 75% of families now seeking shelter are “long-time Massachusetts” residents, according to the Healey administration.

excerpts:

LOGAN TRUPIANO IS A MASS GOP BLOVIATOR! ALWAYS WORTH READING FOR HIS NONSENSE!

In a report released last week before Healey signed another spending bill that shuttled millions to the shelter system, the governor’s top budget-writers said Massachusetts spent just over $520 million in the seven and a half months since the fiscal year started in July 2024.

Massachusetts Republican Party spokesman Logan Trupiano said the amount spent so far in fiscal year 2025 does not yet account for the $425 million in shelter cash included in the shelter bill.

“Unfortunately, this is exactly what we predicted. Without meaningful reform, Democratic leaders will continue to waste valuable resources — funds that could be used to fix decaying schools or provide direct relief to struggling municipalities,” Trupiano said in a statement.

POLITICO Massachusetts Playbook:

DESANTISLAND — Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis picked up another two backers in the Bay State after this week's debate: Republicans state Sen. Ryan Fattman and state Rep. Kelly Pease .

POLITICO Massachusetts Playbook:
DESANTISLAND — One of GOP state Rep. Peter Durant ’s first big actions as state senator-elect: endorsing Ron DeSantis for president, per the Florida governor's campaign.

THIS IS THE CLOWN THAT PETER DURANT ENDORSED:
NOTE: GREAT BARRINGTON DECLARATION is a DIRTY ENERGY KOCH funded think tank - it's a SCAM!

Ron DeSantis' New Surgeon General Appeared in 'Demon Sperm' Doctor's COVID Conspiracy Video

excerpt:
One of the video's main speakers, Dr. Stella Immanuel, is a physician who operates a medical clinic in a Texas strip mall next to her church, Firepower Ministries. In the video, she called hydroxychloroquine a "cure" and said, "You don't need a mask" to prevent the virus' spread.

Immanuel has claimed that ovarian cysts and endometriosis are caused by "demonic seed." Demons insert sperm into sleeping individuals when they have sex in their dreams, Immanuel claimed in articles on her church's website.

Ladapo has also promoted the anti-parasite medication ivermectin as a treatment for COVID-19 symptoms. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has advised against using ivermectin as a COVID-19 treatment.

In October 2020, Ladapo signed the Great Barrington Declaration, a statement that called for developing societal herd immunity to COVID-19 through natural infection.

PETER DURANT, SEN, RYAN FATTMAN (WITH A FAMILY HISTORY OF CAMPAIGN ABUSE) & REP. KELLY PEASE ARE THE MASS GOP DIM WITS WHO ENDORSED DESANTIS AFTER DESANTIS APPOINTED LADAPO TO PROTECT THE HEALTH OF FLORIDA. DR. LADAPO ENDORSED & PROMOTED THE DEMON SPERM DOCTOR...

Ron DeSantis' New Surgeon General Appeared in 'Demon Sperm' Doctor's COVID Conspiracy Video

https://www.newsweek.com/ron-desantis-new-surgeon-general-appeared-demon-sperm-doctors-covid-conspiracy-video-1631372

Sen. Peter Durant, a Spencer Republican, said he was surprised to learn the state has already spent $520 million in fiscal year 2025 because he thought reducing the number of hotels and motels would save more money.

“It’s higher than I expected, and I’ll tell you why, because the last briefing that we just had with the Governor’s Office had indicated that they had been aggressively shutting down shelters for most of this fiscal year,” he told the Herald.

THIS IS A STATE-WIDE PROBLEM & REPUBLICANS OFFER NO SOLUTIONS! LEAVING PEOPLE IN THE COLD IS NOT A SOLUTION!

On a cold night, looking for New Bedford’s unhoused

The annual overnight census provides a snapshot of New Bedford’s homeless population. The 24-hour continuous effort is one of more than 400 censuses that take place on the same night in towns and cities across America.

https://newbedfordlight.org/on-a-cold-night-looking-for-new-bedfords-unhoused/

— “Auditor says it’s the voters, not politics, behind a push for an audit of the Legislature,” by Matthew Medsgar, Boston Herald: “State Auditor Diana DiZoglio is pushing back on claims by the Speaker of the House that her pursuit of an audit of the Legislature is somehow politically motivated, and she says that her office is in the middle of asking the courts to intervene with the Attorney General on behalf of the voters who overwhelmingly approved Question 1 last fall. DiZoglio says House Speaker Ron Mariano is “breaking the law” approved by seven out of ten Bay State voters during last fall’s election, which ostensibly should allow her office to conduct audits of the State Legislature.”

FROM THE HUB

*****SLASHING EPA THREATENS HEALTH & SAFETY, REWARDS POLLUTERS!****

— “Boston's EPA workers describe ‘disaster’ of being targeted by Trump,” by Craig LeMoult, GBH News: “It’s a tough time to work for the Environmental Protection Agency. ‘It’s a disaster,’ one employee told GBH News. ‘Every day there is some new horror.’ With the EPA among the federal workforces targeted in the Trump administration’s quest to slash the size and reach of the federal government, current employees describe a demoralized and frightened workforce still attempting to do their jobs, despite ongoing setbacks to their mission.”

PREP WORK — The city has hired Cahill Gordon & Reindel to help prep Boston Mayor Michelle Wu for Wednesday’s hearing before Congress. The city brought the firm on at a rate of $950/hour, according to Wu’s office, and expected to pay up to $650,000 for legal work related to the hearing, committee investigation and production of documents.

THE RACE FOR CITY HALL

THE NEWTON NEBBISH, SHORT ON FACTS, SHORT ON SOLUTIONS, FAULTS WHITE STADIUM WHILE THE KRAFT EVERETT FIASCO THREATENS! CAN'T FILE ON TIME?

FLASH IN THE PAN!

SCRUTINIZE THIS CANDIDATE BEFORE SUPPORTING!

DOLLAR SIGNS — Boston mayoral hopeful Josh Kraft raised $$337,658 in the first month after officially announcing his candidacy, according to his campaign, “a sign of the momentum” for the first-time candidate, the announcement read.

Kraft’s donors include Herb Chambers , New Balance Chair Jim Davis , restaurateur Thomas Kershaw as well as several real estate and development executives, family members. Kraft’s filing for the month wasn’t posted as of early this morning.

Boston Mayor Michelle Wu pulled in $1,761,011 last month, according to campaign finance filings , putting her total cash on hand at the end of February at $1.76 million.

WHAT'S ON CAMPBELL'S DOCKET

— “Massachusetts attorney general announces new regulations against 'junk fees',” by Phil Tenser, WCVB: “Starting later this year, new regulations will prohibit so-called "junk fees," requiring businesses operating in Massachusetts to disclose charges upfront and enable the easy cancellation of trial offers. Regulations announced Monday by Attorney General Andrea Campbell will become effective on Sept. 2. She said the rules ‘make clear that hidden 'junk fees' and related billing practices violate the Massachusetts Consumer Protection Act.’ Under that law, the attorney general has the power to make rules and combat unfair business practices.”

MIGRANTS IN MASSACHUSETTS

— “Local Haitians, Venezuelans sue Trump administration over changes to temporary protected status,” by Sarah Betancourt, GBH News: “A Boston-based civil rights advocacy organization is suing the Trump administration over its efforts to ultimately revoke legal status for many Haitian and Venezuelan immigrants. Lawyers for Civil Rights filed a lawsuit Monday that’s seeking to halt that change, challenging Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem’s authority to vacate extensions of temporary protected status.”

FROM THE 413

— “DOGE slashes funding for Western Mass. group fighting housing discrimination,” by Namu Sampath, The Springfield Republican: “A Holyoke organization tasked with investigating violations of the Fair Housing Act faces an uncertain future after the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development said it was terminating the grant that made up more than half its budget. According to a letter sent to the Massachusetts Fair Housing Center last Thursday by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, the organization has lost $425,000 in congressionally-approved funding that it received to enforce the Fair Housing Act, said Maureen St. Cyr, the executive director.”

THE LOCAL ANGLE

****MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTING! ****

— “Lightning may have struck already-damaged Vineyard Wind turbine blade,” by Heather McCarron, Cape Cod Times: “A lightning strike on the same Vineyard Wind turbine that suffered a catastrophic blade failure last summer has once again thrown the spotlight on the offshore wind farm. According to the U.S. Coast Guard, lightning struck the turbine known as AW-38 on Feb. 27."

excerpt:

According to the U.S. Coast Guard, lightning struck the turbine known as AW-38 on Feb. 27. An advisory issued by the First District Command Center on Feb. 28, which has been posted on social media, indicated that the turbine "caught fire, and detached," but that a fishing boat that was nearby reported "no sign of debris." Nevertheless, a Safety Marine Information Broadcast "for hazard to navigation" was issued as a precaution.

In a statement released Monday morning, the Coast Guard noted it has "no active involvement in response efforts" at this time, but that it remains in contact with Vineyard Wind." As of Sunday afternoon, the Coast Guard reported "there are no reported navigational hazards or Coast Guard enforcement actions related to the incident."

— “‘This is the moment’ for Voc-Tech admissions reform,” by Colin Hogan, The New Bedford Light: “A new proposal by Gov. Maura Healey that would require an admissions lottery at Vocational-Technical high schools is the state’s most significant move to reform admission practices, which have been criticized for unfairly excluding students from the popular career-training schools.”

— “'We are broke': B-R families, teachers hold rally 'begging' for override to fund schools,” by Emma Rindlisbacher, Taunton Daily Gazette: “Dozens of B-R parents and teachers rallied for increased funding for the school district and in favor of Proposition 2 ½ overrides Friday. Bridgewater-Raynham Superintendent of Schools Ryan Powers is asking the towns for a 30.8% increase in funding for the upcoming school year to help bring down class sizes. Meanwhile, the towns are mulling upping their payments to the school district by a tiny fraction of that amount — by less than 5% — a figure that would leave the district millions of dollars short of even a level services budget, the superintendent said.”

PAY WALL

— “Colleges issue guidance to Mass. international students around travel plans and paperwork,” by Emily Piper-Vallillo, WBUR: “Massachusetts colleges and universities are doubling down on guidance to international students in the wake of immigration-related executive actions from the Trump administration. Schools like Emerson College, MIT and Boston University advised international students to keep their immigration paperwork on them at all times.”

— “Draft plan to restore, protect Cape Cod's freshwater ponds released,” by Heather McCarron, Cape Cod Times.

excerpt:

The Cape Cod Commission has unveiled a new draft plan aimed at supporting the health of Cape Cod’s many freshwater ponds and lakes and is inviting public review and comment.

The Cape Cod Freshwater Strategy outlines a science-backed roadmap to protect the region's valuable freshwater ecosystems, focusing on water quality, habitat preservation, and long-term sustainability.

"We're excited to get this out into the public," said Cape Cod Commission Executive Director Kristy Senatori.

Two informational meetings are schedule this week to introduce the public to the details of the plan and begin collecting public comments.

The first meeting will be held in person on March 4, starting at 2 p.m., at the Mary Pat Flynn Conference Room, Barnstable County Complex, 2195 Main St., Barnstable. The second meeting on March 6 will be a virtual session, which can be accessed by visiting https://capecodcommission.org/freshwater/join or calling in to 929-205-6099 and entering meeting ID 943 7659 5383.

Funded by Barnstable County, the plan has been several years in the making and is a component of the regional water strategy, offering a coordinated, Cape-wide approach, with towns, pond organizations and community stakeholders working in tandem to tackle the challenges faced by the Cape's hundreds of freshwater bodies.

"There has been a long-standing need for more focus on our freshwater plans," Senatori said.

Freshwater ponds and lakes on Cape Cod

The Cape boasts 890 freshwater ponds and lakes, which play a role in the overall reduction of nutrients in water as it flows out toward the region's coastal waters.

The freshwater plan suggests 13 targeted recommendations, including expanding funding for the Regional Pond Monitoring Program, developing a regional funding program for town projects, integrating pond health into municipal planning, and developing model wetland bylaws and orders of conditions.

“The health of Cape Cod’s freshwater ponds is at risk. The Freshwater Initiative established a science-based approach to understanding these challenges and resulted in an actionable plan to protect and restore these invaluable resources," Senatori said.

Where to find water quality data

The draft plan also highlights practical tools, such as the Cape Cod Water Quality Data Portal, which provides up-to-date water quality information, and the Freshwater Pond Buffer Guidance to help homeowners and municipalities protect fragile pond ecosystems.

Comments of the draft freshwater strategy will be accepted through Monday, March 17. Written comments can be submitted via the online form at https://cccom.link/fws-comments, by email to frontdesk@capecodcommission.org, or by mail to: Cape Cod Commission, PO Box 226, 3225 Main Street, Barnstable, MA

For more details and to access the draft strategy, visit www.capecodcommission.org/freshwater.

Heather McCarron writes about climate change, environment, energy, science and the natural world, in addition to news and features in Barnstable and Brewster. Reach her at hmccarron@capecodonline.com

MEANWHILE IN RHODE ISLAND

— “New McKee campaign video confirms he’ll run for reelection in 2026,” by Ted Nesi, WPRI: “Gov. Dan McKee took a new step toward seeking another term on Monday, releasing a video that makes the case for his first four years leading Rhode Island and for keeping him in the job through 2030. McKee’s campaign put out the nearly two-minute video on the fourth anniversary of his first full day in office, and more than a year before the 2026 gubernatorial primary. McKee took office in March 2021, in the midst of the pandemic, when Gina Raimondo stepped down to join then-President Biden’s cabinet.”

HEARD ‘ROUND THE BUBBLAH

HAPPY BIRTHDAY — to Jonathan Kraft, Rene Fielding, Henry Barrett, Deborah Ziskind and the Daily Hampshire Gazette’s Bera Dunau. Happy belated to Senate Court Officer Paul Dooley, who celebrated Saturday.

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