“The president has the capacity to fire everybody in his Cabinet. ... But he does not have the legal authority to fire the chairman of the Fed. The Fed is supposed to be independent,” Warren said on CNN Wednesday night.
Dumping Powell could crash the stock market, she said on MSNBC Thursday morning. "If Donald Trump destroys [the Fed’s independence], then he brings down those markets," Warren said. "He burns something of value to the United States."
On Wednesday, Trump publicly backed off comments he reportedly made to congressional Republicans suggesting he might fire Powell — in part because lawyers warned him the dismissal might not hold up in court, POLITICO reported Thursday. Fed chairs can only be removed “for cause,” and the legal experts doubted the pricey renovations to an aging office building would withstand legal scrutiny.
Warren’s defense is an unlikely turn for the sole senator to vote against advancing Powell's nomination in 2017. Since then, Warren has remained a vocal critic of Powell. She’s described him as “a dangerous man” to lead the Fed, and in 2023 implied President Joe Biden should remove him from the position.
Warren’s advocacy to prevent Powell’s ouster, however, doesn’t mean he’s won her over. “Independence does not mean impunity, and I have long pushed for more transparency and accountability at the Fed,” she said during a speech before economists Wednesday.
GOOD FRIDAY MORNING, MASSACHUSETTS. TGIF!
TODAY — Gov. Maura Healey has no public events.
THIS WEEKEND — Norfolk County Sheriff Patrick McDermott, head of the Massachusetts Sheriffs Association, is on WBZ’s “Keller @ Large” at 8:30 a.m. Sunday. State Sen. Dylan Fernandes is on WCVB’s “On the Record” at 11 a.m. Sunday.
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DATELINE BEACON HILL
— Despite rapidly declining numbers and closure of hotels, Healey administration says emergency shelter system still in crisis by Samantha J. Gross, The Boston Globe: “The number of families living in the state’s once-overwhelmed emergency shelter system is half of what it was at its peak. Governor Maura Healey insists the costs, which ballooned to $1 billion last year, are coming down, and the government is six months ahead of its deadline to end the widespread use of hotels and motels as family shelters. But the Healey administration says the shelter system is still in crisis. State officials last Friday extended a formal emergency declaration, asserting that even though the number of families in shelter is below the cap set by the Legislature, the state still cannot keep up with the demand. Healey officials say they issued the declaration specifically so they can continue to impose restrictions on shelters, such as limiting who gets priority for beds and how long they can stay.”
— State lawmaker pleads guilty to drunk driving charges by Walter Wuthmann, WBUR: “Watertown state Rep. John Lawn pleaded guilty to drunk driving charges on Monday in Boston Municipal Court after a not guilty plea had been previously entered on his behalf earlier in the morning. He admitted to driving under the influence and leaving the scene of a crash near the State House. Lawn faces fines, alcohol treatment and education and a 45-day driver's license suspension. Both charges will be continued without a finding if Lawn maintains a clean record a one year.”
House Speaker Ron Mariano told the Boston Herald’s Joe Dwinell that it was “aberrant behavior” for Lawn, who he believes will “use this as a reset.”
Mariano also shut down one question that bubbled up after the Watertown representative reportedly told police he was coming from an event at the State House: “He had not had a drink when we left the State House,” Mariano told the Herald.
FROM THE HUB
— Boston Mayor Wu touts office to housing conversion success, with 100-plus units under construction by Gayla Cawley, Boston Herald: “Mayor Michelle Wu gleefully took a sledgehammer to the walls of an eight-story South Boston building to break ground on the city’s largest office-to-residential conversion project to date, accounting for 77 of the 141 such units under construction. Wu, flanked by her planning and housing chiefs, key state elected officials, including ally Rep. Aaron Michlewitz, and developers behind the latest project, spoke to how Thursday’s milestone marking the first 100 office-to-housing units under construction seeks to make a small dent in the city’s housing crisis.”
BOSTON HERALD PROPAGANDA RAG PAYWALL - DESPERATE FOR SUBSCRIBERS!
— Parents’ group sues over BPS exam school admissions, alleging discrimination against white students by Christopher Huffaker, The Boston Globe: “A group representing parents whose children were denied admission to Boston’s prestigious exam schools filed a lawsuit on Thursday against the school district, alleging racial discrimination by proxy in the schools’ admissions system. The group, which also represents parents whose children plan to apply to the school, is seeking to block the district from continuing to use the admissions system the School Committee adopted in 2021 which divides the city up into socioeconomic ‘tiers’ students compete within. The lawsuits also ask that the group members’ children who were denied admission to one or more exam schools be admitted to the school of their choice.”
— For T riders, the shutdown fatigue is real by Jeremy Siegel, GBH News: “The slow zones are gone. The shutdowns are shorter. But T riders are still frustrated by the deluge of recent service changes that have forced riders off of trains and onto shuttle buses. For the second week in a row, the MBTA is closing down a key piece of the Red Line for three days. Starting Thursday at 8:30 p.m., trains won’t run through Downtown Boston until Monday morning, with shuttle buses replacing service between Kendall/MIT and JFK/UMass as crews conduct routine maintenance work and track repairs.”
excerpts:
Over the past two years, the MBTA has been working to get it together, taking dramatic measures to improve service. When General Manager Phil Eng stepped in as the T’s new leader in April 2023, he promised to lift dreaded slow zones on all subway lines by the end of 2024.
Signs posted outside of Downtown Crossing alert riders to planned closures on a significant portion of the Red Line.
Jeremy Siegel GBH News
In order to do that, the agency instituted a series of staggered closures on portions of every line in order to replace more than 140,000 feet of rail and upgrade the system’s aging infrastructure. It was an ambitious and aggressive plan, but it worked. By January 1, 2025, the system was entirely free of speed resstrictions for the first time in 20 years.
DAY IN COURT
— Massachusetts trash strike: Greater Boston cities, towns take Republic Services to court by Lance Reynolds, Boston Herald: “Greater Boston communities at the center of the ongoing sanitation worker strike are taking Republic Services to court, seeking immediate relief as trash piles mount, attracting rats and giving off a sickening stench. Gov. Maura Healey is backing the six cities and towns that have filed a complaint in Essex County Superior Court, calling for the waste management giant to resolve its dispute with striking members of Teamsters Local 25.”
BOSTON HERALD PROPAGANDA RAG PAYWALL - DESPERATE FOR SUBSCRIBERS!
EYES ON 2026
— Rep. Seth Moulton draws a primary challenge after criticism over trans athlete remarks by Samantha J. Gross, The Boston Globe: “Bethany Andres-Beck, a software engineer and Democratic activist, is launching a primary challenge to six-term US Representative Seth Moulton, who caught flak last year after he made remarks about how trans athletes and identity politics contributed to Democrats’ November losses. Andres-Beck, who identifies as transgender, said that Moulton is ‘exactly wrong on the strategy piece’ when it comes to the transgender community, and that his comments are ‘part and parcel of being out of touch with America.’”
***MUST READ! IMPRESSIVE & DETAILED ARTICLE BY WBUR!
THIS IS REPORTING WE NEED! REMEMBER TO SUPPORT PBS & NPR!***
— Did Gabriel House ever conduct fire drills? Here's what Fall River inspection reports say by Dan Medeiros, The Herald News: “Residents who were evacuated from Gabriel House assisted living facility after the deadly July 13 fire did not paint a pretty picture of the building. The city on July 16 and 17 released Building and Fire Department reports for the last several years. Despite residents' concerns, the documents show a facility that, though occasionally hit with bedbug and roach problems, was up to code and passed all fire safety inspections the last six years running — including holding fire drills, which some residents have claimed did not occur.”
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FROM THE 413
— Chicopee native announces candidacy for at-large city councilor position by Namu Sampath, The Springfield Republican: “A Chicopee native has thrown her hat in the ring for one of the vacant at-large city councilor positions. Jessica L. Avery, who works in credit union advocacy, announced her campaign in a statement Thursday. Avery’s priorities include housing, support for veterans and seniors, and removing barriers to government access.”
THE LOCAL ANGLE
— Methuen seeks extension in police discrimination lawsuit by Teddy Tauscher, The Eagle-Tribune: “After a judge ordered the city to produce 10 years of documents in a police discrimination lawsuit, city lawyers said they have located 600,000 new emails and attachments, equating to nearly a million pages, which must now be reviewed by outside counsel. In an emergency motion made on Tuesday, city attorneys asked for more time to examine the documents, which were supposed to be due to the court on July 15. On April 24, 2024, Methuen Detective Charles DeJesus filed a sweeping lawsuit claiming that for decades he and members of the community have been the victims of racial discrimination by the police department. The city has denied his allegations.”
PAY WALL
— Liberty Gas looking for state approval to sharply increase rates for Attleboro area by Stephen Peterson, The Sun Chronicle: “Liberty, the natural gas company for part of the Attleboro area — North Attleboro, Plainville and Wrentham, is looking for state approval to increase rates by a substantial amount and revamp its rate system. Liberty Utilities (New England Natural Gas Company) Corp., doing business as Liberty, has filed a petition with the state Department of Public Utilities for an increase in gas base distribution rates, according to a full page ad on page B7 in Friday’s Sun Chronicle.”
excerpts:
The net effect of the request, according to the company, is expected to be a 55.5% rate increase, on average, across all customers on a total bill basis, and an increase of about 45% in total operating revenues.
The DPU has suspended the effective date of the proposed rate increase until May 1, 2026, to investigate the request.
The department has scheduled a public hearing on the request for Sept. 30 in North Attleboro. The hearing is slated to begin at 7 p.m. at North Attleboro High School off Landry Avenue.
Liberty was last granted an increase in gas base distribution rates in 2016.
The proposed increase is in addition to changes in other rates that occur during the year.
Liberty seeks to increase the gas base distribution rates to generate roughly $55.8 million in additional revenues.
Liberty said the requested increase includes the transfer of capital investments made from 2015 through 2024 as part of the company’s gas system enhancement program to base distribution rates.
Liberty states that its cost of service and revenue deficiency reflects the company’s acquisition of Blackstone Gas Company in 2020, and the company’s filing addresses the recovery of integration costs and other issues related to that acquisition.
Liberty also seeks to recover over a five-year period, about $50 million, including interest, representing the balance of deferred, unrecovered, previously authorized gas system enhancement program-related revenue requirements.
The company proposes to begin recovering the interest associated with the deferral balance on June 1, 2026, but to delay beginning recovery of the deferral balance until July 1, 2027.
Also in the DPU filing, Liberty proposes to implement a performance-based ratemaking plan, which would allow the company to adjust its base distribution rates each year using a revenue cap benchmark.
****DEPORTATION OF NON-CRIMINAL IMMIGRANTS!****
— New Bedford woman denied bond at immigration hearing by Kevin G. Andrade, The New Bedford Light: “A New Bedford mother of three was denied bond in immigration court Thursday — a decision likely related to a recent policy memo issued by ICE that disallows bonds for those who entered the U.S. illegally. Yury Melissa Aguiriano-Romero, 35, an asylum applicant from Honduras, was denied bond by Immigration Judge Natalie Smith during a hearing at Chelmsford Immigration Court regarding a reopened asylum claim.”
excerpt:
CHELMSFORD — A New Bedford mother of three was denied bond in immigration court Thursday — a decision likely related toa recent policy memoissued by ICE that disallows bonds for those who entered the U.S. illegally.
Yury Melissa Aguiriano-Romero, 35, an asylum applicant from Honduras, was denied bond by Immigration Judge Natalie Smith during a hearing at Chelmsford Immigration Court regarding a reopened asylum claim.
“Based on the current law before this court,” Smith said at the hearing’s conclusion, “client remains ineligible for bond.”
A legal team led by immigration attorney Robin Nice filed the new asylum claim and motion to stay removal on Aguiriano-Romero’s behalf on June 25, more than three weeks after U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement took her into custody during a check-in at an Intensive Supervision Appearance Program in Framingham. Her original asylum claim was rejected in February 2023.
“I think I was hopeful that it would be a different outcome,” Nice said. “But not shocking is how I can best describe it.”
The bond denial comes after Todd Lyons, acting director of ICE, issued a policy memo on July 8 that states those who arrived in the U.S. illegally are no longer eligible for bond hearings and subject to indefinite detention for the duration of their removal proceedings, which could be months or years long.
That was, in essence, the brief argument an ICE official made during the 15-minute hearing.
“[She was] apprehended at the border and present without being admitted or paroled,” said Casey Christo, assistant chief counsel for ICE. He cited that as the chief reason for her ineligibility for bond.
The memo, in Nice’s estimation, reinforced a May 15 decision by the Board of Immigration Appeals, the nation’s highest immigration court. The decision in the Matter of Q. Li found that those who enter the country and are detained without a warrant are not eligible for bond.
“DHS is now filing these very boiler plate motions — it’s like a two-paragraph thing,” Nice said regarding today’s move. “There’s no specificity.”
“This certainly goes hand in hand [with the memo],” she said. “But I think the underlying thing was the Matter of Q. Li.”
Dana Lopez-Flores, a law student under Nice’s supervision, argued that Aguiriano-Romero had already been released on personal recognizance and with check-ins as a condition after her original detainment in 2021. She argued that Aguiriano-Romero is subject to a different section of the Immigration and Naturalization Act that allows those detained under warrant and whose deportation proceedings are pending to be released on bond.
Lopez-Flores said other courts appeared to agree with her argument.
“Several district court judges are finding individuals in similar circumstances are bond-eligible,” she told Smith.
Nice said they intend to continue to pursue Aguiriano-Romero’s release through a habeas corpus petition filed in U.S. District Court in Massachusetts. They said they intend to file an update in that case by Thursday and reserved the right to appeal the decision in immigration court as well.
The hearing and decision came after a 3.5-hour delay when authorities at the Chittenden Regional Correctional Facility in South Burlington, Vermont — where she has been held since June 16 — said they did not realize she was scheduled for a hearing that morning.
Aguiriano-Romero’s case
The mother of three, including one U.S. citizen born shortly after her arrival in the U.S. in 2021, Aguiriano-Romero has said she was a youth organizer for the Partido Nacional in her native Honduras when partisans of the opposing Partido Liberal began to harass her and her family. According to documents filed in U.S. District Court in Massachusetts, she was sexually assaulted on multiple occasions and her brother — another worker with Partido Nacional — was murdered.
In 2021, she and her husband, Victor Emilio Murillo-Avila, along with two children, came to the U.S. seeking asylum. Their original lawyer sought relief under the claim of Murillo-Avila. An immigration judge denied that claim in February 2023 due to insufficient evidence and ordered their removal.
Following the denial of their asylum claim, the couple was placed in ISAP, an ICE electronic surveillance program for immigrants awaiting court proceedings or deportation. They continue to insist that a return to Honduras would be unsafe for themselves and their children.
According to documents filed in U.S. District Court, ICE initially transported Aguiriano-Romero to the ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Field Office in Burlington, Massachusetts. In an affidavit filed as evidence, Aguiriano-Romero said she was given poor quality food, only mylar blankets with which to sleep on the floor, and had to share three sanitary napkins with 18 other women while menstruating — conditions U.S. District Court Judge Brian E. Murphy called abhorrent during a hearing on June 13.
Shortly after her detention, a family friend filed a habeas corpus petition in U.S. District Court Massachusetts to ensure she was not moved without notification. Judge Murphy allowed ICE to move her to Vermont following the June 13 hearing.
Nice said the facility is an upgrade in conditions for Aguiriano-Romero, though it is relative.
“When she starts talking about her kids, she starts sobbing,” she said.
Murillo-Avila and the couple’s two older children have master hearings scheduled in the Boston Immigration Court in May 2026.
Email Kevin G. Andrade at kandrade@newbedfordlight.org
HEARD ‘ROUND THE BUBBLAH
WELCOME TO THE WORLD — Former Boston City Councilor Matt O’Malley, chief sustainability officer at Vicinity Energy, and Kathryn Niforos, communications director for Vineyard Offshore, welcomed Matilda Georgia O’Malley on July 1. Pic!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY — to former state Rep. Paul Schmid, former state Rep. Jeff Sanchez, Nate Everett, Sarah Iselin, Michael Bakshi, Emerson College lecturer Keri Thompson, Amy Sweeney, Eddie Flannery and Sarah Kashinsky.
HAPPY BIRTHWEEKEND — to Milton state Sen. Walter Timilty, Jordan Meehan, state Rep. Simon Cataldo and Google’s Catherine Cloutier, who celebrate Saturday; and to Sunday birthday-ers to former state Rep. Eugene O’Flaherty, Krista Zalatores, Mass. native and POLITICO alum and David Giambusso.
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