WBUR TODAY: Mass. pols push for vote after Iran attack

            

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❤️ Donate Monday, March 2, 2026 ☀️ Sunny but cold, with a high near 27. Good Morning Boston, It's the first Monday of March. A quick PSA for MBTA riders that Orange Line service south of Back Bay will continue to be replaced by shuttle buses through this Sunday due to signal work. Meanwhile, the Red Line's Braintree branch will also slow down and run at reduced levels after 8 p.m. for the next two weeks (also for signal work). Now, let's get to the news: Members of Massachusetts' congressional delegation are pushing for a vote this week to limit the president's war powers, after the Trump administration launched surprise attacks on Iran early Saturday. Catch up: The airstrikes — which were launched without approval from Congress — killed Iran's longtime supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and more than 500 others in the country, according to a local humanitarian group. As of this morning , the conflict has escalated across the Middle East, with at least a half-dozen countries struck by counterattacks from Iran and its proxies. President Trump said yesterday that three American military members have been killed and that "there will likely be more before it ends." The local view: Across the party, Massachusetts Democrats said they will vote for a war powers resolution that seeks to block further U.S. military action in Iran without congressional approval. In a statement Saturday, Sen. Elizabeth Warren stressed that only Congress has the constitutional authority to declare war. Rep. Jake Auchincloss told WBUR's Paul Connearney that he hopes it's " the first in a series of both votes and debates" in Congress about the approach to Iran. Auchincloss said Congress should pass a bipartisan plan "based upon American air supremacy in the region, which is vital to our security interests, and also a policy of mutual non interference, where if Iran stops interfering in the affairs of other nations, America will not interfere in Iran's domestic affairs." Others were more skeptical of any military involvement.  "After the experience in Iraq, after the experience in Afghanistan, here we are again, with the threat of another very long war in the Middle East, a very expensive war," Rep. Stephen Lynch told Paul. What's next: NPR reports that it's unclear if the war powers resolution has enough support for initial passage, not to mention the two-thirds majority in both chambers of Congress needed to override a likely veto from Trump. The vast majority of Republicans, and even a few Democrats, oppose the measure. On the streets: According to The Boston Globe, both anti-war and celebratory demonstrations took place in Boston this weekend. Go deeper: NPR has the latest on the ongoing conflict here — including on rising oil prices, satellite images of the war's damage so far and a timeline of events in U.S.-Iranian relations that led to this moment in the first place. Worcester's new wheels: Twenty new electric school buses are hitting the streets in Worcester this morning. Worcester Public Schools was able to purchase the fleet and build charging stations for them with $8 million in state and federal grant funding. In a statement , WPS said the electric buses cost about 40-60% less than a gas-powered bus in annual maintenance. And as WBUR's Dan Guzman reports, they're also expected to result in a quieter ride — both inside and outside the bus. How? Michael Freeman, the district's administrative director of operations, said that, like electric cars, electric buses run quieter. That means students don't have to talk as loud to hear each other. "Students actually lower their voices, so it actually becomes a very quiet ride for the driver," Freeman said. "So it's a little bit safer for him, he doesn't have to yell so much to talk over students." Looking ahead: Electric buses now make up 15% of Worcester's fleet. Freeman says they're not currently planning to replace their gas-powered school buses anytime soon. But if these electric buses perform well, they may consider expanding the fleet in the future, he said. Heads up: The New England Revolution were forced to postpone this Saturday's home opener, after last week's blizzard delayed the installation of the new natural grass field at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough. (The stadium was required to replace its artificial turf field in order to host World Cup games later this year.) The Revs' first home game will now be played on March 15. P.S.— Set your alarms early tomorrow. A "blood moon" lunar eclipse may be visible just above the horizon in Massachusetts early Tuesday morning. Danielle Noyes has more details here on the eclipse and what else the skies have in store for us this week. Hanna Ali Associate Producer, Newsletters The Rundown In unsolved murder cases, families go years without updates WBUR found district attorneys deny requests for case files and updates by saying investigations are still open — even in cases where years have passed with no new suspects or evidence. It's a more common experience for Black and Hispanic families, whose loved ones make up a far higher proportion of unsolved homicides in the state. Read more. Supreme Court ponders law making it a crime for gun owners to use marijuana The law, the same one used to prosecute Joe Biden's son for illegal gun possession, has united an array of strange bedfellows, from conservative gun rights groups to liberal civil liberties groups. Read more. Life expectancy gap grows between Black Bostonians and others A new Boston Public Health Commission report found Black women in Boston die at 80, on average, six years earlier than other women. Black men average nine fewer years of life than others, living to 72. Read more. Mass. inspector general calls sheriffs’ budget process ‘opaque, chaotic and deeply flawed' Inspector General Jeffrey Shapiro said the sheriffs’ budgeting problems start with the state budget. The commonwealth “routinely” underfunds sheriffs, he wrote, with the understanding that departments will get more money later in the year to cover overruns. Read more. OpenAI announces Pentagon deal after Trump bans Anthropic Shortly after the president's ban of artificial intelligence company Anthropic, rival OpenAI announced it had done a deal with the Defense Department to provide its technology for classified networks. Read more. Anything Else? Massachusetts logged two cases of measles last week, the first since July 2024. But officials say there's no sign the virus is spreading in the state. "Fortunately, thanks to high vaccination rates, the risk to most Massachusetts residents remains low," said Dr. Robbie Goldstein, commissioner for the state's department of public health. How long do electric vehicle batteries last? When the modern EV industry was still in its infancy, drivers worried they would need expensive battery replacements within a few years. But a new study shows those batteries are lasting longer than expected. "We Had A World," an autobiographical play by Joshua Harmon, is running through March 15 at the Huntington Theatre. "Families can be complicated. And Harmon’s is no different," theater critic Jacquinn Sinclair writes in her review of the production. It's officially "Maple Month" in Massachusetts. Click here to learn more about the special activities local sugarhouses have planned for visitors this March. What We're Reading 📚 Olympic gold medalist Alysa Liu brings her joy, inspiration to figure skating exhibition at Skating Club of Boston (The Boston Globe) Claude dethrones ChatGPT as top U.S. app after Pentagon saga (Axios) Elite Doctors Served Epstein While Treating His 'Girls' (The New York Times)  Tell Me Something Good Hilary Knight gets the last laugh on 'SNL' appearance featuring U.S. hockey gold medal winners This time it was Knight’s turn to provide a big laugh — with an assist from the “Saturday Night Live” writers — in the wake of a weeklong dust-up involving the U.S. women and men’s gold medal-winning hockey teams. Knight, along with teammate Megan Keller and men’s team brothers Jack and Quinn Hughes, made an appearance during “Heated Rivalry” star Connor Storrie’s opening monologue on SNL. Read more. Play: WBUR's daily mini crossword. Can you keep your streak going? Before you go: "Thar she snows!" 😎 Forward to a friend. They can sign up here. 🔎 Explore WBUR's Field Guide stories, events and more. 📣 Give us your feedback: newsletters@wbur.org 📧 Get more WBUR stories sent to your inbox. Check out all of our newsletter offerings. 📱 Download the WBUR App for iPhones and iPads or Android devices.               Interested in learning more about corporate sponsorship? Click here. Trustees of Boston University on behalf of WBUR 890 Commonwealth Ave Boston, MA, 02215, US Copyright © 2026 WBUR-FM, All rights reserved.

DISCUSSION FROM THE DWORKIN REPORT: JAMES TALARICO THIS IS A MUST READ! James Talarico Is a Ticking Time Bomb, and Democrats Are Sleepwalking Into Disaster

           

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COMMENT: 

Talarico accepted AIPAC $$.

REPLLY: 

Where did you get that information?

I did not find AIPAC listed, even on OPEN SECRETS, but MIRIAM ADELSON has always funded ISRAEL GENEROUSLY.

Some of these donors are funding candidates to LEGALIZE CASINO GAMBING in TEXAS.

Dem darling showered with Miriam Adelson-linked money

A group funded by Adelson was the biggest donor to James Talarico’s campaign last year.

https://www.politico.com/news/2025/08/21/james-talarico-miriam-adelson-billionaire-donations-00517288

https://christopherbouzy.substack.com/p/james-talarico-is-a-ticking-time?r=2xqpek&utm_medium=ios

James Talarico Is a Ticking Time Bomb, and Democrats Are Sleepwalking Into Disaster

His state campaign filings tell a story that Republican operatives will use against him if he is the nominee

Christopher Bouzy

Feb 26, 2026

I’ve been publicly warning about James Talarico for weeks now, and every time I do, the response is the same: “he’s more electable” and “he can flip Texas.” Make no mistake. James Talarico isn’t just unvetted, he is carrying campaign finance baggage so severe that nominating him would hand the Trump administration the ammunition it needs to bury Democratic hopes of flipping Texas.

The argument for Talarico over Rep. Jasmine Crockett has always rested on one word: electability. He’s young, charismatic, and looks good on a podcast. But electability means nothing if your candidate is sitting on potential campaign finance violations that his opponents haven’t even begun to exploit.

I had received several tips, including one from a journalist, so I pulled his Texas Ethics Commission filings to confirm, and what I discovered was problematic.

Starting in July 2025, Talarico’s state campaign began paying a company called Mamo Strategies, LLC. The filings show payments of $8,000 on August 5, $8,000 on September 1, and $5,000 on July 7 to Andrew Mamo personally. On the state disclosure forms, these were categorized as “Office Overhead/Rental Expense” and also “Consulting Service.” The listed address? 47 Beekman Avenue, Sleepy Hollow, New York. Not Austin. Not anywhere in Texas. New York.

That Sleepy Hollow address doesn’t belong to a consulting office. It belongs to the law practice of Anthony Mamo, Jr., Andrew’s father, who set up Mamo Strategies for his son. Andrew Mamo isn’t a landlord. He’s a political communications consultant and spokesperson for The Bench, a political group he co-founded with Lis Smith, the famed Democratic operative who turned Pete Buttigieg from an obscure Indiana mayor into a top-tier presidential candidate.

Smith is no stranger to controversy. In 2021, when multiple women accused Governor Andrew Cuomo of sexual harassment, Smith served as part of his “smear team.” New York Attorney General Letitia James’s investigation exposed Smith in text messages and emails, coordinating with Cuomo’s inner circle to discredit his accusers. She leveraged relationships with media figures to plant favorable narratives, privately coached television anchors, and pressured reporters who pushed back. All while publicly presenting herself as an independent source unconnected to the governor’s defense.

Cuomo resigned in disgrace. Smith walked away and kept building political careers. Now those same instincts, the backroom maneuvering, the hidden connections, the public denials that collapse under scrutiny, are shaping a Texas Senate campaign.

Smith and Mamo have worked together for years, from the Buttigieg campaign, to Majority Democrats, to The Bench, the very organization that publicly backed Talarico’s Senate candidacy. And yet, on February 12, Lis Smith posted on X: “Contrary to online rumors, I am not involved in the TX Sen race!” Perhaps. But CBS News reported in 2025 that Smith was serving as an advisor to Talarico. And weeks before that article was even published, her closest professional associate had already begun receiving payments from his state campaign. That’s a lot of coincidences for someone who says she’s not involved.

Let me explain why the categorization matters. Under Texas and federal law, you cannot use state campaign funds for federal campaign activities. That’s not a gray area. But according to a recent New Yorker profile, Talarico knew he was running for the U.S. Senate by May 2025. He participated in a Zoom call with Beto O’Rourke, Joaquin Castro, and Colin Allred about a statewide slate. Yet he didn’t announce his Senate bid until September 9.

So when his state campaign was paying Andrew Mamo, a federal-level political comms consultant operating out of his father’s New York law office, in July and August, what exactly was that money for? There was no state race. Talarico was preparing for his federal campaign while funneling the costs through his state account.

Now imagine it’s October 2026. Talarico is the nominee, and the Trump administration, which has already shown its eagerness to weaponize federal agencies, hands this file to Attorney General Pam Bondi. Imagine the press conferences. The FBI referral. The headlines: “Democratic Senate Nominee Under Federal Investigation for Campaign Finance Fraud.” It wouldn’t matter whether the violations were intentional or sloppy. The damage would be catastrophic. Talarico wouldn’t be running against a Republican. He’d be running against a scandal, drowning in legal fees, and dragging every down-ballot Democrat in Texas into the wreckage.

This isn’t speculation. This is how the Trump playbook works. They don’t need a conviction. They need a narrative. And Talarico has handed them one on a silver platter.

Hidden consulting payments routed through a New York law office. State campaign funds possibly used to build a federal campaign before it was even announced. Every one of these is a thread, and Republican operatives will pull them all. By October, this won’t be a story about a promising young Democrat. It will be a story about a candidate under investigation and hemorrhaging donor confidence.

Democrats should know better, because we’ve lived through this nightmare before. In 2016, Hillary Clinton entered the general election as the most qualified nominee in a generation, and none of it mattered. The FBI investigation into her private email server consumed the campaign. Every news cycle that should have been about policy became about emails. Every debate answer was filtered through suspicion. And when James Comey sent his letter to Congress eleven days before the election, reopening the investigation over what turned out to be nothing, it was the final blow.

Hillary Clinton wasn’t defeated by Donald Trump’s ideas. She was defeated by a cloud of scandal that never lifted. Clinton herself has called that letter the turning point. Now ask yourself: if the Trump administration’s DOJ opens an investigation into Talarico’s campaign finances in October 2026, what happens to the Texas Senate race? What happens to every Democrat on the ballot below him? We already know the answer. We watched it happen.

Texas Democrats cannot afford to nominate a candidate whose campaign is built on a financial house of cards. The stakes are too high, the margin for error too thin, and the adversary too ruthless.

CHRISTOPHER BOUZY