POLITICO Massachusetts Playbook: FENWAY could soon HOST FANS — Lawmakers ROAST BAKER over VAX program — MORSE tapped for PROVINCETOWN job

BY STEPHANIE MURRAY GOOD MORNING, MASSACHUSETTS. TGIF! VAX HEARING AND REOPENING COLLIDE — It was a tale of two headlines for Gov. Charlie Baker on Thursday. At the beginning of the day, Baker was on defense as lawmakers grilled him over the state's Covid-19 vaccine rollout at a much-anticipated oversight hearing. It was an unusual position for the popular Republican governor, who usually does not face sharp criticism from the Democratic-majority legislature. But a few hours later, the governor made a headline-grabbing announcement. Fenway Park, Gillette Stadium and other ballparks and arenas can reopen with 12 percent capacity beginning on March 22, as part of the state's move into phase four of reopening. The announcement was a bit unusual for Baker. Typically, he details changes to the reopening plan a few days before they take place. While Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito did say all cities and towns can move further into the third phase of reopening next week, the big headline from the press conference was that ballparks and stadiums can open late next month. Whether Baker’s move was intentional or not, it successfully shifted some attention away from the much-criticized vaccine rollout and tense-at-times hearing. His administration had referred to phase four as the "new normal" when it unveiled the reopening phases last spring. Baker's been accused of trying to divert attention from the oversight hearing before. On Tuesday, the governor announced his top education officials were putting together a plan to get elementary school kids back in school by April. The move frustrated teachers unions who want staff vaccinated first, and some members suggested Baker was trying to deflect from the coming oversight hearing. The governor soon got the question at a press briefing: Was this an attempt to distract from the vaccine rollout? "We're number one in the country in first doses per capita among our peers, states that have more than 5 million people," Baker said on Tuesday. "I would hate to distract from that information, because that's a really good story." Looming in the background is the 2022 race for governor, which is already well underway. Baker hasn't said whether he'll seek a third term, but a recent poll indicates he's in a strong position to run again. Democrat Ben Downing is already in the race, and Harvard professor Danielle Allen, another Democrat, has been exploring a run for months. Former state Rep. Geoff Diehl, a member of Baker's own party, is also plotting a run. Have a tip, story, suggestion, birthday, anniversary, new job, or any other nugget for the Playbook? Get in touch: smurray@politico.com. TODAY — Gov. Charlie Baker tours Nock-Molin Middle School in Newburyport. State Sen. Sonia Chang-Díaz and Rep. Liz Miranda are guests on GBH’s “Basic Black.” Attorney General Maura Healey is a guest on GBH’s “Boston Public Radio.” Rep. Lori Trahan hosts a Black History Month event on Facebook Live with Thaddeus Miles of MassHousing the BlackJoy Project.   NEW - “THE RECAST” NEWSLETTER: Power dynamics are changing. “Influence” is changing. More people are demanding a seat at the table, insisting that all politics is personal and not all policy is equitable. “The Recast” is our new twice-weekly newsletter that breaks down how race and identity are recasting politics, policy and power in America. And POLITICO is recasting how we report on this crucial intersection, bringing you fresh insights, scoops, dispatches from across the country and new voices that challenge “business as usual.” Don’t miss out on this important new newsletter, SUBSCRIBE NOW. Thank you to our sponsor, Intel.     THE LATEST NUMBERS – “Massachusetts last week saw a 76% drop in new COVID cases since the peak; State reports 1,928 new cases, 33 deaths on Thursday,” by Tanner Stening, MassLive.com: “State health officials confirmed another 1,928 new COVID-19 cases on Thursday, which is based on 118,144 new molecular tests, according to the Department of Public Health. Officials also announced another 33 COVID-related fatalities, bringing the death toll from the pandemic to 15,657.” – “28 Massachusetts communities at high risk for coronavirus transmission, lowest since mid-November,” by Lisa Kashinsky, Boston Herald: “Just 28 cities and towns are at high risk for COVID-19 transmission this week, down a whopping 88% from just six weeks ago when the ‘red’ zone swelled to a high of 229 communities.” DATELINE BEACON HILL – “The ‘new normal’ is coming: Mass. set to enter final phase of reopening in March,” by Andy Rosen, Anissa Gardizy and Diti Kohli, Boston Globe: “Massachusetts sports venues, concert spaces, and theaters will be able to reopen in coming weeks, Governor Charlie Baker announced Thursday, laying out for the first time a concrete timeline to bring back segments of the economy that have remained shuttered since the initial wave of the COVID-19 pandemic nearly a year ago.” – “Lawmakers grill governor on website problems,” by Sarah Betancourt, CommonWealth Magazine: “Gov. Charlie Baker was in the hot seat Thursday morning as the Legislature’s 17-member committee on COVID-19 and Emergency Preparedness and Management grilled him over the state’s rollout of vaccines. Baker followed familiar themes in his remarks, ticking off the state’s fairly strong metrics in administering vaccines and acknowledging a rollout that has been ‘lumpy and bumpy’ at times. But several lawmakers hammered him on the performance of the state website used to find and reserve a booking for a vaccination.” – “No seat for Bristol County on COVID oversight panel that grilled Gov. Baker,” by Ted Nesi, WPRI: “Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker made an unusual appearance Thursday before a special legislative panel, getting grilled over his administration’s glitchy vaccine website. The rare oversight hearing gave 17 senators and representatives the chance to question the governor about their constituents’ concerns — but not one of them was from Bristol County.” – “Baker: Mass. has received $71b in fed aid,” by Bruce Mohl, CommonWealth Magazine: “The federal government has funneled $71 billion to Massachusetts and its residents through four COVID-19 relief programs over the last year, Gov. Charlie Baker said at a legislative oversight hearing on Thursday. The $71 billion is an astonishing number, far higher than the $46 billion the Legislature appropriated for the state budget during the current fiscal year.” – “Hundreds of companies cited for labor violations,” by Christian M. Wade, Newburyport Daily News: “More than 300 companies were cited for violating state labor laws amid the COVID-19 pandemic last year, according to data from the attorney general's office. The office's Fair Labor Division issued more than 700 citations in 2020, totaling more than $12.5 million, to companies across a range of industries, according to a report filed with the state Legislature and a review of the agency's data.” – “Insurers face scrutiny over pandemic coverage,” by Christian M. Wade, The Salem News: “Lawmakers are taking aim at insurance companies with a plan that forces them to cover COVID-19-related claims filed by businesses and eliminate ‘virus exclusions’ in many policies. A measure filed by Sen. Diana DiZoglio, D-Methuen, and Rep. Dylan Fernandes, D-Falmouth, would mandate that any policy covering business interruption or the loss of use of property by a business extend to public health emergencies such as those arising from the pandemic.” VAX-ACHUSETTS – “‘Your estimated wait time is 50,475 minutes’: State vaccine appointment site hits more snags,” by Hiawatha Bray and Christina Prignano, Boston Globe: “A mad scramble began at 8 a.m. Thursday when 50,000 new vaccine appointments were made available at the state’s six mass vaccination clinics — Foxborough, Boston, Springfield, Dartmouth, Danvers, and Natick. And while the much-criticized Vaxfinder.mass.gov website performed far better than it did last week, when it crashed altogether for part of the morning, the site still suffered intermittent outages.” – “Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker slammed for COVID vaccine website issues as he blames limited federal supply,” by Steph Solis, MassLive.com: “Massachusetts lawmakers pressed Gov. Charlie Baker on his response to the online booking options for the state’s vaccine rollout as he placed the blame on a limited federal supply.” – “PrepMod creator calls for ‘all hands on deck’ after Massachusetts vaccine website woes,” by Lisa Kashinsky, Boston Herald: “Hours after the state’s largest vaccine appointment-booking vendor was overwhelmed by shot-seekers for another week, PrepMod creator Tiffany Tate said improving the system ‘requires all hands on deck.’” – “Sudders: Mass vaccination sites short-term solution,” by Sarah Betancourt, CommonWealth Magazine: “Health and Human Services Secretary Marylou Sudders pushed back against the view that the state is going all in on mass vaccination sites on Thursday during testimony before the Legislature’s Committee on COVID-19 and Emergency Preparedness and Management.” FROM THE HUB – “Company and owner in Boston work site fatalities have history of violations,” by Danny McDonald and Laura Crimaldi, Boston Globe: “The company involved in a pair of construction fatalities in downtown Boston Wednesday and its owner have a lengthy history of workplace violations and legal disputes in recent years, court and inspection records show.” – “As Marty Walsh leaves, Boston councilors reintroduce tear gas ordinance he vetoed,” by Sean Philip Cotter, Boston Herald: “City Councilors are taking another crack at limiting the Boston Police Department’s usage of tear gas and rubber bullets — a proposal Mayor Martin Walsh vetoed two months ago, but acting-mayor-in-waiting Kim Janey voted for.” – “Walsh: More Boston Public School Students Can Return To School Next Week,” by Saraya Wintersmith, GBH News: “As many as 7,900 more Boston students will be invited to return to school next week as part of the Boston Public School system’s hybrid school re-opening plan, Mayor Marty Walsh announced Thursday.” – “Catholic Schools Have Stayed (Mostly) Open During The Pandemic,” by Meg Woolhouse, GBH News: “Most public school students in Boston, the state’s largest school district, have not returned to in-person learning for nearly a year due to the pandemic. But greater Boston’s Catholic schools, the state’s second largest school system, stretching from Plymouth to New Hampshire, reopened in the fall. It’s a stark contrast, one that’s made Catholic schools attractive to families fed up with remote learning and willing to pay for in-person instruction.”' – “Mass Audubon Confronts Legacy Of Its Namesake As Nation Reckons With Race,” by Khari Thompson, WBUR: “The Mattapan sanctuary has been around since the late 1990s, but Mass Audubon itself is more than 100 years old and now owns nearly 40,000 acres of land throughout the state. The society gets its name from renowned conservationist and naturalist John James Audubon, who was famous for his vivid paintings of American birds.” THE RACE FOR CITY HALL – “District 6 candidates face off in forum,” by Yawu Miller, Bay State Banner: “Housing affordability, police reform and the racial wealth gap were among the issues on the table Monday during the first candidate forum for the District 6 City Council seat, during which Kendra Hicks and Mary Tamer answered questions from Greater Boston Young Democrats and Young Democrats of Massachusetts.” DAY IN COURT – “Clerk Magistrate Weighing Whether To Charge Former Lynn Police Officer With Assault,” by Ally Jarmanning, WBUR: “A clerk magistrate is considering 90 seconds of silent video from a police holding cell as he decides whether or not a former Lynn police officer should face criminal charges for allegedly beating a man in custody.” ON THE STUMP – FIRST IN PLAYBOOK: “Momentum Grows for Juan Jaramillo Following Wave of Progressive Endorsements,” from the Jaramillo campaign: “Juan Jaramillo’s campaign to represent Revere and Winthrop in the State Legislature received another big boost today with the endorsement of several key progressive lawmakers and organizations, including Suffolk County Register of Probate Felix D. Arroyo, Boston City Councilors Ricardo Arroyo, Michelle Wu, Lydia Edwards and Julia Mejia, and state Reps. Liz Miranda, Lindsay Sabadosa, Maria Robinson and Andy Vargas.” – “Newton candidates vie for two City Council seats in March 16 special election,” by John Hilliard, Boston Globe: “Newton voters will be asked to decide two citywide races for City Council in a special election March 16, filling two vacant seats through the end of the year. The 24-member council has had two vacant at-large positions since the death of Ward 1 Councilor-at-large Allan L. ‘Jay’ Ciccone Jr. in November and the departure of Jake Auchincloss, who represented Ward 2 before he was elected as a US representative in November.” MARIJUANA IN MASSACHUSETTS – “Pittsfield Bans Future Outdoor Commercial Weed Cultivation,” by Josh Landes, WAMC: “The largest community in Berkshire County has outlawed all future outdoor cannabis cultivation following a city council vote this week. While Pittsfield, Massachusetts has two active commercial grow operations, no more will be allowed after a 10-1 vote Tuesday night.” ABOVE THE FOLD — Herald: “LIMITED CAPACITY COMING TO HUB SPORTING EVENTS," "NOPE!” — Globe: “Your wait time is… 50475 minutes…” “Sports venues, theaters can open." FROM THE 413 – “Holyoke Mayor Alex Morse chosen as new town manager in Provincetown, pending contract talks,” by Michaela Chesin, Provincetown Banner: “The Select Board unanimously chose Alex Morse, the current mayor of Holyoke, on Thursday to be the next town manager. The board had interviewed three finalists Wednesday evening including Morse.” – “Holyoke City Council President Todd McGee could become acting mayor after Alex Morse named Provincetown town manager,” by Dennis Hohenberger, MassLive.com: “City Council President Todd McGee could become acting mayor after Alex B. Morse was picked Thursday as Provincetown’s next town manager. McGee said he would speak with Morse in the coming days and release a statement before Tuesday’s City Council meeting.” – “Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno seeks neighborhood COVID vaccination sites,” by Jim Kinney, Springfield Republican: “Springfield Mayor Domenic J. Sarno called Thursday for five neighborhood COVID-19 vaccination sites in the name of bringing racial and economic equity to the fight against the pandemic.” THE LOCAL ANGLE – “Director of Fitchburg Area's Only Shelter Is Accused Of Assaulting Homeless Clients,” by Carrie Saldo, GBH News: “Advocates for the homeless in the Fitchburg area say there is a problem at Our Father’s House, the region's only year-round overnight shelter: The director may be preying on the people who go there for help. At a recent meeting of the Fitchburg Human Rights Commission, several advocates accused Kevin MacLean — the shelter’s director of homelessness — of physically and sexually assaulting clients.” – “Bar-top dining, Polar Park opening signs of 'light at the end of the tunnel,’” by Steven H. Foskett Jr., Telegram & Gazette: “As virus numbers continue to trend downward, more restrictions are being lifted statewide, and City Manager Edward M. Augustus Jr. Thursday gave no indication that Worcester, as it has during other points in the pandemic, would go its own way and keep a tighter lid on activities in the city.” – “Lowell leaders condemn School Committee member Hoey’s use of anti-Semitic slur,” by Amy Sokolow, The Lowell Sun: “Lowell community and municipal leaders soundly denounced School Committee member Robert Hoey’s use of an anti-Semitic slur during a live taping of the local show ‘City Life’ on Wednesday morning. All members of the City Council, plus the mayor, city manager, superintendent and two School Committee members have publicly condemned the incident, as has the city’s entire statehouse and congressional delegations.” – “Half of Worcester Public Schools students opt-in for hybrid learning starting in March,” by Melissa Hanson, MassLive.com: “Members of the Worcester School Committee on Thursday night listened to a highly detailed plan from Superintendent Maureen Binienda covering health and safety protocols for the district’s hybrid learning plan.” – “Flood insurance changes could hurt low-income, middle-class New Englanders,” by Hadley Barndollar, The Patriot Ledger: “As the Federal Emergency Management Agency works to compensate for more than 50 years of mispriced flood insurance, property owners likely to be hurt most are the ones least equipped to handle unexpected expenses: middle-class and low-income homeowners.” – “Mansfield plans to return to in-person learning for kindergartners on Monday; teachers union not happy,” by Tom Reilly, Sun Chronicle: “Local schools are starting small with bringing students back for in-person learning. Small and cute, that is. Kindergartners will return for full, in-person learning at Robinson Elementary School as of Monday.” HAPPY BIRTHDAY – to Harold Hubschman, Cathey Park, Laura Oggeri and Jill Webb. HAPPY BIRTHWEEKEND – to Saturday birthday-ers to state Sen. Eric Lesser and Susan Zalkind. And to POLITICO's Charlie Mahtesian, Ben Gundersheimer and Li-Dor David, who all celebrate Sunday. NEW EPISODE: SOCIAL DISTANCING STUDIES – On this week’s Horse Race podcast, hosts Jennifer Smith and Stephanie Murray discuss the state’s push for in-person learning, and discuss the House race to fill former Speaker Bob DeLeo’s seat with GBH’s Tori Bedford and the Boston Herald’s Lisa Kashinsky. Subscribe and listen on iTunes and Sound Cloud . Want to make an impact? POLITICO Massachusetts has a variety of solutions available for partners looking to reach and activate the most influential people in the Bay State. Have a petition you want signed? A cause you’re promoting? Seeking to increase brand awareness among this key audience? Share your message with our influential readers to foster engagement and drive action. Contact Jesse Shapiro to find out how: jshapiro@politico.com.   TUNE IN TO GLOBAL TRANSLATIONS: Our Global Translations podcast, presented by Citi, examines the long-term costs of the short-term thinking that drives many political and business decisions. The world has long been beset by big problems that defy political boundaries, and these issues have exploded over the past year amid a global pandemic. This podcast helps to identify and understand the impediments to smart policymaking. Subscribe and start listening today.       Follow us on Twitter Stephanie Murray @StephMurr_Jour   Subscribe to the POLITICO Playbook family Playbook  |  Playbook PM  |  California Playbook  |  Florida Playbook  |  Illinois Playbook  |  Massachusetts Playbook  |  New Jersey Playbook  |  New York Playbook  |  Brussels Playbook  |  London Playbook View all our politics and policy newsletters FOLLOW US

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State Democratic Party members irked by choice of investigator 

BY MICHAEL CONNORS

PUBLISHED 9/10/2020

HOLYOKE — After former state Sen. Cheryl Jacques was tapped by Democratic State Committee leaders to investigate allegations that state Democratic Party higher-ups meddled in the 1st Congressional District primary election, at least 70 committee members are urging officials to reconsider this decision — arguing that Jacques is too entrenched in the party to be truly independent.

In a letter sent Wednesday to Democratic State Committee leaders that had been chosen to initiate the investigation, the DSC members argue that Jacques “can in no way conduct an independent investigation into our Party.”

Jacques, a Democrat who lives in Northampton, served from 1993 to 2004 in the state Senate and was an appointee of former Democratic governor Deval Patrick. The letter states Jacques worked as an adjunct professor in the same “department” at the University of Massachusetts Amherst as both U.S. Rep. Richard Neal and Holyoke Mayor Alex Morse, who were the candidates in the Democratic primary election in question. Neal has taught in the Journalism department while Morse and Jacques have taught in the Political Science department at UMass Amherst, according to a university spokesman; both departments are part of the College of Social & Behavioral Sciences at the university. Jacques is currently a lecturer in the management department.

Neal beat Morse in the election.

“This is not intended as a criticism of Senator Jacques or her qualifications, but rather a recognition that someone so deeply connected to Massachusetts Democratic politics and to UMass Amherst cannot conduct an independent investigation,” the letter reads.

Nancy Stenberg, of Easthampton, is one of the Democratic State Committee members living in the 1st Congressional District who signed on to Wednesday’s letter.

“I do not feel that the selection of Cheryl Jacques is an indication of an independent investigation,” Stenberg said. “She’s far too connected with the establishment Democrats.”

Allison Mitchell, the state Democratic Party communications manager, did not respond to a request for comment for this story. Jacques could not be reached by phone or in person Thursday.

In August, The Massachusetts Daily Collegian, UMass Amherst’s student newspaper, published anonymous allegations that Morse had used his “position of power for romantic or sexual gain, specifically toward young students.” The allegations came in the form of a letter sent to Morse; the UMass Amherst College Democrats have since apologized to Morse for any homophobic attacks he may have suffered as a result of the letter becoming public, which they say was meant to remain private.

But reporting from the online news outlet The Intercept called these allegations into question after it published messages which appear to show UMass Amherst College Democrats leaders scheming to sink Morse’s campaign. Another story by The Intercept suggested that state party leaders worked behind the scenes with the College Democrats of Massachusetts on the letter with anonymous allegations. A third Intercept story alleged that the state Democratic Party’s executive director, Veronica Martinez, told student leaders to delete records of communications between them and the state party.

Many of the signatories on Wednesday’s letter also signed an August letter calling for an immediate and independent investigation into whether officials with the state Democratic Party had a role in “smearing” Morse.

The letter sent by state committee members on Wednesday argues that a “credible investigation can only be led by somebody with no prior history” with various Democratic players, including Gus Bickford, the chairman of the Democratic State Committee; Martinez; and Jim Roosevelt, a lawyer alleged to have been connected with student Democrats by the party for help with the initial letter.

Wednesday’s letter also calls for the investigator to have the power to use forensic tools that can retrieve call logs and deleted or encrypted messages after reporting described an “alleged attempted cover-up by Party officials.”

“We will struggle to improve public perception of the Party and maintain the trust of our local Democratic committees and grassroots activists,” the letter reads. “For these reasons we urge you to reconsider your selection, and to empower a truly independent investigator to find the truth.”

Stenberg suggested that officials should consider hiring someone that’s “more along the lines” of what UMass Amherst did for their own review into the anonymous Morse allegations; the university has retained Natashia Tidwell, a partner at the Boston law firm Saul Ewing Arnstein & Lehr.

“We certainly were very clear when we sent out that first letter … that we were looking for an investigator who is independent of the Democratic Party,” Stenberg said. “And Cheryl Jacques is not independent of the Democratic Party.”

Michael Connors can be reached at mconnors@gazettenet.com.

LINK

Richard Neal spent $4,313,912.29

 

Defeating Richard Neal was always going to be a major feat.

He is the number one recipient of corporate PAC money in all of Congress and as the chairman of the Ways and Means Committee, he wields an enormous amount of power in the halls of Congress. In short, he’s one of the most powerful elected officials in America.

Richard Neal spent over $4,000,000 this cycle to ward off Alex Morse. Here’s a screenshot of Neal’s latest FEC report:

This is why our fundraising is so important. We have to be able to support our insurgent candidates who go up against entrenched incumbents who have millions to spend on clinging onto their power.

We’re more hopeful than ever about the state of our movement. We’ve had three incredible victories this year and two more Justice Democrats have real shots at winning in November.

After a tough loss like Alex’s, it’s really important that our fundraising numbers are strong so we can support our candidates and show the establishment that our movement is growing.

Thank you for your support. Our work is only possible because of your dedication.

In solidarity,

Justice Democrats

Do not worry if you cannot afford to make a contribution — we understand that this is a difficult time. If you’re struggling, you can find a food bank here. We appreciate everything you do to keep our movement strong. Please stay informed and follow the most up-to-date recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and your state public health department.

 

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Email us: us@justicedemocrats.com

If you're a progressive, you need to read this email

 

Dear MoveOn member, 

In just a moment, we are going to ask you to split a $3 contribution between two incredible progressive candidates. But first we'd like to explain why this request—especially today—is so important.

We are only six days away from two of the last and most important primary elections of 2020. Both of these races are in Massachusetts—and they have huge, national implications for our progressive movement.

Senator Ed Markey, a progressive champion and the son of a milkman, is facing a stiff challenge. Markey is the co-author of the Green New Deal and a champion for Medicare for All, and that's why Senator Elizabeth Warren and Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez are doing everything they can to ensure he's re-elected.¹

In Western Massachusetts, Alex Morse—a young, gay, progressive, small-town mayor—is challenging powerful 30-year incumbent Richard Neal, who is a centrist establishment Democrat and a major roadblock to passing real, progressive legislation. Unlike Neal, who is one of the top recipients of corporate PAC dollars in Congress, Morse rejects all corporate PAC money.²

In these times, we need bold leaders—not timid politicians—in Congress. Markey and Morse's elections are only DAYS away, and the polls are in a DEAD HEAT.³ It's in situations like these where every single dollar counts.

Will you chip in $3 to help elect these two MoveOn member-endorsed candidates? Your donation will be split between their campaigns and will help them reach more voters in the crucial final days before the election.

In order to build a world marked by equality, sustainability, justice, and love, we need leaders in Congress who fight for us, not billionaires or special interests.

That means we do everything in our power to defeat Trump and the GOP.

But it also means that we challenge Democrats like Richard Neal—who are funded by corporations—and do everything we can to replace them with real progressives like Alex Morse.

And it means we fight with all our heart to defend tried-and-true progressive champions like Ed Markey. 

With only six days until Election Day, and with the polls neck and neck, your contribution today can make all the difference.

With time quickly running out before Election Day, can you rush a $3 donation today to help out Markey and Morse?

Thanks for all you do. 

–Allison, Nita, Nadia, Isbah, and the rest of the team

Sources:

1. "In the Endorsement Battle with Joe Kennedy, Ed Markey Is Winning," Boston Magazine, July 30, 2020
https://act.moveon.org/go/142259?t=4&akid=272259%2E3735812%2EmUruue

2. "Neal, Morse spar over fundraising," Greenfield Recorder, February 10, 2020
https://act.moveon.org/go/142260?t=6&akid=272259%2E3735812%2EmUruue

3. "Endorsement UPROAR roils House race — New virus RULES for BARS begin — MARKEY and KENNEDY to DEBATE tonight," Politico, August 11, 2020
https://act.moveon.org/go/142261?t=8&akid=272259%2E3735812%2EmUruue

Want to support our work? The MoveOn community will work every moment, day by day and year by year, to resist Trump's agenda, contain the damage, defeat hate with love, and begin the process of swinging the nation's pendulum back toward sanity, decency, and the kind of future that we must never give up on. And to do it we need your support, now more than ever. Will you stand with us?

Click here to chip in $3, or whatever you can afford.

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PAID FOR BY MOVEON . ORG POLITICAL ACTION, http://pol.moveon.org/. Not authorized by any candidate or candidate's committee.

 THE MASSACHUSETTS DEMOCRATIC PARTY conspired with TIMOTHY ENNIS because he needed a job. 

THE MASSACHUSETTS DEMOCRATIC PARTY needs to FIRE those responsible. 

American Reformers

l

Young Democrats and College Democrats harbour the worst type of people. Soulless sycophants who’s only goal in politics is to “find a job”.

“he felt conflicted about involving the chapter of the College Democrats in a future attack on Morse. “But I need a job,” concluded Ennis. “Neal will give me an internship.” At the time, Ennis was president of the chapter, a post he held from April 2019 to April 2020, when he was term-limited out.”

THEINTERCEPT.COM

College Democrat Chats Reveal Plan to Engineer and Leak Alex Morse Accusation

COLLEGE DEMOCRAT CHATS REVEAL YEAR-OLD PLAN TO ENGINEER AND LEAK ALEX MORSE ACCUSATIONS

“This will sink his campaign,” predicted a College Democrat leader hoping to work for Rep. Richard Neal.

THE LEADERSHIP OF the University of Massachusetts Amherst College Democrats began discussing an operation they believed could sink the campaign of Alex Morse for Congress as far back as last October, a plan they then helped engineer and which came to fruition on Friday, after the College Democrats sent a letter regarding Morse to the Daily Collegian, the school’s student newspaper.

The letter, sent three weeks before his primary challenge to Rep. Richard Neal, informed Morse that he was no longer welcome at College Democratic events, alleging he used such opportunities to socialize with students and later connect with them on social media in ways that made them feel uncomfortable. Message logs obtained by the Intercept — both from leaders of the College Democrats UMass Amherst chapter group as well as chats one of them had with Morse — shed new light on how this purported scandal was deployed. As a condition of obtaining the logs, The Intercept agreed to publish some of the chats and paraphrase others.

On Wednesday, following a statement by Morse, the statewide College Democrats chapter clarified that he had in fact only attended a single event during the course of his campaign. It was after that event in October 2019 that the leadership of the UMass Amherst chapter began to talk about leaking a story damaging to Morse, according to those online communications.

Timothy Ennis, the chief strategist for the UMass Amherst College Democrats, admitted in the chats that he was a “Neal Stan” and said he felt conflicted about involving the chapter of the College Democrats in a future attack on Morse. “But I need a job,” concluded Ennis. “Neal will give me an internship.” At the time, Ennis was president of the chapter, a post he held from April 2019 to April 2020, when he was term-limited out.

Leaders of the College Democrats group went beyond merely plans to leak. They also explicitly discussed how they could find Morse’s dating profiles and then lead him into saying something incriminating that would then damage his campaign.

That effort appears to have failed to generate the material they hoped for, but the group’s leaders did believe they held damning evidence they contemplated leaking: Instagram messages between Morse and Andrew Abramson, who in April became president of the organization. Ultimately, the College Democrats did not release any chats or any other specific claims against Morse, opting instead to level broader charges that he behaved inappropriately. Morse, who was an adjunct professor at UMass Amherst until the fall of 2019, has acknowledged having consensual relationships with students but has said that he has never had an inappropriate relationship with a student of his, and no such allegations have been made.

On October 5, Morse attended a College Democrats event at a local community college. Neal also appeared, and was introduced by Ennis, who was at the time enrolled in a journalism class Neal taught at UMass Amherst. Neal later told Ennis he was impressed by the event, Ennis claimed in the chats. Morse sat on a panel with Abramson. After the event, Morse reached out to Abramson on Instagram to say it was a pleasure meeting. (The two had previously matched on Tinder, Ennis said in the chats, but had never met up. To match on Tinder means both parties must swipe in the same direction in order to begin a conversation.)

Photo: Obtained by The Intercept

Photo: Obtained by The Intercept

“Thank you! Good to see you too,” Abramson said.

“How’s the rest of your weekend?” asked Morse.

“Pretty good I went home last night to surprise my mom for her birthday hbu?” Abramson said .

“Aw that’s nice. How was that? I had an event to go to last night to speak, then had a wine tasting at a friends house. Now I’m in North Adams to march in a parade,” Morse replied.

Abramson shared a screenshot of the exchange with friends. “Not overt but it’s very clear he’s not talking to me for no reason,” he said. “Like read that message. Also don’t mind me totally leading him on.” He added that he accepted the message request “because why not.”

“This will sink his campaign,” Ennis said, calling it part of a pattern of Morse dating students. That conversation with Abramson appears to be connected to the charge that underlies the College Democrats’ statement against Morse, when they said that Morse “sought out students that he met at our events privately on social media, in a manner widely understood by our generation to indicate intimacy.”

After Ennis concluded the chats with Abramson would sink Morse’s campaign, the conversation between Morse and Abramson continued for another several weeks.

During that same time period, Ennis was a student in Neal’s “The Politician and The Journalist” class at UMass Amherst, and had been open with other members of the College Democrats about hoping to land a job with Neal, The Intercept reported Tuesday. Ennis, in the chats, quipped that perhaps he should leak the information by including it in a paper for Neal’s class.

Also last fall, Ennis was driving through New Hampshire with Clare Sheedy, a fellow College Democrat, as both were campaigning for Pete Buttigieg. “He spoke very highly of Mr. Neal,” Sheedy told The Intercept. “What he said to me was he wanted Neal to be his ‘in’ to politics and work his way up from there.”

Sheedy asked what he thought of Morse, and Ennis told him he is known for dating students and had recently matched on a dating app, Tinder, with a fellow College Democrat, and chatted with him via Instagram.

In a statement to MassLive on Monday, Neal spokesperson Kate Norton denied any collaboration between the Neal campaign and the student group, adding that the Neal campaign “commends these courageous students.” The College Democrats also responded to allegations of cooperation with the Neal campaign on Sunday, writing on Twitter, “To suggest that our decision to send the letter to Mayor Morse was a quid pro quo with Rep. Neal, his campaign, or anyone else is untrue, disingenuous, and harmful.”

Asked about Ennis and Abramson, Norton reiterated her earlier statement, but added: “The young men you are asking about have no involvement with the Neal campaign.”

In the chats, Ennis also floated the possibility of leaking allegations against Morse to Politico, and, indeed, in June, the College Democrats did so, pitching the story to Alex Thompson, a political reporter at the outlet. Thompson reached out to the Morse campaign as part of his reporting, though ultimately did not run the story until months later, after the college paper ran it.

Photo: Obtained by The Intercept

After receiving the inquiry, Morse said he reached back out to Abramson — the only student Morse had communicated with after a College Democrats event during his campaign. Morse said he apologized if his outreach had made the chapter president uncomfortable, and Abramson blocked him.

Ennis said in the chats that he had learned from people who had graduated previously that Morse was on Tinder, sharing a screenshot of a profile from the year before. The profile is standard, dating-app fare, and does not include Morse’s title as mayor of the nearby town of Holyoke, a position he’s had since he was 22, nor does it mention his time as an adjunct at UMass, which ended last fall.

Photo: Obtained by The Intercept

Ennis said in the chats that Morse had never matched with him or messaged him, but discussed an effort to find him and match. 

IN A STATEMENT that followed its initial letter, the College Democrats wrote, “The letter was written at the direct request of those affected by Mayor Morse’s behavior, and those individuals were involved in the writing process. The stories included in our letter are their stories. They have not spoken out individually about their personal experiences because they wish to remain anonymous.”

The implication that the letter was the collective work of the members of the chapter is false, however. It was written by leadership without input from the members, according to messages provided to The Intercept from the organization’s GroupMe chat. The day after the Daily Collegian published the letter, a member of leadership sent the following message: “Hello everyone. I’m sure some of you saw the article about Alex Morse and letter udems and other orgs sent to his campaign. I’m sure many of you are confused and even disappointed. If anybody needs support or wants to talk about it the udems eboard is here for you.”

A follow-up post included a link to the story. Five days later, specific allegations have yet to surface.

Abramson declined to comment, and neither Ennis nor the College Democrats responded to requests for comment. Daniel Marans of HuffPost contacted the College Democrats for further comment on Wednesday to ask whether or not their letter was motivated by Ennis’s or anyone else’s political ambitions, posting their response on Twitter.

The student group denied Ennis’s professional ambitions played a role in the crafting of the strategy. Marans also asked if Morse had indeed declined a request to fund the organization, as the mayor had told The Intercept on Tuesday. The organization offered HuffPost a selectively edited email regarding a donation from the Morse campaign, quoting the campaign as saying it would “get back to us shortly.” A copy of the full email was provided to The Intercept. It reads: “Hi Hayley — will get back to you shortly on sponsorship. We’ve been committing a great deal to COVID related organizations and want to make sure we honor those activities first. Sorry for delay.”