POLITICO Nightly: Zelensky’s battle to win over Washington

 

BY GABRIEL GAVIN Presented by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy addresses the 78th session of the United Nations General Assembly today. | Mary Altaffer/AP Photo CHANGED CITY — The last time Volodymyr Zelensky visited Washington, he received a hero’s welcome. Speaking at a December joint session of Congress, the Ukrainian president, wearing his trademark green army sweater, was forced to pause his speech as senators and representatives, Democrats and Republicans, gave him a standing ovation. “Your support is crucial to get to the turning point to win on the battlefield,” he told U.S. politicians at the time. Now, expected back in Washington for the first time in nine months for talks with President Joe Biden this week, Zelenskyy will find a changed city. American politicians are more reluctant with their applause — and their support. With the initial bipartisan unity in response to the start of Moscow’s full-blown invasion fading, the conflict, like all issues in Washington, is becoming political. Amid frustration on both sides of the Atlantic that Ukraine’s long-awaited summer counteroffensive seemingly achieved fewer results than expected, senior Republicans like House Speaker Kevin McCarthy are becoming increasingly Kyiv-skeptic. At one time, anything but full-throated support for Zelenskyy and those defending the country against Russian aggression was limited to the partisan fringes. Today, McCarthy is asking that future support packages be debated as standalone bills rather than tacked on to broader government spending plans, making them easier to defeat. Hardline Republicans in Congress are against any additional aid to Ukraine, and public opinion among Republicans has also shifted against aid to Ukraine in the last year. That includes an additional $24 billion in military and humanitarian aid that the White House is hoping to have signed off as part of President Joe Biden’s policy to help Ukraine for “as long as it takes.” His unlikely allies, Senate Republicans, are reportedly considering introducing a continuing resolution to keep funding the war and avoid a government shutdown, while less moderate politicians in the House remain split on the plans. Already, myths about the scale of spending are picking up pace ahead of next year’s elections. There is talk of “blank checks” for Kyiv taking money out the pockets of hard-working Americans. In reality, the combined total of the U.S.’s four rounds of aid to Ukraine amounts to an estimated $113 billion — a small fraction compared to total government spending that last year reached $6.27 trillion. To secure another round of funding, which would guarantee supplies of critical weaponry and ammunition ahead of what most analysts expect will be a grueling winter standoff, Zelenskyy will have to reassure skeptics that the money is going where it’s needed most. And that means getting a handle on corruption . To try and win over hearts and minds in Washington and elsewhere, the Ukrainian president has presented plans to consider wartime grift on par with treason. At the same time, ahead of the transatlantic visit today, Zelenskyy sought to play down fears that the war had ground to a halt . “The situation is tough. We stopped the Russians in the east and started a counteroffensive. Yes, it is not that fast but we are going forward every day and de-occupying our land,” he said. In a speech at the U.N. today , Biden reaffirmed his commitment to Zelenskyy and Ukraine, arguing, “No nation wants this war to end more than Ukraine. Russia alone bears responsibility, has power to end war, and stands in the way of peace… [the U.N. must] stand up to this naked aggression.” But unlike last year, Biden’s remarks on Ukraine played second fiddle to other foreign policy goals, coming nearly 20 minutes into his address. Zelenskyy, for his part, said today at the U.N. that his nation’s fight against Russia was about more than just his country: “Many seats in the General Assembly hall may become empty if Russia succeeds with its treachery and aggression.” While White House and European leaders are on his side, the Ukrainian president will have to convince those wavering in Congress that sticking with him and ensuring Russia can’t, quite literally, get away with murder remains a worthy cause. And those in Washington will have to choose their battle. Welcome to POLITICO Nightly. Reach out with news, tips and ideas at nightly@politico.com . Or contact tonight’s author at ggavin@politico.eu or on X (formerly known as Twitter) at @GabrielCSGavin .   A message from the American Chemistry Council: The U.S. chemical industry fuels our nation's progress in computer chips, healthcare, infrastructure, and more. From EVs to smartphones, chemistry powers essential products. But an onslaught of overly conservative regulatory proposals puts this progress at peril and risks U.S. competitiveness to others like China. This week the American Chemistry Council (ACC) will launch a new initiative calling on the Biden Administration and Congress to promote, not hinder, American innovation and the critical chemistries that drive essential products and technologies. Stay tuned, more to come!   WHAT'D I MISS? — McCarthy scrambles: House punts key vote as rebellion rages: Speaker Kevin McCarthy today punted plans to tee up a vote on the party’s short-term spending plan later this week – the latest sign of the ultraconservative fever gripping House Republicans. McCarthy is now left without a viable plan to fund the government, with just 12 days left to avoid a shutdown. A group of nearly two dozen Republicans from across the conference huddled in a GOP leadership suite midday today to seek a way out of their bind. — Anti-affirmative action group sues West Point over race-conscious admissions: The anti-affirmative action group whose Supreme Court case struck down race-conscious admissions practices at Harvard is now going after West Point. Lawyers on behalf of Students for Fair Admissions today sued the military academy over its alleged use of race and ethnicity in admissions decisions . Also listed as defendants are: the Defense Department, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, Army Secretary Christine Wormuth, U.S. Military Academy Superintendent Steven Gilland and West Point Admissions Director Rance Lee. — Republicans win a temporary freeze in New York’s redistricting fight: New York’s top court today declined to force a mapmaking commission to immediately start drafting new congressional district lines . The maps drawn in 2022 were tossed when the courts concluded Democrats didn’t take the proper steps before enacting them, leading to court-drawn lines that helped Republicans flip three House seats that were critical to the GOP winning House control. Democrats have since argued that they should now be allowed to redraft the maps for 2024 rather than rely on the existing ones for the remainder of the decade. There’s a lot at stake: The lines drawn by Democrats in 2022 would have given the party a significant edge in 22 of the state’s 26 congressional districts. The court-drawn one focused on creating as many competitive districts as possible, and those coupled with a relatively strong Republican year meant Democrats wound up winning only 15.   Enter the “room where it happens”, where global power players shape policy and politics, with Power Play. POLITICO’s brand-new podcast will host conversations with the leaders and power players shaping the biggest ideas and driving the global conversations, moderated by award-winning journalist Anne McElvoy. Sign up today to be notified of the first episodes in September – click here .     NIGHTLY ROAD TO 2024 DESANTIS V. MCCARTHY — Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is gunning for House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, attacking the embattled GOP leader from the right and aligning himself with insurgent conservatives in Congress who are threatening a government shutdown , writes POLITICO. What started as a private strategy session last week between DeSantis and House hardliners has now erupted into a frontal attack on McCarthy. On Monday, DeSantis ridiculed McCarthy’s record on government spending and accused him of being complicit in running up a massive federal debt balance. Today, the governor’s campaign sent out an email admonishing McCarthy all over again while urging House Republicans to buck the speaker in the current government funding negotiations. McCarthy is one of former President Donald Trump’s closest allies in Congress and has relied on the former president’s support to keep him in the speakership. While he has not formally endorsed Trump for president, McCarthy said in a Fox News interview over the weekend that Trump was a more formidable candidate than DeSantis. MIXED MESSAGE — Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis recently called recreational pot a “real problem,” lamented marijuana’s “stench” and grimly warned that “drugs are killing this country.” There’s just one hitch: The person effectively running DeSantis’ presidential campaign is orchestrating a pro-pot push in Florida , POLITICO reports. Axiom Strategies and Vanguard Field Strategies, firms helmed by prominent Republican strategist Jeff Roe, have been paid nearly $29 million by an organization pushing a 2024 ballot initiative that would legalize recreational marijuana. A DeSantis-aligned attorney general is fighting their work, and the governor himself has said he broadly opposes legalization. But as Axiom and Vanguard try to circumvent DeSantis’ opposition to weed in Florida, they’re also trying to get him elected president — in part on an anti-weed platform. MUST-WIN — On paper, Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida is doing everything that a Republican presidential candidate should do to win Iowa , reports the New York Times. He is doggedly crisscrossing the state, visiting 58 of its 99 counties so far and vowing to make it to the rest. He is meeting voters at small-town churches, meeting halls, county fairgrounds and ice-cream parlors, heavily courting evangelicals and racking up endorsements from influential faith leaders and local politicians. For Mr. DeSantis, who is trailing former President Donald J. Trump in Iowa by double digits, the state has become a must-win. Mr. Trump, who has campaigned sparingly here, appears to know it. The Trump campaign recently announced that he would visit Iowa five times in the next six weeks, including stops on Wednesday, in a clear attempt to scupper Mr. DeSantis’s bid for the presidency with a resounding victory in the Jan. 15 caucuses, the first votes of the race for the nomination. FAIN BLASTS TRUMP — United Auto Workers Union President Shawn Fain released a statement today blasting former President Donald Trump’s reported plan to speak with auto workers and union members in Detroit amid thousands of workers striking, reports the Messenger. "Every fiber of our union is being poured into fighting the billionaire class and an economy that enriches people like Donald Trump at the expense of workers," Fain wrote. Trump is planning on skipping a Sept. 27 GOP primary debate in favor of speaking with autoworkers and former and current union members in Detroit, according to a New York Times report. United Association of Union Plumbers and Pipefitters (UA) General President Mark McManus also released a statement blasting the former president’s reported plan, calling him a “fraud” and offering praise for President Joe Biden.   A message from the American Chemistry Council:     AROUND THE WORLD A damaged residential apartment building following shelling is seen in Stepanakert, Nagorno-Karabakh. Azerbaijan declared today that it started what it called an "anti-terrorist operation" targeting Armenian military positions in the Nagorno-Karabakh region and officials in that region said there was heavy artillery firing around its capital. | Siranush Sargsyan/AP Photo DIRECT AGGRESSION — Azerbaijan has announced a major new military offensive in the breakaway region of Nagorno-Karabakh , declaring an “evacuation” of ethnic Armenians in “the dangerous area” and opening up a crisis that risks spiraling into all-out war. The escalation comes after months of fruitless negotiations and amid growing speculation that Turkey-backed Azerbaijan has been gearing up to use force to bring a decades-long frozen conflict to an end. A war between Armenia and Azerbaijan in 2020 killed thousands on each side. Over the past months, Azerbaijan has been tightening a supply blockade of food and medicines into the ethnic Armenian enclave that lies entirely within its territory. Baku’s defense ministry said today it was launching “local anti-terrorist activities” to “suppress large-scale provocations” in the territory. Reports and film footage from Nagorno-Karabakh showed heavy shelling and gunfire in the enclave. Air raid sirens wailed in Stepanakert, the de facto capital of the unrecognized state. Azerbaijan’s claim that it would also evacuate the Armenian population from “dangerous areas” triggered instant fears of ethnic cleansing. The prospect of renewed war in the Caucasus is a major strategic and diplomatic set-back for the EU, which has been courting Azerbaijan as an ally and alternative gas supplier to Russia. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen made an official visit to Azerbaijan last July in an effort to secure increased exports of natural gas. Describing the country as a “reliable, trustworthy partner,” she and President Ilham Aliyev signed a memorandum of understanding on increased economic cooperation, despite warnings from experts that Brussels was simply seeking to replace one autocracy with another. Azerbaijan’s government said it launched today’s assault in response to the destruction of vehicles by landmines, which killed four of its soldiers and two civilians, but it gave no indication of how besieged Karabakh Armenians laid such weapons.   JOIN US ON 9/20 FOR A TALK ON TRANSFORMING HEALTHCARE BILLING : Bipartisan legislation in the House and Senate would align costs for services across hospitals and doctors’ offices and reduce out-of-pocket spending that could potentially save the federal government billions of dollars. Can this legislation survive a polarized Congress? Join POLITICO on Sept. 20 to explore this and whether site-neutral payments and billing transparency policies could help ease health care costs. REGISTER HERE .     NIGHTLY NUMBER $1.36 million The amount of money that Rudy Giuliani’s former lawyers are suing him for in unpaid legal fees . Many of the unpaid fees are related to representing Giuliani in legal battles regarding Donald Trump’s efforts to overturn the election. Robert J. Costello, a longtime friend of Giuliani, and his law firm Davidoff Hutcher & Citron LLP, filed the complaint on Monday in a state court in Manhattan. RADAR SWEEP LEGALIZE IT (AGAIN) — In the 1960s, when Nepal was along the route of the colloquially known “Hippie trail,” cannabis — used for centuries in the small country — exploded in popularity. Responding to the increased use of weed, the government banned the drug in 1973. But after decades marred by a protracted civil war and the increased use of harder drugs like heroin, there are now committed advocates trying to legalize weed once again . And many of them have harrowing stories to tell about their life in Nepal and how marijuana helped pull them out of a difficult time or replace a more obviously harmful vice like heroin use with something less toxic. For Harper’s Magazine, Sean Williams spent time in Nepal profiling the nation’s first “weed influencer” and trying to make sense of the legalization movement. PARTING IMAGE On this date in 1994: Haitians wave to a U.S. Army helicopter in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, as U.S. troops began Operation Uphold Democracy to remove the military regime that took control of the country in 1991. The regime was deposed and peacekeeping forces took over operations in 1995. | John McConnico/AP Photo Did someone forward this email to you?  Sign up here .   A message from the American Chemistry Council: Did you know that U.S. chemistry forms the backbone of the nation’s supply chain? Computer chips, automotive, healthcare, affordable housing, infrastructure, and energy all rely on chemistry. From electric vehicles to smartphones, chemistry powers innovations we can't live without. However, there’s a serious challenge. The Biden Administration's regulatory overload threatens access to these essential products, jeopardizing our economy and our ability to compete with countries like China. The U.S. chemical industry is already buried under over one million federal restrictions. A current avalanche of new, unproductive restrictions could disrupt the supply chain for crucial technologies and everyday products. Stay tuned! Later this week the American Chemistry Council (ACC) will launch a new initiative calling on the Biden Administration and Congress to support, not thwart, critical chemistries and innovation. U.S. competitiveness and America's success relies on American chemistry.     Follow us on Twitter Charlie Mahtesian @PoliticoCharlie Calder McHugh @calder_mchugh   FOLLOW US

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POLITICO Massachusetts Playbook: LEGISLATURE takes its time on REOPENING, VOTE BY MAIL — New POLICING guidance — MARKEY: No climate, no deal

 

BY LISA KASHINSKY Presented by SimpliSafe TAKING THEIR TIME — The state Legislature moves slowly by design. But lawmakers’ missed deadlines and sluggish moves toward reopening the State House are creating headaches on Beacon Hill and beyond. The new fiscal year has dawned , unsurprisingly, without an annual budget. After letting some pandemic-era policies briefly lapse last month, lawmakers did so again yesterday by not extending expanded vote-by-mail at a time when municipalities across the state are gearing up for summer and fall elections. “It’s very important that these voters have the same rights as people who voted earlier this year,” Secretary of State Bill Galvin said yesterday, urging lawmakers to speed up the process so local officials can get planning. Six communities are holding special or recall elections in July and August, according to Galvin’s office. Cities with open mayoral races like Boston, Lynn and Somerville have preliminary elections set for Sept. 14, with another batch including Lawrence and Holyoke slated for a week later. The holdup isn’t a policy dispute but a logistical one between a state Senate proposal to temporarily extend broad-based vote-by-mail, and a state House plan to make it permanent — but only for biennial state primaries and elections, and the municipal elections that coincide with them. Many local election clerks see expanded mail-in voting as a way to boost turnout in typically low-interest municipal elections, even if it's a costly one. “Most voters loved the ability to have the ballot in their home, do their research, and make an informed decision without the pressure of standing in a line or worrying if they were going to make it to the polls in time after work,” said acting Fairhaven Town Clerk Linda Fredette, who’s got a recall election to run later this month. Legislative leaders are also taking their time when it comes to reopening the State House that’s been largely closed since last March. Galvin nudged lawmakers to get moving when he said his office will start giving exterior tours of the building today. Hours later, state House Speaker Ronald Mariano and state Senate President Karen Spilka released a statement saying the Legislature is “developing a comprehensive and nuanced reopening plan” for the fall, but provided no details about a proposed "phased timeline." The longer the State House remains closed, the longer it affects the businesses surrounding it that were once bustling with lawmakers, aides, reporters and tourists. “It’s slow for us,” a 21st Amendment pub employee told me. “We need them to come back.” GOOD MORNING, MASSACHUSETTS. The horrible heat is breaking. But as Sen. Ed Markey likes to say, “The planet is running a fever. There are no emergency rooms for planets.” That’s why Markey keeps saying “no climate, no deal” when it comes to passing a bipartisan infrastructure deal without a reconciliation bill that “takes care of the climate crisis” and other issues like affordable housing. “It’s to ensure that we keep a spotlight on this identification of climate as a crisis,” Markey told me. It's also, he said, to make good on the “IOU” young, progressive activists “have a right to expect that they can cash in” after helping hand Democrats control in Washington last fall (and after helping Markey fend off a primary challenge from then-Rep. Joe Kennedy III). President Joe Biden said he wants to pass climate initiatives through the reconciliation bill, and Democratic leaders have vowed to bring one forward. But moderates and progressives are teed up to clash over its scope and price tag. And Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (Ky.) warned the "two-track" plan could derail the bipartisan infrastructure deal. "The bipartisan package is something that is important, but not sufficient," Markey said. "We can't afford not to do this." TODAY — Rep. Lori Trahan and Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) join the United College Athlete Advocates for a virtual roundtable on expanding college athletes’ rights at 10 a.m. State Senate President Karen Spilka and advocates celebrate the start of the state’s paid family and medical leave program at an 11 a.m. press conference outside 1 Ashburton Place. Acting Boston Mayor Kim Janey helps kick off the 40th annual Harborfest at 11:30 a.m. Boston mayoral candidate John Barros hosts a meet-and-greet at Recreo Coffee and Roasterie in West Roxbury at 5:30 p.m. Boston mayoral candidate City Councilor Annissa Essaibi George visits 2Life Communities in Brighton for a meet-and-greet with residents. PROGRAMMING NOTE: Massachusetts Playbook will not publish on Monday, July 5. I’ll be back in your inbox on Tuesday, July 6. Don’t leave me hanging over the holiday: Have a tip, story, suggestion, birthday, anniversary, new job, or any other nugget for the Playbook? Get in touch: lkashinsky@politico.com. THE LATEST NUMBERS — “Massachusetts coronavirus vaccine rollout: More than 4.2 million fully vaxxed; 1 new virus death and 93 cases reported,” by Rick Sobey, Boston Herald: “More than 4.2 million people in Massachusetts are now fully vaccinated, state health officials said on Wednesday as they also reported one new COVID death and 93 virus cases.” DATELINE BEACON HILL — “Massachusetts releases new policing guidance for deescalation and disengagement tactics, alternatives to use of force with children,” by Steph Solis, MassLive.com: “Police officers in Massachusetts should not only avoid using force when they encounter children, but encourage the child to ‘partner with the officer in keeping the peace’ using respectful, age appropriate language and behavior, according to guidance issued Wednesday by the state’s Peace Officer Standards and Training commission.” — “Vets want PTSD added to medical pot conditions,” by Christian M. Wade, CNHI/Eagle-Tribune: “Iraq War veteran Steve Mandile was injured during a deployment and has struggled with chronic pain and post-traumatic stress disorder. He uses marijuana to treat his symptoms, unlike many vets with similar problems who struggle, he said, because the state doesn’t recognize PTSD and other chronic illnesses as medical conditions that qualify them to get a state-issued medical cannabis card. That would change under a proposal heard Tuesday by the Legislature’s Joint Committee on Cannabis Policy, which would add PTSD, cancer, opioid use disorder and other illnesses to the list of qualifying conditions. ” — “Massachusetts House overrides Baker’s veto of Holyoke Soldiers’ Home construction requirements,” by Amy Sokolow, Boston Herald: “In a 130-30 party line vote, state representatives overrode Gov. Charlie Baker’s veto of a project labor agreement for the construction of the Holyoke Soldiers’ Home.” — “Chang-Díaz's Gubernatorial Bid Opens A Crucial State Senate Seat For Boston's Communities Of Color,” by Mike Deehan, GBH News: “A storied Boston political battleground at the heart of the city's Black community will be up for grabs next year for the first time in 14 years as Sen. Sonia Chang-Díaz steps down from the 2nd Suffolk Senate seat to run for governor.” — “Lawmakers Surface Pandemic Response Bills After Emergency Ends,” by Katie Lannan, State House News Service (paywall): “Many of the bills were filed at an earlier point in the pandemic -- before Massachusetts exited the COVID-19 state of emergency, vaccinations became widespread and case numbers began to decline -- but are only just beginning to emerge at the midway point of the legislative session's first year. Despite the changed dynamics, several lawmakers asked the committee to still advance their proposals as a way to ensure Massachusetts learns from the past year and a half and prepares for what may come next.”   A message from SimpliSafe: Most security companies send a technician to your home. SimpliSafe doesn’t. Order online. Set it up in 30 minutes. After that, you’re protected 24/7. Learn more.   VAX-ACHUSETTS — “Massachusetts senior care company mandates COVID shots for workers - a first for state’s nursing homes,” by Kay Lazar, Boston Globe: “Citing rising concern about a rapidly spreading and more contagious strain of the novel coronavirus, a Massachusetts senior care company Wednesday announced it will mandate COVID-19 shots for all of its workers, becoming one of the first in the state to take such action. The decision by Legacy Lifecare comes as vaccination rates remain stubbornly low at many Massachusetts nursing homes and some other senior care facilities, placing thousands of frail residents at risk.” — "State Making Series of Changes to COVID-19 Reporting," by Colin A. Young, State House News Service (paywall): "The daily interactive dashboard that tallies cases, deaths, hospitalizations and more, and the daily vaccination report that DPH publishes will be published only Monday through Friday ... As of Thursday, DPH is also getting rid of the green, yellow and red color-coding system it used to denote the relative risk of COVID-19 transmission in cities and towns, though it will continue to report municipal-level data weekly." FROM THE HUB — “Boston City Council passes $3.76B operating budget, $1.3B schools budget,” by Sean Philip Cotter, Boston Herald: “A big late allocation of federal dollars to sweeten the pot pushed the city’s operating budget over the hump, leading the council to pass the $3.76 billion package for the coming fiscal year. Ultimately — after a week-plus of hastily called meetings, declarations of opposition and unprecedented negotiation over a supplemental budget — the vote didn’t end up that close, passing by a 10-2 count. The $1.3 billion city schools budget, which had been in serious hot water as the exam schools issue remained outstanding, passed by the same count.” — “Attempt to water down plan to bring more disadvantaged children into exam schools generates a backlash,” by James Vaznis, Bianca Vázquez Toness and Danny McDonald, Boston Globe: “A public backlash on Wednesday quickly engulfed new recommendations to change the admissions policy for Boston’s elite exam schools, over a last-minute political deal that could benefit more affluent families while threatening to undermine the goal of helping disadvantaged students. The eleventh -hour changes sparked sharp criticism from parents, students, mayoral candidates, and city councilors, and threatened to overshadow suggested changes to the entrance requirements that would give students from lower-income households a better footing to compete against wealthier peers.” — “Boston Superintendent’s Contract Extended By Two Years Amid School Committee Controversies,” by Meg Woolhouse, GBH News: “The Boston School Committee has extended Superintendent Brenda Cassellius' $311,000-a-year contract, calling her work proficient but not exceptional. The committee's 4-1 vote Wednesday night took place despite calls from activists and some members of the public to delay a decision until the city elects a new mayor.” — “Boston City Council rejects $850G for the Boston Regional Intelligence Center,” by Sean Philip Cotter, Boston Herald: “The city council rejected an $850,000 grant for the Boston Regional Intelligence Center, taking a pass on money earmarked from the state. … The BRIC is a sometimes-controversial entity that aims to fight crime, gangs and terrorism. Proponents say it’s key to fighting street violence, while opponents decry the gang database, saying it’s racially discriminatory.”   JOIN FRIDAY FOR A PLAYBOOK INTERVIEW WITH ANITA DUNN: Anita Dunn, a senior White House adviser to President Biden and one of the most influential women in Washington, will join Playbook co-author Ryan Lizza to discuss the administration’s legislative priorities, including getting the massive infrastructure plan through Congress, the latest on efforts to get 70% of U.S. adults vaccinated against Covid, and preparations for the White House’s first big public event on Independence Day. Don’t miss this Playbook Live event, REGISTER HERE.     THE RACE FOR CITY HALL — “Education rises as a pivotal issue among likely voters in race for Boston mayor, poll finds,” by Meghan E. Irons, Boston Globe: “Bostonians who are likely to vote in the preliminary election this fall weighed in on whether to have a test-free admissions process for the city’s exam schools. They overwhelmingly disfavored an appointed Boston School Committee and seemed divided over whether the city should remove police from its school buildings.” — “Mayoral forum puts the focus on Newmarket,” by Gintautas Dumcius, Dorchester Reporter: “The six major mayoral candidates on Tuesday laid out their plans for dealing with homelessness and economic development in the city’s Newmarket area, an industrial neighborhood that is also a hub for addiction and recovery services.” PARTY POLITICS — The state GOP is in disarray once more — this time over a deleted post on the party’s Facebook page that referenced a seemingly anti-transgender statement by a conservative Catholic cardinal. The Massachusetts Republican Party Facebook page posted — and then deleted — a picture of Cardinal Robert Sarah, an African prelate considered among the more conservative figures in the Church's leadership, saying “gender ideology is a Luciferian refusal to receive a sexual nature from God,” in an apparent reference to the devil. Screen shots of the post were quickly circulated among members of the state committee and other Republicans, prompting outrage and dismay among some in a party already roiled by anti-gay remarks state committeewoman Deborah Martell recently made toward a congressional candidate. “It’s not who we are. It doesn’t represent the views of the Massachusetts GOP. It’s outrageous,” state committeewoman Janet Leombruno told me. Religion has become increasingly injected into the state GOP under Chair Jim Lyons, a conservative practicing Catholic, adding another fissure in a state party full of them. Lyons previously rejected calls to make Martell, “a woman of deep Catholic faith,” resign over her anti-gay remarks, saying he was upholding “freedom of speech and religious liberty.” It’s unclear who within the state party sent and deleted the post, a screen shot of which was obtained by POLITICO, though a source said it was not party communications director Evan Lips. Lips did not respond to multiple requests for comment. Lyons did not respond either.       FROM THE DELEGATION — “‘We have an obligation,’ Rep. Jim McGovern says on forming committee to investigate Jan. 6 Capitol insurrection,” Benjamin Kail, MassLive.com: “U.S. Rep. Jim McGovern on Wednesday accused Republican lawmakers of buckling under the pressure of a ‘disgraced and fallen’ former president, whose false claims that fraud cost him the White House helped fuel an unprecedented attack on the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6 that few Republicans want to investigate.” — “Rep. Lori Trahan gets billions for sewage overflows added to infrastructure bill,” by Alana Melanson, Lowell Sun: “Key provisions from U.S. Rep. Lori Trahan’s Stop Sewage Overflows Act — bipartisan legislation she introduced earlier this year in collaboration with Illinois Republican U.S. Rep. Darin LaHood — have been included in the INVEST in America Act, a five-year, $715 billion surface transportation and water infrastructure bill that the House will take up this week.” — WATCH: Reps. Jake Auchincloss and Seth Moulton talk Afghanistan withdrawal plans on GBH’s Greater Boston. Rep. Katherine Clark discusses the expanded child tax credit on NBC 10 Boston. PLANES, TRAINS AND AUTOMOBILES — “The MBTA’s governing board is coming to an end — and so is its mouthful of a name,” by Nik DeCosta-Klipa, Boston.com: “The MBTA’s Fiscal and Management Control Board has accomplished a lot in its six years of existence. It helped the beleaguered transit agency emerge from the crippling winter of 2015. It reduced the T’s operating deficit. It oversaw a threefold increase in long-term capital investments to hopefully improve service. The list goes on. But one thing that the five-member board, which officially dissolves Wednesday, has failed to do is get the public to actually remember its clunky name.” — “Lack of funding biggest hurdle to Bourne, Sagamore bridge replacements,” by Beth Treffeisen, Cape Cod Times: “At the first of several planned virtual public informational meetings Tuesday evening, MassDOT officials said that funding - and which kind - and when it will be available will determine how the project moves forward.”   SUBSCRIBE TO WEST WING PLAYBOOK: Add West Wing Playbook to keep up with the power players, latest policy developments and intriguing whispers percolating inside the West Wing and across the highest levels of the Cabinet. For buzzy nuggets and details you won't find anywhere else, subscribe today.     DAY IN COURT — “Somerville man, former Seekonk man arrested in Jan. 6 Capitol insurrection,” by Jeremy C. Fox, Boston Globe: “Noah S. Bacon, 28, of Somerville, faces six charges, including knowingly entering or remaining in any restricted building or grounds without lawful authority, entering or remaining in the gallery of either house of Congress, and disorderly conduct in a Capitol building, the FBI said in a statement. Chase Kevin Allen, 25, formerly of Seekonk, who now lives in Reno, Nev., was arrested in Seekonk and is charged with destruction or injury to buildings or property in special maritime and territorial jurisdiction and an act of physical violence on grounds, according to the statement.” IT'S NOT EASY BEING GREEN — “3 pipeline protesters arrested after large sit-in at energy giant’s Waltham offices,” by Nik DeCosta-Klipa, Boston.com: “Three activists who refused to leave the Waltham offices of the pipeline company Enbridge were arrested by police Wednesday afternoon, ending a more than 27-hour occupation in protest of the multi-national energy giant behind the controversial Weymouth compressor station and other fossil fuel projects around the country.” FROM THE 413 — “Great Barrington officer delayed sending an ambulance. A man recovering from COVID-19 died. His stepson wants answers,” by Heather Bellow, Berkshire Eagle: “A Housatonic man is pressing for answers about why a police officer waited more than 25 minutes to dispatch an ambulance to the aid of his stepfather, who was struggling to breathe from COVID-19- related respiratory distress and died soon after.”   A message from SimpliSafe: It’s finally easy to make sure your house is safe. Whatever you’re worried about—from french doors to basement windows—SimpliSafe’s got your back. Just click here to customize your system and get a FREE security camera.   THE LOCAL ANGLE — “Striking nurses at St. Vincent make counteroffer that will 'ensure the care and dignity our patients expect and deserve',” by Cyrus Moulton, Worcester Telegram & Gazette: “The Massachusetts Nurses Association presented a counterproposal late Tuesday night in response to St. Vincent Hospital’s latest offer to resolve the strike that has been going on for nearly four months." — “Mayor accused of cutting line for vaccine,” Taylor Ann Bradford, Gloucester Daily Times: “Mayor Sefatia Romeo Theken tried to get a COVID-19 vaccine for herself and others before becoming eligible through the state’s vaccine rollout plan, according to the city's public health director.” — “Jasiel Correia, fiancée getting married before his sentencing on corruption charges,” by Jo C. Goode, Herald News: “Convicted of corruption and investor fraud this spring and awaiting sentencing, former Fall River mayor Jasiel Correia II and his fiancée, restaurant owner Jenny Fernandes, will be getting married on Aug. 20.” SPOTTED: Markey and Kennedy dining (separately) at Porto on Tuesday. Markey was there celebrating his wife’s birthday. TRANSITIONS: Stacia Sheputa, digital media manager in acting Boston Mayor Kim Janey’s press office, joins the city's Environment Department as director of communications and community engagement. HAPPY BIRTHDAY: to Tara Healey. Happy belated to Boston City Councilor Kenzie Bok, who celebrated Wednesday, and to Katrina Gaddis, Rep. Katherine Clark's campaign manager, who celebrated Tuesday. 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.   Follow us on Twitter Lisa Kashinsky @lisakashinsky   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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