Showing posts with label SHERIFF THOMAS HODGSON. Show all posts
Showing posts with label SHERIFF THOMAS HODGSON. Show all posts

Wednesday, May 18, 2022

POLITICO Massachusetts Playbook: Warren moves to make her moment last

 


View in browser
 
Massachusetts Playbook logo

BY LISA KASHINSKY

Presented by

PhRMA

WARREN DEMOCRATS — Sen. Elizabeth Warren’s prescription for Democratic success in the midterms and her rage over the potential rollback of abortion rights has put her back in the national spotlight. The primaries now in full swing offer a real-world test of her influence over the Democratic Party.

Warren has endorsed roughly two-dozen progressive candidates in primaries across the country. After last night’s contests in Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Idaho, Oregon and Kentucky, her results so far are mixed. Charles Booker sailed through his Senate primary in Kentucky. In Oregon, Carrick Flynn conceded to Warren-backed Andrea Salinas . But Warren’s two endorsed candidates in North Carolina, Erica Smith and Nida Allam, both lost. Other races have yet to be called.

One of the biggest tests for Warren and progressive Democrats will come next week in Texas, where progressive immigration lawyer and abortion-rights supporter Jessica Cisneros is locked in a runoff against incumbent Rep. Henry Cuellar, a staunchly anti-abortion rights Democrat backed by party leadership.

“This is an all-hands-on-deck moment. Our reproductive freedom is under immediate and direct threat,” Warren declared during a virtual phone-banking event last night in support of Cisneros that also featured Sen. Ed Markey and Rep. Ayanna Pressley. “Henry Cuellar is bad for Texas and he’s bad for America. Now, Jessica will protect reproductive freedom.”

Cuellar’s anti-abortion record has reignited the ire of some members of his party. But Warren was campaigning for Cisneros long before a draft Supreme Court opinion published by POLITICO showed justices would overturn Roe v. Wade, traveling to Texas to stump for the young progressive before her initial primary back in February.

Warren’s policy proposals and protégés are pervasive in Washington. But by endorsing a slate of like-minded candidates in the midterms, the one-time presidential hopeful is again putting her vision to the test with voters far beyond the Beltway and deep-blue Massachusetts. And Playbook will be keeping score.

GOOD WEDNESDAY MORNING, MASSACHUSETTS. State Auditor Suzanne Bump wants Chris Dempsey to be her successor.

In endorsing Dempsey, the state's first female auditor snubbed state Sen. Diana DiZoglio, the sole woman vying to replace her.

Bump had already been refuting some of DiZoglio’s claims about the power of the auditor’s office in the press. In a letter to convention delegates announcing her endorsement, Bump called Dempsey a "true progressive" and said his "personal integrity means that every audit will represent a tool to improve state government, not a weapon to take down an individual or institution or grab a gratuitous headline.”

Bump and Dempsey have known each other since Deval Patrick’s first gubernatorial campaign and overlapped in his administration. Bump told the Boston Globe she offered Dempsey a job as her chief of staff in 2018.

“I have concluded that Chris Dempsey is best suited by his dedication to public service, his understanding of the role of the state auditor, his knowledge as a government executive, his role in policy-making, and his vision,” Bump said.

TODAY — Boston Mayor Michelle Wu attends a Fenway coffee hour at 9:30 a.m., announces a “historic contract with a local Black-owned business” at the Orchard Gardens school at 11 a.m. and swears in City Councilor-elect Gabriela “Gigi” Coletta at noon at City Hall. MWPC hosts Berkshire County DA Andrea Harrington for its “Emerging Leaders Speaker Series” at 5 p.m.

Tips? Scoops? Email me: lkashinsky@politico.com.

 

A message from PhRMA:

Thousands of scientists in Massachusetts are creating ground-breaking treatments to fight everything from the common cold to cancer. Gov. Charlie Baker’s bill would let the government set prices on medications, limiting the amount of research scientists can do to create cures. More importantly, it might make some medications harder to get. Gov. Baker: let the scientists do their jobs, don’t discriminate against patients, and stop threatening access to medications. Go to SupportMassCures.com to learn more.

 
THE LATEST NUMBERS

— “Massachusetts COVID cases jump 18%, hospitalizations surpass 800 patients for first time in months,” by Rick Sobey, Boston Herald: “The state Department of Public Health reported 3,425 COVID-19 cases, an 18% increase from 2,909 infections recorded last Tuesday. … In the state’s weekly breakthrough report, the state reported 18,820 breakthrough infections last week — a 35% decrease from the 28,797 fully vaccinated cases in the prior report.”

DATELINE BEACON HILL

— “House plans vote on prison construction moratorium,” by Shira Schoenberg, CommonWealth Magazine: “The Massachusetts House is set to vote on language this Thursday that would impose a five-year moratorium on new prison construction. The language is tucked into a large government bond bill, which would authorize state government to borrow $4.88 billion for a wide range of building projects touching on myriad facets of state government. But, the bill makes clear, that money cannot go to prison construction or expansion projects.”

— “Panel deadlocks over jobless fund overhaul,” by Christian M. Wade, Eagle-Tribune: “A state panel tasked with addressing a massive hole in a fund that pays unemployment benefits has deadlocked over a series of recommendations aimed at ensuring the fund's long-term solvency. On Tuesday, the Unemployment Insurance Trust Fund Study Commission weighed several recommendations that sought to pump more money into the fund, lessen the financial impact on employers who pay into the system and ensure more equity by boosting unemployment benefits for low-wage workers.”

— “Special commission backs new state seal and motto for Massachusetts,” by Adam Reilly, GBH News: “The special commission charged with reevaluating Massachusetts’ state seal and motto voted unanimously Tuesday to recommend that both be completely replaced. The current state seal, which dates back to 1898, depicts a Native American holding a bow and arrow and standing beneath an arm holding a sword — representing the colonial military leader Myles Standish — poised as if to strike. A motto in Latin unfurls around him, which is generally translated as: ‘By the sword we seek peace, but peace only under liberty.’”

— “Baker cancels events because he’s not ‘feeling well,’ tests negative for COVID-19, aides say,” by Matt Stout, Boston Globe: “Governor Charlie Baker abruptly canceled two public events on Tuesday because he was ‘not feeling well,’ according to a spokesman, who said Baker tested negative for COVID-19. Aides to the governor did not describe his symptoms, but Baker was attending meetings virtually Tuesday, said Terry MacCormack, a Baker spokesman.”

— “State Sen. Adam Gomez recovering from 5-day hospital stay after contracting COVID, urges mask-wearing,” by Alison Kuznitz, MassLive: “State Sen. Adam Gomez was hospitalized earlier this month due to coronavirus-related complications, the Springfield Democrat disclosed on social media. Gomez, who is vaccinated but not yet boosted, said he was released from Baystate Medical Center on May 12, after testing positive for COVID-19 over the prior weekend."

— “Worcester Rep. David LeBoeuf says he is in treatment program following OUI arrest, is ‘committed’ to regaining people’s trust,” by Tom Matthews, MassLive: “Worcester state Rep. David LeBoeuf, who was charged with drunken driving after Massachusetts State Police found nine empty nip bottles and two cans of wine in his car following reports of an ‘erratic’ driver on Interstate 93 in Quincy ... said he immediately attended in-patient treatment following his April 26 arrest to address his substance use and has been attending a long-term outpatient program.”

VAX-ACHUSETTS

— “The new, highly transmissible Omicron variant, BA.2.12.1, is dominating in Massachusetts. Now what?” by Kay Lazar, Boston Globe: “It didn’t seem that long ago that infectious disease experts spoke hopefully of a spring reprieve in COVID-19 cases. But that was before the latest, even more, transmissible Omicron variant, BA.2.12.1, exploded across Massachusetts in recent weeks and began to shove aside its predecessor, BA.2, in other regions, as well.”

— “‘It’s been relentless’: UMass Memorial workers once again under pressure from latest COVID wave,” by Louisa Moller, CBS Boston: “Outside the UMass Memorial Medical Center Emergency Department every ambulance bay is full. Inside, three patients wait on stretchers by the door to be assessed while others line the walls waiting for a room. Staff at the Worcester hospital say the influx of patient[s] has become the new norm and the situation is exacerbated by the latest wave of COVID-19 infections.”

 

STEP INSIDE THE WEST WING: What's really happening in West Wing offices? Find out who's up, who's down, and who really has the president’s ear in our West Wing Playbook newsletter, the insider's guide to the Biden White House and Cabinet. For buzzy nuggets and details that you won't find anywhere else, subscribe today.

 
 
FROM THE HUB

— “Rachael Rollins opening up federal investigation into Quincy Long Island Bridge opposition,” by Sean Philip Cotter, Boston Herald: “U.S. Attorney Rachael Rollins is opening up an investigation into whether Quincy’s opposition to the Long Island Bridge amounts to civil-rights violations in the latest turn in the years-long saga over building an addiction-recovery campus out on the island. In a letter obtained by the Herald from Rollins to Quincy Mayor Thomas Koch dated May 12, the U.S. attorney wrote that her office is ‘initiating an investigation’ into Quincy over the Americans with Disabilities Act, which includes language forbidding discrimination against people with substance-abuse issues.”

— “Another month, another record for home prices in the Boston area,” by Tim Logan, Boston Globe: “The region’s housing market continued its stratospheric spring, with prices reaching new records in April. But there’s a growing sense that the peak may be near. The median price for a single-family home in Greater Boston climbed 11.2 percent last month compared with a year prior, to $845,000, according to the Greater Boston Association of Realtors. Condominium prices rose even faster, up 16.5 percent to $716,500.”

PLANES, TRAINS AND AUTOMOBILES

— “Red Line passenger ran alongside train before being dragged to his death, preliminary police report says,” by Laura Crimaldi and Taylor Dolven, Boston Globe: “The Boston man killed in last month’s horrific Red Line accident ran alongside the inbound train with his right arm trapped between closed doors before he lost his balance and was dragged to his death, according to a MBTA Transit Police report obtained by The Boston Globe.”

CAMPAIGN MODE

— CASH DASH: State Sen. Eric Lesser is trotting out some big names for a fundraiser just days before the state Democratic convention. David Axelrod, Alyssa Mastromonaco, David Plouffe and Austan Goolsbee are headlining the virtual “Obama Alumni” event in support of Lesser’s bid for lieutenant governor at 8 p.m. on May 31.

— “Attorney general hopeful Andrea Campbell makes history as first Black woman running for statewide office to qualify for ballot with 10,000+ signatures,” by Alison Kuznitz, MassLive: “Campbell shattered barriers as she delivered her completed nomination paperwork to the Secretary of the Commonwealth’s office, becoming the first Black woman to pass the 10,000-signature threshold for statewide office, said campaign spokeswoman Molly McGlynn. Rayla Campbell, a Republican candidate for Secretary of the Commonwealth, qualified for the ballot last week after submitting more than 7,000 signatures.”

— "Facing long odds, state Senator Sonia Chang-Dίaz campaigns in Lawrence," by Emma Platoff, Boston Globe: "Gaining traction outside Boston, particularly in working-class cities such as Lawrence, will be crucial for [state Sen. Sonia] Chang-Dίaz, whose Democratic opponent has already run two successful statewide campaigns."

PARTY POLITICS

— DEM DIVISION: A group of Democratic convention delegates that includes members of Our Revolution Massachusetts is accusing the state party of stymying efforts to bring forward a resolution that would eliminate a group of unelected members from the roughly 400-person state committee.

At issue are “20-year members” of the state committee — those who, after being elected to the committee for 20 years, move on to serving in an unelected capacity. Rules Chair Bill Eddy, a member of the 20-year-plus club, told Playbook that party bylaw is meant to help bring new blood onto the state committee by freeing up long-held elected seats.

But Rand Wilson, a Somerville delegate leading the charge to change the rules, argues that having such a large group of unelected members — he estimates it’s about one third of the state committee — makes party leadership “unaccountable to its grassroots base.”

A party subcommittee rejected the group’s resolution at a meeting earlier this month. Now activists are trying to deliver 500 signatures to the state party by Saturday in order to get the resolution to the convention floor. But that process — which was modified because the convention is a hybrid event because of the pandemic — is also a source of squabbling: Activists say the party isn't fully providing delegate contact information to collect signatures. Party leaders say they’ve provided complete mailing information and emails for every delegate who opted to receive updates on convention resolutions or charter amendments.

 

A message from PhRMA:

Advertisement Image 

 
DAY IN COURT

— “SJC says sheriffs can charge commissions for prison phone calls,” by Shira Schoenberg, CommonWealth Magazine: “Massachusetts sheriffs have the legal authority to raise revenue from contracts for inmate phone calls, the Supreme Judicial Court ruled Tuesday. Bristol County Sheriff Thomas Hodgson, whose office was at the center of the lawsuit, called the decision ‘a win for taxpayers.’ … The legal ruling does not end the legislative debate over the high cost of prison phone calls. … The fiscal 2023 budget proposal passed by the House would require jails and prisons to give inmates free phone calls and would create a $20 million state fund to reimburse sheriffs and state prisons. The proposal is not included in the Senate’s version of the budget, but could be added in…”

— “Judge halts enforcement of state rule limiting nursing home rooms to 2 beds,” by Cassie McGrath, Boston Business Journal: “A Superior Court judge has temporarily halted the state's enforcement of a new regulation barring nursing homes from having more than two patients in one room. The regulation, which became effective on May 1, is being challenged in court by nine Massachusetts nursing homes that claim in a lawsuit filed this week that it could cost them nearly $16 million per year and over 100 jobs.”

FROM THE DELEGATION

— “Mass. delegation demands answers from Abbott on Similac, stresses reliance of low-income parents on baby formula,” by Sarah Betancourt, GBH News: “The Massachusetts congressional delegation is demanding answers from Abbott Nutrition on when strained consumers can see baby formula Similac back on store shelves. In a letter led by Reps. Lori Trahan, Katherine Clark and Ayanna Pressley sent to the manufacturer Tuesday, legislators said ‘rationing food for infants who desperately need nutrients to grow up strong and healthy is not an acceptable outcome.’"

BIDEN TIME

— SINKING FEELING: President Joe Biden’s approval rating is just 38 percent in a new national UMass Amherst poll , down from 51 percent in April 2021. His approval rating dropped among all demographic groups surveyed in the poll, and he’s down by double-digits with young people, people of color and those who voted for him in 2020.

“The president’s sinking approval rating among his most loyal constituencies, most notably people of color, young Americans and even Democrats, must be ringing alarm bells in the White House,” poll director Tatishe Nteta said in a statement. YouGov conducted the poll of 1,000 respondents from May 5-9; it has a margin of error of 3.5 percent.

 

DON'T MISS DIGITAL FUTURE DAILY - OUR TECHNOLOGY NEWSLETTER, RE-IMAGINED:  Technology is always evolving, and our new tech-obsessed newsletter is too! Digital Future Daily unlocks the most important stories determining the future of technology, from Washington to Silicon Valley and innovation power centers around the world. Readers get an in-depth look at how the next wave of tech will reshape civic and political life, including activism, fundraising, lobbying and legislating. Go inside the minds of the biggest tech players, policymakers and regulators to learn how their decisions affect our lives. Don't miss out, subscribe today.

 
 
FROM THE 413

— “Holyoke City Councilor Wilmer Puello-Mota faces child pornography charges in Rhode Island,” by Jim Kinney, Springfield Republican: “Ward 2 City Councilor Wilmer E. Puello-Mota, facing child pornography and other charges for close to two years in Rhode Island, now stands accused of charges he tried to deceive prosecutors and his commanders in the Air National Guard in an apparent attempt to keep his job as a military security forces officer.” 

MORE COMPLETE INFORMATION:
Holyoke City Councilor Puello-Mota, charged with possession of child porn, arrested on new charges in Rhode Island

— “Amherst Town Council urged to direct pot revenue to reparations,” by Scott Merzbach, Daily Hampshire Gazette: “[Heather Hala Lord, a member of the town’s African Heritage Reparation Assembly] was among members of the assembly, residents and even a former state Cannabis Control Commission official who advocated that local excise tax revenue from recreational cannabis sales be permanently earmarked to the town’s reparations effort, beginning in fiscal year 2024.”

THE LOCAL ANGLE

— “‘I was middle class, and now I feel like I’m at the poverty line.’ Inflation is hitting Mass. residents painfully hard, despite rosy big-picture stats,” by Matt Stout and Anissa Gardizy, Boston Globe: “In Massachusetts, unemployment is at its lowest point since the pandemic began and the state’s coffers are overflowing. But a 40-year-high inflation rate — layered onto the state’s already high cost of living — is squeezing people in ways largely unseen in the rosier economic data, eroding their financial cushion and confidence in the economy.”

— “Mass General Brigham says it will reduce spending by $70m annually,” by Jessica Bartlett, Boston Globe: “Mass General Brigham said on Tuesday it will reduce total medical spending by $70 million annually through a combination of lowered prices, reduced hospitalization rates, and by shifting some hospital care to people’s homes. … The health system was the first in the state to be required to file such a plan.”

 

A message from PhRMA:

Massachusetts is a booming biotech ecosystem. Its scientists and researchers are developing ground-breaking treatments to fight everything from the common cold to cancer.

Gov. Charlie Baker’s bill imposes government prices on medications, which would then limit the amount of research scientists can do to create lifesaving treatments. By setting medication prices, it also means politicians decide which patients and diseases are more important than others.

State bureaucrats should not be playing doctor. When the government imposes artificial prices from the top-down, some patients can lose access to their medications. Seniors, the disabled, and the chronically ill are most vulnerable to these policies.

Gov. Baker: let the scientists and doctors do their jobs, don’t discriminate against patients, and stop threatening access to medications. Go to SupportMassCures.com to learn more.

 
MEANWHILE IN NEW HAMPSHIRE

— “Ad targets Sen. Hassan on gas prices,” by Adam Sexton, WMUR: “On Wednesday, the National Republican Senatorial Committee is launching a seven-figure ad campaign in New Hampshire to target Democratic U.S. Sen. Maggie Hassan on energy policy.”

SPOTTED — Michelle Wu making her second trip to the White House as Boston mayor, this time for an AANHPI Heritage Month event .

TRANSITIONS — Italo Fini is now deputy political director for state Attorney General Maura Healey’s campaign for governor.

— Hannah Rehm is now comms director for Rep. Joe Neguse (D-Colo.). She most recently was press secretary for Rep. Jake Auchincloss.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY — to POLITICO’s Bryan Bender, a Boston Globe alum; state Rep. Bill Driscoll Jr., Erik Smith, Robert Colt, Patrick Long, Judy Boullet and Josh Troop.

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  |  Ottawa Playbook  |  Brussels Playbook  |  London Playbook

View all our politics and policy newsletters

FOLLOW US

Follow us on FacebookFollow us on TwitterFollow us on InstagramListen on Apple Podcast
 


 POLITICO, LLC 1000 Wilson Blvd. Arlington, VA, 22209, USA




Sunday, June 21, 2020

Five more Bristol County inmates test positive for COVID-19 since June 12





Five more Bristol County inmates test positive for COVID-19 since June 12




DARTMOUTH — Five county inmates in Bristol County correctional facilities tested positive for COVID-19 since June 12, according to a press release issued by the sheriff’s office.
Four of those inmates are currently being housed in medical isolation. One was released as the individual’s sentence was concluded. Before being released, the BCSO notified the person picking them up from the correctional facility as well as the state Department of Public Health, which in turn notified the local health department of the community the individual is returning to, according to the release.
The five positive cases reported since June 12 brings the total number of county inmates to test positive to 47. Of those 47, 30 have recovered and returned to general population while five have been released as their sentences were concluded, the sheriff’s office said. Twelve, including the five new cases mentioned above, remain in medical isolation and are being closely monitored by the medical team.
No Bristol County staff members tested positive for COVID since June 12, according to the release. Four staff members remain away from the facility recovering from COVID-19 while 37 have returned to duty. One staff member, a health care professional from Correctional Psychiatric Services, left the BCSO after recovering to take a different position at a health care facility in Dartmouth.
All inmates currently in medical isolation, and all staff members currently away from the facility recovering, are expected to make full recoveries over the coming weeks, the sheriff’s office said in the release.
Over the past few months, the Bristol County Sheriff’s Office said it has instituted many protocols to protect inmates, detainees and staff from the Coronavirus outbreak. Some of those measures, according to the release, include:
• All employees, detainees and inmates were issued masks that must be worn inside the secure perimeter of the facilities.
• All areas of the facilities are being cleaned/disinfected every day on every shift.
• All staff members are being screened before entering the buildings; new arriving inmates are being screened before being accepted into custody.
• In-person visitation has been suspended to limit the number of people coming in and out. It will resume, hopefully soon, based on guidance from the Governor’s Office, DPH and CDC.





Wednesday, June 17, 2020

POLITICO Massachusetts Playbook: BOSTON councilors call for TEAR GAS restrictions — ‘REOPEN the CASES’ — SWAMPSCOTT bar conversation sparks uproar






Massachusetts Playbook logo
GOOD MORNING, MASSACHUSETTS.
MARKEY'S MISSED VOTES — Sen. Ed Markey has missed 80 percent of Senate votes in May and June, according to GovTrack . The Senate has voted 40 times in the last month-and-a-half, and Markey missed 32 of those votes.
It's not unusual for Senate lawmakers to miss votes during a campaign, especially one as competitive as the primary race between Markey and Rep. Joe Kennedy III. Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, for example, missed every Senate vote between October and December 2019, a key period in the 2020 presidential primary race. Sen. Elizabeth Warren wasn't far behind, missing 98 percent of votes during that time. Markey’s campaign didn’t say whether being on the trail has kept him from the Senate.
A number of the votes Markey missed in May and June were for judicial nominations and other measures expected to pass the Republican-controlled chamber, meaning his attendance wasn't exactly critical. Markey returned to Washington in May to vote for an amendment to restrict surveillance on internet browsing that failed by just one vote.
But missing votes isn't typical for Markey, who has only missed 4 percent of the 2,134 roll call votes the Senate has taken since 2013. It's hard to compare Markey's recent voting record to Kennedy's because the House hasn't been in session.
FIRST IN PLAYBOOK: BUILDING TRADES COUNCIL BACKS KENNEDY — Rep. Joe Kennedy III will announce an endorsement from the largest construction labor group in Massachusetts this morning.
The Massachusetts Building Trades Council, which represents more than 75,000 construction workers in Massachusetts, is backing Kennedy's Democratic primary campaign against Sen. Ed Markey. The Newton Democrat has been endorsed by approximately three dozen labor groups this cycle.
HAPPENING TODAY: Join the hosts of The Horse Race podcast for a live Happy Hour episode this afternoon. State Rep. Liz Miranda is our guest. Watch live at 4:30 p.m. on the MassINC Facebook page.
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 and First Lady Lauren Baker speak at a Project 351 virtual event with former Gov. Deval Patrick, former First Lady Diane Patrick and Robert Kraft and Josh Kraft of the New England Patriots, among others.
Boston Mayor Marty Walsh is a guest on WGBH’s “Greater Boston.” Holyoke Mayor Alex Morse holds a town hall with Springfield City Council President Justin Hurst, Tanisha Arena, Asher Hamilton, and Brooke Bridges for his congressional campaign.

JOIN TODAY AT 4 p.m. ET - WOMEN AND COVID-19, SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS IN CRISIS PART III: WOMEN RULE INTERVIEW WITH PADMA LAKSHMI: The coronavirus pandemic has transformed the food industry and the experience of dining out, potentially forever. Join Women Rule editorial director Anna Palmer for a virtual interview with Padma Lakshmi, host of “Top Chef”, to discuss the inspiration behind her new series, ‘Taste The Nation’, as well as the devastating impact of Covid-19 on women chefs and restaurant owners, and how food has the power to connect Americans to their community. REGISTER HERE.


THE LATEST NUMBERS
– “Massachusetts reports 18 new coronavirus deaths, 195 new cases as state continues to dodge spike seen elsewhere,” by Tanner Stening, MassLive.com: “Massachusetts health officials announced another 18 coronavirus deaths on Tuesday, bringing the death toll in the state to 7,665. Officials also confirmed another 195 cases of the virus, including 55 probable cases. Altogether, officials estimate there are at least 105,885 confirmed and probable cases of COVID-19 in Massachusetts.”
– “Key metrics the state is looking at for the reopening,” by Ryan Huddle and Martin Finucane, Boston Globe: “The state, in its reopening plan, detailed key metrics it is following to determine whether it’s safe to gradually loosen restrictions intended to slow the spread of the deadly coronavirus. The charts below show the trends in four measures cited by officials as key to moving the state through the multi-phase reopening plan.”
DATELINE BEACON HILL
– “Senate passes vote-by-mail option,” by Chris Van Buskirk and Sam Doran, State House News Service: “The Senate passed expanded vote-by-mail legislation Tuesday that would allow voters to avoid the polls, but still participate, during the upcoming primaries and general election if they feel unsafe due to the ongoing pandemic. The Senate approved its own version (S 2755) of vote-by-mail legislation that would offer registered voters three options to cast a ballot: during extended early voting periods, voting in-person on election day, or voting-by-mail.”
– “Brazilian-American makes history on Beacon Hill,” by Sarah Betancourt, CommonWealth Magazine: “Danillo ‘Dan’ Sena is living what he considers to be the American Dream as the first Brazilian-American elected to the state Legislature. Sena swept to a landslide victory on June 2 in a special election to replace former state rep Jennifer Benson, who left Beacon Hill to become president of the Alliance for Business Leadership.”
– “Massachusetts U.S. Attorney Andrew Lelling calls efforts to defund police departments ‘ridiculous,’” by Tanner Stening, MassLive.com: “U.S. Attorney Andrew Lelling took a swipe at the growing movement to reform police departments across the country in the wake of the death of George Floyd, calling talks around defunding the police ‘ridiculous.’ ‘I’m not opposed to police reform if it’s intelligently done, but these calls to literally defund urban policing are frankly ridiculous,’ Lelling told reporters on Tuesday during a press conference announcing charges against 31 members and associates of a Boston-based street gang.”
– “Nursing homes fall short on COVID-19 controls,” by Christian M. Wade, Eagle-Tribune: “Dozens of nursing homes have repeatedly failed to meet coronavirus infection control standards set under a state program that provides funding to help them improve the safety of staff and residents. Recent clinical audits of state-licensed nursing homes, conducted by the state's Executive Office of Health and Human Services, found at least 50 facilities were not ‘in adherence’ with the state's COVID-19 safety and infection control protocols.”
FROM THE HUB
– “Protesters Call On DA Rachael Rollins To Reopen Coleman, Rahim Cases,” by Quincy Walters, WBUR: “Reopen the cases. That was the mantra from the rally held outside Suffolk County District Attorney Rachael Rollins' office in Boston Tuesday evening. The group Massachusetts Action Against Police Brutality organized the event to demand Rollins re-examine the evidence in cases where Black men in Boston were killed by law enforcement — specifically the cases of Terrence Coleman and Usaamah Rahim.”
– “Boston councilors call to limit police use of tear gas, pepper spray, rubber bullets,” by Sean Philip Cotter, Boston Herald: “Boston city councilors are seeking to heavily limit police use of tear gas, rubber bullets and other ‘less lethal’ crowd-control measures — the latest step in a push for change as protests continue. City Councilors Andrea Campbell and Ricardo Arroyo are introducing a proposed law change at Wednesday’s council meeting that Boston Police officers ‘shall not use a Kinetic Impact Projectile or a Chemical Crowd Control Agent against any person or persons engaged in a protest, demonstration, or other gathering of any kind involving more than ten persons.’”
– “Amid nationwide movement to reform policing, some call on Boston to remove officers from schools,” by Milton J. Valencia and Meghan E. Irons, Boston Globe: “Amid a nationwide movement to reform police policies, local officials and community activists are calling for Boston to remove police officers from schools, saying their presence is part of the ‘cradle to prison pipeline’ that entangles at-risk students in the criminal justice system.”
– “'We Just Want To Be Heard': Black Immigrant Domestic Workers In Mass. Face Confluence Of Pandemic Challenges,” by Shannon Dooling, WBUR: “Scores of Black immigrant domestic workers in Massachusetts told researchers they have either lost their jobs or worked fewer hours amid the pandemic, according to a survey conducted by The Institute for Policy Studies and the National Domestic Workers Alliance. Jobs like nannies, house cleaners and personal caregivers often fall within the domestic worker field.”
– “Nurses Renew Calls To Stop Cleaning, Reusing N95 Masks,” by Beth Healy, WBUR: “A new slate of tests by Mass General Brigham on the cleaning and reuse of N95 respirator masks has not eased the concerns of nursing associations, which renewed their calls Tuesday to stop the practice. The Massachusetts Nurses Association and a national nurses' group said they still believe the practice is putting medical workers at risk.”
– “MIT Catholic chaplain forced out after message on Floyd killing and protest,” by Deirdre Fernandes, Boston Globe: “An MIT chaplain was asked to resign last week after he sent a message to the university’s Catholic community suggesting that George Floyd’s killing by a white Minneapolis police officer may have had nothing to do with racism and questioning Floyd’s character.”
PRIMARY SOURCES
– FIRST IN PLAYBOOK: “Ironworkers 7, IBEW 223 Endorse Jake Auchincloss for Congress,” from the Auchincloss campaign: “Ironworkers 7 and IBEW 223 have endorsed Jake Auchincloss for Massachusetts’ 4th Congressional seat. Representing 3,500 Boston-area members, the Ironworkers 7 chapter stands as one of the largest Ironworker Locals in the country. IBEW 223 represents electrical workers throughout Southeastern Massachusetts, brought together by a shared mission to bring ‘fair wages, safety on the job, and trained workers’ to the electrical industry.”
– FIRST IN PLAYBOOK: “Cambridge City Councillor Jivan Sobrinho-Wheeler Endorses Jordan Meehan for State Representative,” from the Meehan campaign: “Today, Cambridge City Councillor Jivan Sobrinho-Wheeler is proud to announce his endorsement of Jordan Meehan for State Representative. ‘Jordan is focused on the same issues I am -- public transit, government transparency, and tenant protections including rent control,’ Sobrinho-Wheeler said. ‘I'm excited to see him in the State House fighting for these changes.’”
– “Joe Kennedy III, campaigning virtually in a tightening race,” by Adrian Walker, Boston Globe: “As he makes his bid for US Senate amid the most sweeping racial tumult of a generation, Joe Kennedy III is spending a lot of time off to the side, listening. Whether at a rally at Franklin Park, or in Chelsea or Springfield, Kennedy has been a presence but not a vocal one. That’s the nature of running in a time no one saw coming, in a contest framed by issues that have come roaring to the forefront in recent weeks.”
DAY IN COURT
– “Judge orders Oxford to shut down gym staying open in defiance of court order,” by Brad Petrishen, Telegram & Gazette: “A Worcester Superior Court judge is ordering Oxford to shut down a gym that has remained open during the COVID-19 pandemic despite a court order, though it wasn’t immediately clear Tuesday how or when the town would do that.”
– “SJC: Boston police must provide Snapchat records in racial profiling inquiry by defense,” by John R. Ellement, Boston Globe: “Boston police must turn over a year’s worth of internal documents that, according to defense attorneys, may show officers racially profiled Snapchat users in gathering evidence used to arrest more than 20 people, the state Supreme Judicial Court said Tuesday.”
WARREN REPORT
– “‘The most acceptable white candidate’: Black support lifts Warren’s VP prospects,” by David Catanese, McClatchy: “The prospect of the first Black woman to appear on a presidential ticket looks more likely than ever before, with Joe Biden seriously considering Kamala Harris, Val Demings and Keisha Lance Bottoms to be his running mate. But there’s also a serious white contender in the mix who is showing a unique capacity to energize African Americans: Elizabeth Warren.”
– “Warren endorses Bowman over Engel in show of progressive support,” by Max Cohen, POLITICO: “Sen. Elizabeth Warren backed progressive challenger Jamaal Bowman over longtime incumbent Rep. Eliot Engel on Tuesday, further fueling the endorsement slugfest in one of the nation's most-watched primaries. Warren (D-Mass.) is the latest national progressive icon to support Bowman — a middle school principal challenging a 16-term congressman and House Foreign Affairs Committee chairman in a New York district that spans from the Bronx to Westchester County.”
MARKEYCHUSETTS
– “Sen. Ed Markey on the politics of technology,” by Andrew Marino, The Verge: “If you’ve ever had an 18-inch satellite dish, you’ve enjoyed the work of Senator Ed Markey. Sen. Markey (D-MA) was there in 1992 as a US Representative when the Cable Television Consumer Protection and Competition Act was passed, which regulated cable service pricing, increased competition, and, in his eye, birthed the 18-inch satellite dish.”
MOULTON MATTERS
– “Moulton, Bennett discuss need for equal policing,” by Ethan Forman, The Salem News: “During a virtual town hall Monday on police brutality and systemic racism, Salem Congressman Seth Moulton and the Rev. Dr. Andre Bennett, the youth and young adults pastor at Zion Baptist Church in Lynn, traded stories of their traffic stops and their unequal treatment.”
TRUMPACHUSETTS
– “Businesses, Colleges Plead With Trump To Preserve Work Visas,” by Philip Marcelo, The Associated Press: “Gregory Minott came to the U.S. from his native Jamaica more than two decades ago on a student visa and was able to carve out a career in architecture thanks to temporary work visas. Now a U.S. citizen and co-founder of a real estate development firm in Boston, the 43-year-old worries that new restrictions on student and work visas expected to be announced as early as this week will prevent others from following a similar path to the American dream.”
IT'S NOT EASY BEING GREEN
– “State environmental officials fail to report critical water data, according to state audit,” by David Abel, Boston Globe: “The state Department of Environmental Protection has failed to send federal regulators reports about the safety of watersheds in Massachusetts, according to the state auditor. The reports, required by the Clean Water Act, are meant to make public information about whether specific watersheds are polluted.”
– “Boston organization stirs ire of solar advocates,” by Bruce Mohl, CommonWealth Magazine: “A shadowy Boston-based organization is sending renewable energy advocates across the country into a tizzy by challenging the logic behind one of the key subsidies that has been used to spur the growth of the solar power industry.”
– “GE outlines planned Housatonic cleanup ahead of EPA order,” by Larry Parnass, The Berkshire Eagle: “And here's how we'll do it, says a new 83-page report from the General Electric Co. complete with maps, attachments and a glossary of 54 abbreviations and acronyms. All that, even though ‘it’ isn't official. Duty-bound by a 20-year-old consent decree, and a far newer pact, the company just dropped a broad-strokes description of how it would go about removing carcinogenic toxins it spewed for decades into the Housatonic River.”
ABOVE THE FOLD
— Herald: TRIPPING IN THE IVY” — Globe: “Corporate world must step up on racial equality," "As virus surges in other states, a sobering reminder for Mass.”
FROM THE 413
– “Battle lines drawn: Springfield City Council, armed with new lawyers, prepares to fight for return of police commission,” by Peter Goonan, Springfield Republican: “The City Council, armed with new pro bono lawyers, is threatening a legal fight with Mayor Domenic J. Sarno to push for resurrection of a citizen police commission to oversee policy and officer discipline. The council voted on Tuesday night to accept the free services of two Northampton lawyers, Thomas Lesser and Michael Aleo, to aid the council in a prolonged dispute with Sarno.”
Reinstatement of officers involved in Nathan Bill’s case was a ‘mistake,’ Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno says; officers will be suspended, again,” by Stephanie Barry, Springfield Republican: “Mayor Domenic J. Sarno on Tuesday announced his decision to rescind the reinstatement of five police officers who were suspended without pay after they were criminally charged in the Nathan Bill’s off-duty cop brawl case.”
– “Pittsfield Council Narrowly Approves Trimmed Police Budget,” by Josh Landes, WAMC: “Monday night, the Pittsfield City Council approved an amended police spending plan for 2021, along with accepting the city’s fire and emergency management budgets unaltered. The hearing came after an unresolved and emotional debate over cuts to the school department the week before.”
THE LOCAL ANGLE
– “In Swampscott, a bar conversation becomes a townwide controversy,” by Dugan Arnett, Boston Globe: “Erik Heilman was bartending at the upstairs patio at Mission on the Bay restaurant in Swampscott last Thursday when a group of four adults arrived. Among them was Don Hause, a second-term Swampscott selectman. While serving the group over the course of the next couple hours, Heilman said, he grew angered by a number of comments made by Hause, who according to Heilman called the Black Lives Matter movement ‘liberal b------t’ and said that white privilege isn’t real.”
– “Case against Salem developer set for fall trial,” by Julie Manganis, The Salem News: “A Salem developer charged with being the alleged mastermind of a mortgage fraud scheme that cost banks and mortgage lenders more than $4 million — and almost two dozen apartments from the city's rental housing stock — is tentatively set to stand trial in October. But getting George Kritopoulos' case to trial then still might not be possible, U.S. District Court Judge Patti Saris acknowledged during a hearing Tuesday.”
– “Devin Brosnan, Atlanta officer involved in confrontation that turned deadly, grew up in Southboro,” by Brian Lee, Telegram & Gazette: “One of the two white Atlanta police officers involved in a fatal confrontation with a Black man at a Wendy’s drive-thru grew up in Southboro and graduated from Algonquin Regional High School in Northboro. Devin Brosnan, who is not the accused shooter in the high-profile death, has been placed on administrative duty from the Atlanta Police Department.”
– “Newton firefighters oppose city order barring ‘red-stripe’ memorial flag,” by John Hilliard, Boston Globe: “The union representing Newton’s firefighters has filed a complaint with the state Department of Labor Relations after the group said it was prohibited by Mayor Ruthanne Fuller from displaying a memorial flag in honor of fallen firefighters at a local fire station.”
MEDIA MATTERS
– “Dave Andelman resigns as CEO of Phantom Gourmet after comments on Black Lives Matter protests,” by Jaclyn Reiss, Boston Globe: “Dave Andelman has resigned as CEO of Phantom Gourmet, Inc. after he was criticized for posting a number of messages on his personal Facebook account deriding the ongoing protests against police brutality and systemic racism. Andelman, who founded the company in 1993, will no longer appear on episodes of ‘Phantom Gourmet.’”
– “Daily Hampshire Gazette, Greenfield Recorder outsource printing to Worcester County; union calls layoffs ‘devastating,’” by Ray Kelly, Springfield Republican: “The owners of the Daily Hampshire Gazette and Greenfield Recorder will cease in-house printing of those newspapers, resulting in what a union official described as massive and devastating layoffs.”
SPOTTED: Bristol County Sheriff Thomas Hodgson at the White House with President Donald Trump on Tuesday. Pic.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY – to CBS News reporter Nicole Sganga, Aaron Saunders of Loophole Brewing Services and Maxwell Nunes.
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 .

YOUR WEEKLY LOOK AROUND THE WORLD: The coronavirus pandemic devastated the world, and countries are figuring out next steps. Our Global Translations newsletter, presented by Bank of America, is focused on essential global news, trends and decisions layered with critical contextual analysis from the sharpest minds around the world. From the different approaches countries take to reopening, the global response to the unrest in the United States, the drama surrounding WHO's response to the pandemic, and more, Global Translations offers a unique perspective that you won't find anywhere else. SUBSCRIBE HERE.



Follow us on Twitter
Stephanie Murray @StephMurr_Jour

Subscribe to the POLITICO Playbook family
FOLLOW US

POLITICO, LLC 1000 Wilson Blvd. Arlington, VA, 22209, USA













YOU DID THIS. We’re #3 on Audible!

                                                                                  LOTS OF POSTS IGNORED BY BLOGGER..... OR REMOVED ON THEIR ...