POLITICO Massachusetts Playbook: October surprise

 

BY LISA KASHINSKY AND KELLY GARRITY PROGRAMMING NOTE — You’ve been reading her byline for months. Now you’ll be seeing a lot more of Kelly Garrity in your inboxes, on Beacon Hill and beyond. I’m thrilled to officially welcome Kelly to Massachusetts Playbook. A member of POLITICO’s breaking news team since September 2022, this Northeastern University grad and Walpole native has covered everything from White House happenings to Boston’s City Council elections. Kelly is now stepping into an expanded role with Playbook as I pivot to more fully covering the 2024 presidential primaries in New Hampshire. Some of you eagle-eyed politicos have already seen me — and my byline — up there these past few months. I’m grateful for the opportunity to cover this unprecedented campaign cycle in more depth. And don’t worry, I’ll still be delivering #mapoli news and scoops to your inboxes — just with a little less frequency. New Hampshire, put me on your lists (if you haven’t already). Massachusetts, add Kelly to yours. And say hi when you see us around! We also want to hear from you. What do you want to see more of in Playbook? More coverage of central and western Massachusetts politics? Of the 2024 primaries in New Hampshire? Of Rhode Island? Please email us your thoughts: lkashinsky@politico.com and kgarrity@politico.com . GOOD THURSDAY MORNING, MASSACHUSETTS . Now to the news. Four Boston electeds are endorsing William King in the District 6 City Council race today, a quartet that includes state Reps. Russell Holmes and Christopher Worrell and Suffolk District Attorney Kevin Hayden. But one name stands out: Tania Fernandes Anderson. The District 7 councilor is an ally of District 6 Councilor Kendra Lara, who voters sent packing in the preliminary election after her late-June car crash. Now Fernandes Anderson is backing King, a lifelong Boston resident and nonprofit IT director who is Black, for Lara’s seat. “By electing leaders who understand our diverse communities' struggles , we will be best equipped to work together toward finding tangible solutions that uplift all residents, which is why I am proud to endorse William King,” Fernandes Anderson said in a statement shared first with Playbook. Fernandes Anderson’s endorsement is notable for three reasons. She's a member of the council’s left bloc, but she's passing over the more progressive of the general-election candidates — Ben Weber — in favor of King. One of the council’s most outspoken critics of Mayor Michelle Wu, Fernandes Anderson is now positioning against Wu, who's backing Weber , on the campaign trail. And Fernandes Anderson is also aligning herself with one of her council foes: at-large Councilor Erin Murphy, who’s endorsed King and helped fundraise for him . As they say, politics makes strange bedfellows. TODAY — Gov. Maura Healey and Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll announce an executive order on competing for federal funding at 9:30 a.m. at the State House. Driscoll attends a municipal marina ribbon-cutting ceremony at 1:30 p.m. in Scituate and participates in STEM Week events at 3 p.m. in Hanover and 6 p.m. at the Harvard College Observatory. Wu provides an update on a homeownership program at 10:30 a.m. in Dorchester. AG Andrea Campbell is on WBUR’s “Radio Boston” at 11 a.m. Auditor Diana DiZoglio attends a Psychological Center gala at 6 p.m. in Lawrence.   GO INSIDE THE CAPITOL DOME: From the outset, POLITICO has been your eyes and ears on Capitol Hill, providing the most thorough Congress coverage — from political characters and emerging leaders to leadership squabbles and policy nuggets during committee markups and hearings. We're stepping up our game to ensure you’re fully informed on every key detail inside the Capitol Dome, all day, every day. Start your day with Playbook AM, refuel at midday with our Playbook PM halftime report and enrich your evening discussions with Huddle. Plus, stay updated with real-time buzz all day through our brand new Inside Congress Live feature. Learn more and subscribe here.     DATELINE BEACON HILL BOND BILL BATTLE LINES — Elected officials and special-interest groups are already drawing battle lines over Gov. Maura Healey ’s $4.1 billion housing bond bill. — THEY LIKE IT : Boston Mayor Michelle Wu , who summited Beacon Hill just last week to ask lawmakers to let the city levy a tax on high-dollar real-estate sales, said she’s “grateful” to see the governor supporting transfer fees. Associated Industries of Massachusetts and the Greater Boston Interfaith Organization are also among those backing the bond bill. — MIXED REVIEWS: The Greater Boston Real Estate Board applauded initiatives to develop state-owned land and create more housing units. But CEO Greg Vasil slammed the transfer tax as an “unstable source of revenue that would cause more harm than good.” — THEY DON’T LIKE IT: The Massachusetts Fiscal Alliance is glad rent control didn’t make the bond bill, but that’s about the only thing the conservative group is happy about. SPOTLIGHT ON HOUSING — As Healey begins her biggest housing push yet, the Boston Globe is out with a new Spotlight series on Greater Boston's housing crisis . FIRST IN PLAYBOOK — More than two-thirds of Massachusetts voters support legislation that would let cities and towns establish supervised drug consumption sites, according to a Beacon Research poll conducted for Massachusetts for Overdose Prevention Centers and sponsored by ACLU of Massachusetts. That includes majority support among Democrats (85 percent), independents (63 percent) and Republicans (53 percent). The overdose-prevention coalition is releasing the results of the mid-September survey of 603 voters ahead of a Monday hearing on legislation from state Sen. Julian Cyr and state Reps. Marjorie Decker and Dylan Fernandes that would create a pilot program for safe-consumption sites. Massachusetts recorded a record-high 2,357 opioid-overdose deaths last year. — “House Approves Gun Law Changes On 120-38 Vote,” by Chris Lisinski, State House News Service (paywall): “Most House Democrats lined up Wednesday in support of a major overhaul of the state's firearms laws, easily hurdling over procedural complaints and sending the Senate a measure that has generated incendiary criticism from gun owners and promises from supporters that it will save lives. … [Representatives] unanimously agreed to an amendment making clear that the bill does not ban off-duty police officers from carrying firearms in certain restricted spaces, so long as the weapon is provided by their department.” More from the Boston Globe's Samantha J. Gross . — “Massachusetts is drowning in single-use plastics. Why not ban them?” by Sabrina Shankman, Boston Globe: “An executive order issued by Governor Maura Healey earlier this fall banned state offices from buying single-use plastic bottles — a step hailed by many as a victory, but which applies to only 0.003 percent of the plastic bottles used in Massachusetts. … Now, lawmakers and advocates are pushing to go much further — an outright ban on single-use plastics.” ISRAEL-HAMAS WAR — “Mass, N.H. senators implore Biden administration to help Americans trapped in Gaza,”   by Travis Andersen and Laura Crimaldi, Boston Globe: “Senators from Massachusetts and New Hampshire on Wednesday urged the Biden administration to ‘immediately implement a plan’ to help American citizens trapped in Gaza leave the war-torn area safely, including a Medway family and other New England constituents who’ve sought help from the lawmakers.” — "At least six Jewish protesters arrested at pro-Palestine rally outside JFK federal building in Boston," by Danny McDonald and Tonya Alanez, Boston Globe: "At least six Jewish protesters were arrested at a pro-Palestine demonstration that descended on Senator Elizabeth Warren’s Boston office on Wednesday 'to push for de-escalation and a ceasefire' of the war between Israel and Hamas." — “Mass. Rep. McGovern joins call for Israel-Hamas ceasefire,” by John L. Micek, MassLive. — “State Department official resigns, citing ‘destructive’ decisions in Israel-Hamas war, ” by Andrew Zhang, POLITICO. NO RESOLUTION — The Boston City Council punted yesterday on dueling resolutions tied to the Israel-Hamas conflict. One, filed by Councilor Michael Flaherty , condemned the “cowardly terrorist actions of Hamas” and expressed solidarity with Israel. The other, filed by Councilor Tania Fernandes Anderson , called for an immediate ceasefire in the region. Rather than take a vote, councilors sent both resolutions to public hearings. More from the Globe’s Danny McDonald and Travis Andersen and the Herald’s Gayla Cawley. Boston isn’t the only city weighing in on the conflict. Worcester’s City Council passed its own resolution on Tuesday, condemning Hamas for taking hostages in Israel.   PLAYBOOK IS GOING GLOBAL! We’re excited to introduce Global Playbook, POLITICO’s premier newsletter that brings you inside the most important conversations at the most influential events in the world. From the buzzy echoes emanating from the snowy peaks at the WEF in Davos to the discussions and personalities at Milken Global in Beverly Hills, to the heart of diplomacy at UNGA in New York City – author Suzanne Lynch brings it all to your fingertips. Experience the elite. Witness the influential. And never miss a global beat. BE PART OF THE CONVERSATION. SUBSCRIBE NOW .     MIGRANTS IN MASSACHUSETTS — “As state pleads for federal help, Mass. lawmakers meet with Homeland Security secretary on migrants,” by Tal Kopan and Jim Puzzanghera, Boston Globe: “Massachusetts’ representatives in Congress met with the secretary of Homeland Security for an hour on Wednesday morning to impress upon him the need for more assistance to deal with the number of migrants seeking shelter in the Commonwealth. Representative Richard Neal of Springfield said he organized the meeting of the state’s all-Democratic delegation and Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas at the request of Governor Maura Healey." — “Violations do not hold up with state contract for Days Inn,” by Monica Sager, Eagle-Tribune: “The state is paying over $211.9 million to Community Teamwork to assist homeless and immigrant families in shelters, including the Days Inn in Methuen. … [I]n the contract between the [state] and Community Teamwork, the ‘scope of service’ indicated the contractor, Community Teamwork, must ‘provide safe, clean, well-maintained and furnished facilities for families.’ … But recent inspections did not find this true to the Days Inn situation.”  Days Inn racks up 347 health violations https://nationworldnews.com/days-inn-racks-up-347-health-violations/ PLANES, TRAINS AND AUTOMOBILES 'SPILLING THE T' — The MBTA’s podcast is officially here, after a fittingly stop-and-start launch earlier this month. The first episode, which was posted and then quickly taken down at the beginning of month, features a conversation with MBTA General Manager Phil Eng about the challenges facing the system and his vision for its future. DAY IN COURT — “Biden nominates Joshua Levy as permanent Massachusetts U.S. attorney,” by Deborah Becker, WBUR: “The White House announced Wednesday that President Biden intends to nominate Acting U.S. Attorney for Massachusetts Joshua Levy to permanently serve in the position. Levy has been acting U.S. Attorney for Massachusetts since Rachael Rollins resigned in May. She left office after two federal investigations found ethics violations and abuses of power.” FROM THE 413 — “Springfield mayoral hopeful says COVID aid grantee has conflict; state rules imply otherwise,” by Jeanette DeForge, Springfield Republican: “In a statement issued Tuesday by Justin Hurst, a 10-year councilor who is running for mayor, he questioned if his rival Mayor Domenic J. Sarno improperly pledged $250,000 in American Recovery Plan Act funds to the City Line Cafe, which is owned by Martin Cunningham, a Planning Board member.” — “Peter Marchetti gets Gov. Maura Healey and Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll's endorsements in his run for mayor of Pittsfield,” by Meg Britton-Mehlisch, Berkshire Eagle. THE LOCAL ANGLE — “New report shows ‘catastrophic’ cost of not replacing Cape Cod bridges,” by Matthew Medsger, Boston Herald: “According to a report prepared at the request of U.S. Sens. Elizabeth Warren and Ed Markey and U.S. Rep. Bill Keating, the 90-year old Bourne and Sagamore Bridges are already costing Cape businesses money and impacting quality of life for the people who live and visit the region.” MEANWHILE IN NEW HAMPSHIRE — "‘There’s just no excitement’: Retail politics takes a nosedive in a Trump-dominated campaign," by Natalie Allison and Lisa Kashinsky, POLITICO: "GOP candidate events in Iowa, the first-in-the-nation caucus state, are down nearly 50 percent this election cycle, compared to the same point in 2015, according to a review of campaign event trackers in early states. In New Hampshire, the first primary state, the candidates’ roster of September events was a fraction of those eight years ago. And hardly anyone is making the trek to Nevada." HEARD ‘ROUND THE BUBBLAH TRANSITIONS — Nicole “Nikki” Davies has joined Morgan, Brown & Joy as an associate. HAPPY BIRTHDAY — to POLITICO’s Kyle Cheney , state Rep. Alan Silvia , Michael Goodman, state Rep. Kate Donaghue, Isaac Simon, Griffin Tighe of state Rep. Kate Hogan’s office and Mark Cote . NEW HORSE RACE ALERT: BOND, HOUSING BOND — GBH’s Katie Lannan joins hosts Steve Koczela and Lisa Kashinsky to discuss the building blocks of Gov. Maura Healey ’s housing bond bill. Koczela and Kashinsky dive into the latest on the state’s migrant crisis. Subscribe and listen on iTunes and SoundCloud . 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 Kelly Garrity @KellyGarrity3   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

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POLITICO Nightly: DSA’s existential crisis

 

BY CATHERINE KIM An attendee at an Iowa caucus watch party in 2020 wears a Democratic Socialists of America jacket. | Mario Tama/Getty Images FAULT LINES — Just as the Democratic Socialists of America finally got a toehold in electoral politics, the organization is at risk of losing it. Israel’s war with Hamas has fractured the group, threatening its recent gains and its standing as a mainstream political voice. The problem began the day after Hamas killed hundreds of Israelis in its first wave of attacks, when DSA’s New York chapter endorsed a pro-Palestine rally that provoked the ire of lawmakers, including some who had been among the group’s closest allies. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), a leading voice of the organization, condemned the rally for expressing “bigotry and callousness .” Rep. Shri Thanedar (D-Mich.) renounced his membership (though his local DSA chapter had already called for his expulsion ), citing the "hate-filled and antisemitic rally in New York City .” In Los Angeles, City Councilmember Nithya Raman, who was endorsed by DSA just a month ago for her re-election campaign, disavowed the group for putting out a national statement that was “unacceptably devoid of empathy .” While these lawmakers criticized Israel for its attacks on Gaza and the resulting deaths of Palestinian civilians, they expressed remorse for the death of innocent Israelis as well — a response more in line with the party establishment’s position. The DSA’s grassroots members, however, refused to condemn Hamas’ attacks, describing them as an inevitable product of the fight for liberation . That characterization alienates mainstream Democrats who have been shocked by the brutal violence against Israeli civilians, even if they stand for Palestinian statehood like many other DSA members. Infighting within the DSA — which now has nearly 100,000 members — has been common as the group grew into a force in Democratic Party politics in the wake of Sen. Bernie Sanders’ 2016 presidential campaign. Now, however, the divisions are especially acute as DSA’s elected members distance themselves from the vocal grassroots minority that is far more radical and less willing to compromise than the officeholders, who understand the need to build coalitions in order to have influence. Of course, the divide doesn’t fall neatly along grassroots vs. officeholder fault lines — members of the progressive Squad in Congress have taken different tacks on the issue as well. Reps. Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.) and Cori Bush (D-Mo.), in particular, have taken flak from Republicans in Washington for their responses calling out Israeli occupation of Palestine in the wake of the Hamas attacks, while Ocasio-Cortez stuck to a more measured response. It’s worth noting that Sanders, perhaps the country’s most prominent democratic socialist, immediately condemned the Hamas attacks along with most congressional lawmakers. DSA’s rhetoric has provided fodder for Republicans who are already using its response to the attacks as an opportunity to paint the Democratic Party as a group of left-wing extremists . In New York, Republican state senators have called for their colleagues with DSA memberships to be stripped of their committee and leadership posts. Until fairly recently, Democratic Socialists were largely without a voice in the halls of power and forced to watch from the sidelines. The war between Israel and Gaza might end up returning them to that status. Welcome to POLITICO Nightly. Reach out with news, tips and ideas at nightly@politico.com . Or contact tonight’s author at ckim@politico.com or on X (formerly known as Twitter) at @ck_525 .   GO INSIDE THE MILKEN INSTITUTE FUTURE OF HEALTH SUMMIT: POLITICO is proud to partner with the Milken Institute to feature a special edition of our Future Pulse newsletter at the 2023 Milken Institute Future of Health Summit from November 6-8. The newsletter takes readers inside one of the most influential gatherings of global health industry leaders and innovators solving the biggest public health issues to ensure a healthier, more resilient future for all. SUBSCRIBE TODAY TO RECEIVE EXCLUSIVE COVERAGE .     WHAT'D I MISS? CFPB can't determine if lending is discriminatory without data. What if one group is being targeted and paying higher interest than another? This is a GOP march to oppose addressing discrimination being led by a racist. excerpt: Supporters of the rule say it will help ensure that lenders distribute loans equitably to underrepresented borrowers. Senate Banking Chair Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) defended the rule, saying it would shed light on “gaps in the small-business lending market.” The consumer bureau in March finalized the rule under Section 1071 of the Dodd-Frank law requiring financial institutions to turn over information about the race, ethnicity and gender of small business loan recipients, in addition to information on lending decisions and the price of credit. The first data reports, for lenders above a certain threshold of transactions, are due in October 2024. The rule would “give the public key data on this market to ensure that banks and nonbanks are serving small businesses fairly,” CFPB Director Rohit Chopra said at the time. The White House on Wednesday threatened to veto the bill. The 1071 rule “will provide small business owners, lenders, and the public with critical information about the $1.7 trillion small business financing market,” the White House said in a statement of administration policy. “If enacted, this resolution would harm all those that stand to benefit from this expanded transparency and accountability.” — Senate votes to overturn CFPB small business rule as Biden threatens veto: The Senate today voted to overturn a Consumer Financial Protection Bureau rule requiring lenders to report demographic data on small-business loan recipients, defying a White House veto threat. Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.), who sponsored the bill to invalidate the measure under the Congressional Review Act, called the regulation “intrusive” in a floor speech before the Senate voted 53-44 to scrap it. The House must still act on the resolution. Supporters of the rule say it will help ensure that lenders distribute loans equitably to underrepresented borrowers.  — U.S. military shoots down drones headed toward troops in Iraq: The U.S. military intercepted multiple aerial drones targeting its troops stationed in Iraq early today, the Pentagon announced, as U.S. officials are on heightened alert for potential attacks on American forces in the Middle East amid an escalating conflict. U.S. forces “defended against” three drones in Iraq, where 2,500 American troops are stationed, according to a statement from U.S. Central Command. Two were in the west, threatening troops at Al Asad air base, and one was in the north of the country, said a U.S. official, who was granted anonymity to discuss information beyond the official statement. Continued MAGA HOUSE dysfunction! REPUBLICANS are incapable of governing! — As Jordan wobbles, House GOP eyes potential next speaker candidates: Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) is vowing to keep fighting for the speakership despite losing ground on Tuesday’s second failed ballot. Other House Republicans, sensing his bid is doomed, are already preparing for his withdrawal . As the Ohio Republican weighs whether to convene the GOP conference in private to discuss a path forward, at least one colleague — Rep. Jack Bergman (R-Mich.) — is already beginning to place calls to build support if the Judiciary chair drops out, according to three Republicans with direct knowledge of the matter. NIGHTLY ROAD TO 2024 CALENDAR CHAOS — Pennsylvania’s House of Representatives passed another bill today to give an earlier date for its 2024 presidential primary , reports the Associated Press, an effort that has become drawn out and politically charged in a battleground state still weathering former President Donald Trump’s baseless claims about a stolen 2020 election. The bill would move up the date by one week, from April 23 to April 16, and passed with a slim margin of 104-99. However, it faces an uncertain future. The state Senate’s Republican majority has insisted that the date be moved up by five weeks to March 19. Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro’s administration this week recommended that lawmakers move it to April 9 as the date that “presents the fewest conflicts among potential primary dates.” DIRE STRAITS — At a town hall-style event hosted by the right-wing broadcaster Newsmax on Tuesday, Mike Pence was asked questions about Israel, Ukraine and the disarray among House Republicans — all of which he answered in familiar ways. But he was not asked about the one subject that may now matter more than any of his policy views: his campaign’s perilous financial state , reports the New York Times. A campaign finance report that Mr. Pence filed over the weekend painted a dire picture. The former vice president had just $1.2 million in his campaign account, a skimpier reserve than any of the six Republican rivals he shared a debate stage with last month. AROUND THE WORLD A Palestinian flag hangs on a building as Hezbollah supporters wave Hezbollah flags and chant slogans during a protest in solidarity with the Palestinian people in a southern suburb of Beirut, Lebanon today. | Hassan Ammar/AP Photo COORDINATED ATTACKS — Iran-backed militant groups Hamas and Hezbollah are closely coordinating their next steps in fighting against Israel , a senior Hamas representative in Lebanon told POLITICO’s Jamie Dettmer , just hours after Tehran warned of “preemptive action” against Israel. Ahmed Abdul-Hadi, the head of Hamas’ political bureau in Beirut, insisted Gaza-based Hamas had not given its ally Hezbollah any advance notice of its attacks against Israel on October 7, which killed more than 1,400 people. Despite this, however, he described a continual cooperation between the two groups, stressing Hezbollah was now “geared for a major war” against Israel in the north, while Hamas would burst Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s “dream” of driving it out of Gaza. The remarks will heighten fears the conflict in the Middle East could be about to spill onto two fronts and engulf Lebanon, particularly if Israel launches a ground invasion of Gaza, where its bombardments have already killed more than 2,700 people, and Tehran commits its fellow-Shiite Hezbollah proxies into all-out war. “We have very strong relations with Hezbollah. We were cooperating with Hezbollah before the attack on Israel and after and now we are in full cooperation,” Abdul-Hadi said in an interview in his office in the Mar Elias refugee camp in Beirut, where he was born 55 years ago. Abdul-Hadi identified an Israeli ground offensive in Gaza as one of the key triggers that could bring Hezbollah fully into the conflict. “Hezbollah will pay no attention to threats from anyone against it entering the war; it will ignore warnings to stay out of it. The timing of when Hezbollah wants to enter the war or not will relate to Israeli escalation and incidents on the ground, and especially if Israel tries to enter Gaza on the ground,” he said.   DOWNLOAD THE POLITICO APP: Stay in the know with the POLITICO mobile app, featuring timely political news, insights and analysis from the best journalists in the business. The sleek and navigable design offers a convenient way to access POLITICO's scoops and groundbreaking reporting. Don’t miss out on the app you can rely on for the news you need. DOWNLOAD FOR iOS  – DOWNLOAD FOR ANDROID .     NIGHTLY NUMBER $100 million The amount of money that the U.S. will send in aid for humanitarian assistance to civilians in Gaza and the West Bank , President Joe Biden said today. RADAR SWEEP HEATING SYSTEMS — There’s a new kind of fish that’s popping up in the Arctic — the chum salmon, which is famous for launching itself upriver and then procreating before dying. Rivers in the arctic are now hospitable for these salmon as the environments are “greening,” with more trees and shrubs finding a foothold along Arctic rivers. These salmon will change the ecosystem and might actually help encourage the proliferation of native fish by providing them food. But as the Arctic warms dramatically quickly — up to four times more quickly than the rest of the world — a climate feedback loop can begin, as the snow can’t find any place to go and as glaciers melt. Matt Simon reports for WIRED. PARTING IMAGE On this date in 1989: Rescue dogs are brought into position to begin searches of destroyed houses in the Marina District of San Francisco after a strong earthquake caused widespread damage, killing 63 and injuring thousands more. | Eric Risberg/AP Photo Did someone forward this email to you?  Sign up here .   Follow us on Twitter Charlie Mahtesian @PoliticoCharlie Calder McHugh @calder_mchugh   FOLLOW US

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