POLITICO Massachusetts Playbook: Battle of the Bay State bona fides

BY KELLY GARRITY AND LISA KASHINSKY Presented by  IAN CAIN FLIP-FLOPPER FOR SENATE? READING THEIR RECEIPTS — Republican Senate hopeful Ian Cain may be a newcomer to the GOP, but at least he’s Bay State born and bred. And that, his supporters argued on a radio show last week, is more than his main Republican rival, John Deaton, and the Democrat they’re looking to unseat, Sen. Elizabeth Warren, can say. DEATON VOTED 3 TIMES IN 20 YEARS! It’s not a new argument against Deaton , a Detroit native who moved to Swansea from Rhode Island shortly before jumping into the race. Nor is it one against Warren, who was born in Oklahoma before bouncing around and landing in the Bay State decades ago. But while Warren and Deaton might not have been raised in Massachusetts, their campaign cash is. Sen. Elizabeth Warren at her reelection campaign kickoff last year in Boston. | Charles Krupa/AP Both candidates have raked in more money from Massachusetts than from any other single state, according to a review of their federal campaign finance reports. Of the more than $360,000 Deaton raised in the first six weeks of his bid (beyond the $1 million he loaned himself), nearly $27,000 of it came from Bay State donors. And the $5 million Warren has hauled in so far this cycle includes nearly $700,000 from in-state supporters. Now, both of their bids are still being boosted by out-of-state donors. Warren has netted $442,000 from California residents, followed by more than $190,000 from New York. And she’s raised money from every single state this cycle. Deaton saw his next-highest hauls from Florida ($25,800) and New York ($23,800). And he’s raised at least some money from all but nine states. But the ability to attract national dollars isn’t a bad thing in a race that’s going to require a lot of money. That’s particularly true for Deaton and Cain, two virtual unknowns among Massachusetts voters (according to one recent poll ) who will have to duke it out in a primary before even getting the chance to go up against fundraising juggernaut Warren, who’s already leveraged her national network to build a $4.4 million war chest. We’ll see in July, when the next batch of quarterly finance reports — and Cain’s first — are due, whether either candidate will have financial stamina against her. GOOD FRIDAY MORNING, MASSACHUSETTS. Speaking of Bay State roots: Guster is playing Somerville's Porchfest on Saturday. Yes, really. TODAY — Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll and House Democratic Whip Katherine Clark speak at AIM’s annual meeting starting at 8 a.m. at the Hyatt Regency in Cambridge. Driscoll visits public housing developments at noon in Boston and speaks at the Horizons for Homeless Children Sunset Soiree at 7 p.m. at the JFK Library. Sens. Elizabeth Warren and Ed Markey join a press conference on a new climate report at noon at the IBEW Local 103. Auditor Diana DiZoglio attends a Merrimack Valley Chamber awards breakfast at 8 a.m. in Andover. THIS WEEKEND — Massachusetts Municipal Association chief Adam Chapdelaine is on WBZ’s “Keller @ Large” at 8:30 a.m. Sunday. Gov. Maura Healey is on WCVB’s “On the Record” at 11 a.m. Sunday. Tips? Scoops? Porchfest recs? Email us: kgarrity@politico.com and lkashinsky@politico.com .   A message from NextEra Energy: With a presence in 49 states, NextEra Energy is one of the nation’s largest capital investors in infrastructure, creating thousands of jobs and generating millions of dollars in new tax revenue for communities across the U.S. We generate more electricity from the wind and sun than anyone in the world as we work toward securing America’s energy independence and security with clean and emission-free low-cost energy.   DATELINE BEACON HILL — “‘Come to work:’ State reassures Steward hospital employees ‘glitch’ was fixed after paycheck delay,” by Grace Zokovitch, Boston Herald: “A bank error that delayed paychecks for employees at Steward Health Care-owned hospitals after the company declared bankruptcy has been resolved, state officials said on Thursday. ‘There was a glitch when it came to the banking,’ said Gov. Maura Healey at an event Thursday. ‘That matter has been resolved by the bank. Employees, workers at Steward are getting paid, will continue to get paid.’” — “Bill would ban cell phone location sharing,” by Christian M. Wade, The Eagle-Tribune: “Massachusetts could become the first state to ban the sale of cell phone location data as part of a sweeping electric privacy bill working its way through the legislative process on Beacon Hill. The Massachusetts Data Privacy Act, which was approved by Legislature’s Committee on Advanced Information Technology, the Internet and Cybersecurity, would prohibit companies from collecting more data than necessary for products or services, and shield sensitive information like biometric and health data.”   THE GOLD STANDARD OF POLICY REPORTING & INTELLIGENCE: POLITICO has more than 500 journalists delivering unrivaled reporting and illuminating the policy and regulatory landscape for those who need to know what’s next. Throughout the election and the legislative and regulatory pushes that will follow, POLITICO Pro is indispensable to those who need to make informed decisions fast. The Pro platform dives deeper into critical and quickly evolving sectors and industries—finance, defense, technology, healthcare, energy—equipping policymakers and those who shape legislation and regulation with essential news and intelligence from the world’s best politics and policy journalists. Our newsroom is deeper, more experienced, and better sourced than any other—with teams embedded in the world’s most active legislative and regulatory power centers. From Brussels to Washington, New York to London, Sacramento to Paris, we bring subscribers inside the conversations that determine policy outcomes and the future of industries, providing insight that cannot be found anywhere else. Get the premier news and policy intelligence service, SUBSCRIBE TO POLITICO PRO TODAY .     PLANES, TRAINS AND AUTOMOBILES — “T paying team of consultants up to $610 per hour to work for Healey’s transportation task force,” by Taylor Dolven, The Boston Globe: “Facing a $628 million budget gap for its next fiscal year, the MBTA in April signed a $450,000 contract with consulting firm Ernst & Young to research how transportation is and could be funded in Massachusetts, as well as how other states and countries do it. The hourly rate for the nine consultants ranges from $244 to $610.” FROM THE HUB REMEMBER WHEN CPA PROPOSALS PRODUCED GLOOM & DOOM PREDICTIONS?  SCRUTINIZE THE SOURCES OF THIS REPORT! — “Massachusetts real estate transfer fees could lead to losses in Boston, other cities, towns: report,” by Lance Reynolds, Boston Herald: “A new report on real estate transfer fees indicates that Boston and other Massachusetts communities could lose up to 60 cents for every dollar in new taxes collected if they win state approval and go forward with implementation. The Greater Boston Real Estate Board [which opposes the concept], in partnership with the Building Owners and Managers Association and Tufts University, highlighted the finding in a report issued Thursday, urging state lawmakers to pursue alternative housing solutions.”   A message from NextEra Energy:     YAHD SIGNS AND BUMPAH STICKAHS FIRST IN PLAYBOOK — State Sen. Jamie Eldridge is endorsing Allison Cartwright for Suffolk County Supreme Judicial Court clerk, the latest in a growing list of senators to announce support for the longtime attorney. Bloviator Howie Carr isn't my favorite read, but he's on target with the MASS GOP LOSERS!  A MUST READ! NO DIEHL — After dancing around a state Senate bid, former state Rep. Geoff Diehl didn’t submit the signatures he needed to get on the ballot before the filing deadline passed, according to the Boston Herald’s Howie Carr . ISRAEL-HAMAS WAR Three pro-Palestinian demonstrators sit in the entrance to the Stata Center garage at MIT, Thursday, May 9, 2024, in Cambridge, Mass. | Josh Reynolds/AP POLICE MOVE ON MIT — Hours after police clashed with protesters who were blocking a street near MIT's Stata Center, roughly 100 officers, including state police in riot gear, arrived early Friday morning on campus to clear out the pro-Palestinian encampment on Kresge Lawn, The Boston Globe reports . — “UMass graduation speaker Colson Whitehead pulls out over quashed campus protest,” by Scott Merzbach, Daily Hampshire Gazette: “Disturbed by the arrests of 132 protesters on the University of Massachusetts campus this week during a pro-Palestinian encampment, Colson Whitehead, the two-time Pulitzer Prize winning author scheduled to deliver the keynote address at the undergraduate commencement on May 18, is declining the invitation.” RELATED — “UMass student gov votes 'no confidence' in Reyes, as McGovern says protest arrests 'very concerning',” by Sam Hudzik, New England Public Media: “‘I regret that police were brought onto the campus and all the arrests that happened. I'm a strong believer in the right to peaceful protest. It's a hallmark of our history,’ [Rep. Jim] McGovern said.” MEANWHILE — Rep. Jake Auchincloss said in a statement Thursday that there “must be no daylight between Israel and the United States on security” and that it’s “regrettable” that President Joe Biden ’s move to withhold some weapons from Israel has “created the perception of divergence.” He offers some recommendations for Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu . FROM THE DELEGATION — “Sen. Warren, Rep. Pressley back bill tackling maternal mortality,” by John L. Micek, MassLive. — “Lori Trahan delivers nearly $8M in HUD funding to 3rd District,” by Melanie Gilbert, The Lowell Sun.   DON’T MISS POLITICO’S ENERGY SUMMIT : The future of energy faces a crossroads in 2024 as policymakers and industry leaders shape new rules, investments and technologies. Join POLITICO’s Energy Summit on June 5 as we convene top voices to examine the shifting global policy environment in a year of major elections in the U.S. and around the world. POLITICO will examine how governments are writing and rewriting new rules for the energy future and America’s own role as a major exporter. REGISTER HERE .     MARIJUANA IN MASSACHUSETTS — “$187,000 pot leadership post opens up to nationwide search,” by Matthew Medsger, Boston Herald: “The posting comes after the departure of now-former Executive Director Shawn Collins, who held that position through the first seven years of cannabis legalization in Massachusetts.” THE LOCAL ANGLE — “Cambridge moves toward elimination of single family–only zoning,” by Craig LeMoult, GBH News: “Cambridge City Council's housing committee voted Wednesday to draft reforms to the city's zoning regulations that would, among other reforms, allow multi-family homes in all neighborhoods. Currently, apartment buildings are prohibited in many areas of the city. Those single- and two-family home restrictions are most prevalent in West Cambridge, North Cambridge and Neighborhood Nine.” — “Auburn water supply foreman faces possible ethics violation for accepting paid ski trips,” by Kinga Borondy, Telegram & Gazette: “The State Ethics Commission’s Enforcement Division alleges an Auburn Water District operations manager violated conflict-of-interest law by accepting two free ski trips from a water meter manufacturer and its distributor. … Six other municipal officials, currently or formerly employed in Sudbury, Salem, Franklin, Danvers, Natick and Southampton, admitted to accepting paid trips to Vermont and Maine and other valuable gifts from an Alabama-based maker of water meters or its sole New England distributor.”   A message from NextEra Energy: Leading America with safe, reliable and affordable clean energy The need for reliable, low-cost clean energy in America has never been greater – and NextEra Energy is ready to deliver it. Millions of Americans depend on us to power their lives in good weather and bad. By investing in resilient, storm-tested infrastructure and harnessing innovative technology, we’re keeping reliability high and bills low. We are also working toward securing America’s energy independence and security with clean and emission-free low-cost energy. We’ve virtually eliminated foreign oil from our power plants and, today, generate more electricity from the wind and sun than anyone in the world – while continuing lead in battery storage technology.   HEARD ‘ROUND THE BUBBLAH HAPPY BIRTHDAY — to Andrew Card, Carter Foxgrover, Linnea Walsh, Chloe Gotsis, Amy Russes, NYT’s Jaclyn Reiss, Alex Milne, Elise Italiano, Brad Bannon, Bruce Castleberry and Gary Dzen. HAPPY BIRTHWEEKEND — to state Treasurer Deb Goldberg, Phil Sanzo, Bryan Barash, Greg Piatelli, Nicole Landset Blank and Kasey Poulin, who celebrate Saturday; and to Sunday birthday-ers Kathryn Alexander , communications director for House Democratic Whip Katherine Clark; Laura Melle, Tommy Gardner, Nick Tierney, Kate Kelly and Andrew Thorne. NEW HORSE RACE ALERT: HEAD OVER HEALEY — Gov. Maura Healey joins hosts Steve Koczela, Jennifer Smith and Lisa Kashinsky at the MA Tech 16 conference to talk about her climate technology plans. Plus: polls and budgets. Subscribe and listen on iTunes and Sound Cloud . Want to make an impact? POLITICO Massachusetts has a variety of solutions available for partners looking to reach and activate the most influential people in the Bay State. Have a petition you want signed? A cause you’re promoting? Seeking to increase brand awareness among this key audience? Share your message with our influential readers to foster engagement and drive action. Contact Jesse Shapiro to find out how: jshapiro@politico.com .   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: Why the most pro-labor president ever is sweating the union vote

BY CATHERINE KIM Presented by  President Joe Biden addresses a UAW picket line at a General Motors Service Parts Operations plant in Belleville, Mich., on Sept. 26, 2023. | Jim Watson/AFP via Getty Images LABORING FOR VOTES — When Joe Biden touts himself as “the most pro-union president in American history,” it isn’t much of a stretch. He is the first sitting president to walk a picket line , has appointed union-backed advocates to the Department of Labor and the National Labor Relations Board and has pledged to create millions of union jobs through bills like the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. In the last week alone, he’s banned noncompete agreements, increased the number of people eligible for overtime pay and cracked down on bad retirement savings advice. Last year, AFSCME President Lee Saunders referred to him as “the most pro-union, pro-worker president of our lifetimes — hands down, no contest.” So why isn’t Biden running better among union members? Biden has seen his support among union households drop from 56 percent, according to 2020 exit polls, to 50 percent in an NBC news poll conducted earlier this year — despite capturing endorsements from top unions such as the United Auto Workers, the United Steelworkers Union and the North America’s Building Trades Unions. In the key industrial swing state of Michigan, where Biden outpaced Donald Trump by 25 percentage points among union households in 2020 , the president’s lead has been cut to just 12 points, according to recent polling . Part of the problem is that Democrats appear to be losing their traditional edge with working-class voters – especially those of color . In 2020, Biden won non-white working-class voters by a 48-point margin . That lead has dropped to just 16 points in recent polls. But union members’ lukewarm response to Biden’s pro-labor policies can also be boiled down to their perceptions about the economy and inflation — a majority of Americans still view the economy as poor, according to a recent NYT/Siena poll . Sal Rosselli, president emeritus of the California-based National Union of Healthcare Workers, says the issue is particularly pressing for his members. “Workers in general these days are struggling economically in terms of food, housing,” Rosselli said. “So people aren’t paying attention to national politics and enthusiastic about it because we’re not better off today. Things are getting worse.” Biden’s record on immigration is also working against him. Trump’s focus on undocumented immigrants and calls for more restrictive policies have become an especially potent tool as GOP lawmakers sound the alarm around the border crisis. At a Michigan rally earlier this year, Trump sought to leverage fears by claiming, “The biggest threat to your unions is millions of people coming across the border, because you’re not gonna have your jobs anymore .” While the Biden administration may be rolling out policies to improve workers’ day-to-day concerns — lowering prescription drug costs, rolling out local infrastructure projects, and creating more union jobs — Rosselli emphasizes that the president needs to go even further and directly engage with union members on the ground. “One incredibly positive reaction that people had was when he joined the auto workers on the picket line and was very critical of these multi-billionaires that run these corporations. So that would be the positive thing, that I believe [Biden] needs to do a lot more of … as opposed to being in the White House or in the Rose Garden.” Celinda Lake, a veteran Democratic pollster who has sounded the alarms about the political consequences of inflation back in 2021, notes that it’s still early in the campaign — and many union leaders haven’t actively sold Biden to their members yet. Once they do, she says, “for labor union members, there’s more of an ability to break through because you have established trusted communication channels.” 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 .   A message from eBay: Small businesses rely on trust. That’s why eBay has invested billions into building a trusted online marketplace for everyone. The result? Millions of flourishing businesses and entrepreneurs thrive on eBay. And 43% of sellers are in small towns and rural communities. See how the original find-anything marketplace is America’s go-to small-business platform.   TRUMP ON TRIAL TENSE TIMES — Defense attorney Susan Necheles questioned Stormy Daniels today about whether or not she sought publicity in an effort to profit from her story , after a 2018 Wall Street Journal report detailed the hush money payment ahead of the 2016 election. Necheles asked her if she wanted to go public with her story of having sex with Trump. “No one would ever want to publicly say that,” Daniels responded. “I wanted to defend myself.” Necheles also raised an $800,000 book contract Daniels signed and a strip club tour that was in some instances billed as “Make America Horny Again.” When asked if the tour drew a “resistance” crowd to strip clubs, Daniels admitted that the “climate in the clubs absolutely changed.” She added, however, that she got on stage and “did the same shows I have done since I was 21 years old.” END AROUND ATTACK — Justice Juan Merchan’s gag order forbids Trump from verbally attacking the prosecutors working for District Attorney Alvin Bragg. It also bars Trump from commenting on the judge’s family. But that hasn’t stopped some close allies from unleashing rhetoric that Trump himself cannot. Today, that role was filled by Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) , who attended a portion of the trial proceedings and accompanied Trump into the courtroom. Scott went to a Fox News TV camera to mount the very criticisms that Trump is legally barred from making. He suggested the case against Trump is unfair because one of the prosecutors, Matthew Colangelo, used to work in the Justice Department. And he called Merchan’s adult daughter a “political operative,” noting that she has raised money for Democrats. He also swiped at the “lead prosecutor’s wife,” whom he described as a Democratic donor. Those criticisms were then amplified by a Trump-aligned super PAC. STILL GAGGED — A new bid by Trump to be partially released from the gag order in the hush money case fell flat today, as Justice Juan Merchan said there were ample reasons to keep the order in place even though one of the case’s most prominent witnesses — porn star Stormy Daniels — finished testifying this morning. Trump lawyer Todd Blanche argued that Daniels’ in-court account of her alleged sexual encounter with Trump in 2006 was so different from her prior accounts that he should be able to respond publicly to her, especially to what Blanche said were suggestions from Daniels that the sex may not have been consensual or that she did not feel free to leave. The gag order forbids Trump from publicly commenting about various people involved in the case, including witnesses. Trump has been twice held in contempt for violating the gag 10 times, including some comments criticizing Daniels. The judge has warned him that further violations may result in jail time.   THE GOLD STANDARD OF POLICY REPORTING & INTELLIGENCE: POLITICO has more than 500 journalists delivering unrivaled reporting and illuminating the policy and regulatory landscape for those who need to know what’s next. Throughout the election and the legislative and regulatory pushes that will follow, POLITICO Pro is indispensable to those who need to make informed decisions fast. The Pro platform dives deeper into critical and quickly evolving sectors and industries—finance, defense, technology, healthcare, energy—equipping policymakers and those who shape legislation and regulation with essential news and intelligence from the world’s best politics and policy journalists. Our newsroom is deeper, more experienced, and better sourced than any other—with teams embedded in the world’s most active legislative and regulatory power centers. From Brussels to Washington, New York to London, Sacramento to Paris, we bring subscribers inside the conversations that determine policy outcomes and the future of industries, providing insight that cannot be found anywhere else. Get the premier news and policy intelligence service, SUBSCRIBE TO POLITICO PRO TODAY .     WHAT'D I MISS? GOP ENDORSING ISRAEL'S GENOCIDE & WAR CRIMES! — McConnell and GOP give Netanyahu backup as aid tension spikes: As Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says Israel will “stand alone” if it has to, leading congressional Republicans are pressuring President Joe Biden to rule out withholding weapons to the allied country — regardless of any invasion into the Gaza city of Rafah. “We should not be telling them how to protect themselves,” Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell said in an interview. “We should not be conditioning the arrival of military equipment that they need because of some domestic view that Netanyahu is unpopular. Completely irrelevant to the war.” MAGA GOP BRINKSMANSHIP! — With House-passed short-term patch in hand, Senate slogs toward FAA bill agreement: A Senate agreement on a path forward for Federal Aviation Administration reauthorization remains on standby , as Washington stares down a Friday deadline. Another procedural vote is slated for 1 p.m. as lawmakers continue work on the broader reauthorization. However, the House passed a one-week extension before leaving town Wednesday, offering the Senate a possible escape hatch. Even that won’t be easy, though. Virginia’s Democratic Sens. Tim Kaine and Mark Warner said they would not consent to speedy passage of the one-week extension unless they’re guaranteed a vote on their amendment to strip a provision adding more flight slots to Reagan National Airport. — Judge denies Hunter Biden’s bid to dismiss gun charges: A federal judge in Delaware denied Hunter Biden’s bid to throw out his felony gun charges today , rejecting arguments from the president’s son that the federal prohibition on owning guns while using illegal drugs is unconstitutional under the Second Amendment. Separately, a federal appeals court panel ruled against Biden earlier today in another bid to have the charges against him tossed. The two decisions appear to clear the way for his case to head to trial on June 3, though his defense team can still pursue further appeals. NIGHTLY ROAD TO 2024 BALLOT BRAWL — The question of whether Democratic President Joe Biden will appear on Ohio’s fall ballot has become entangled in a partisan legislative fight to keep foreign money out of state ballot campaigns, writes the Associated Press. On Wednesday, against the backdrop of a festering Republican leadership fight that’s roiled lawmaking since last year, Republican Secretary of State Frank LaRose’s proposal to ban foreign money from initiative campaigns became the poison pill that prevented a final solution for adjusting an Aug. 7 ballot deadline that precedes the Democratic National Convention. Today marked the last day legislators could pass the fix with a simple majority, and no sessions were held. All four Republican and Democratic leaders at the Statehouse still say they’re confident the president will appear on Ohio’s ballot. It’s the how and when that remains a mystery. LET’S MAKE A DEAL — As Donald Trump sat with some of the country’s top oil executives at his Mar-a-Lago Club last month, writes the Washington Post, one executive complained about how they continued to face burdensome environmental regulations despite spending $400 million to lobby the Biden administration in the last year. Trump’s response stunned several of the executives in the room overlooking the ocean : You all are wealthy enough, he said, that you should raise $1 billion to return me to the White House. At the dinner, he vowed to immediately reverse dozens of President Biden’s environmental rules and policies and stop new ones from being enacted, according to people with knowledge of the meeting, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to describe a private conversation. Giving $1 billion would be a “deal,” Trump said, because of the taxation and regulation they would avoid thanks to him, according to the people. Trump’s remarkably blunt and transactional pitch reveals how the former president is targeting the oil industry to finance his reelection bid. At the same time, he has turned to the industry to help shape his environmental agenda for a second term, including the rollbacks of some of Biden’s signature achievements on clean energy and electric vehicles.   A message from eBay:     AROUND THE WORLD Displaced Palestinians gather their belongings as they flee al-Mawasi to a safer area in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip today. | AFP via Getty Images TALKS PAUSED — Talks for a hostage deal and cease-fire between Israel and Hamas have paused — in part because of the ongoing fighting in Rafah , according to two people familiar with the negotiations. Hamas is still willing to negotiate a deal but has largely stepped back from the table because of Israel’s operation in the city, the people said. Both were granted anonymity to speak freely about the talks. The people stressed that this does not mean talks have broken down completely. Hamas has told Doha that it is willing to keep negotiating. The U.S. has people in the region to participate in future talks, but all those who were involved in the negotiations in recent days have left, they said. CIA Director Bill Burns was heading back to Washington today after days of trying to negotiate with officials from Egypt, Israel and Qatar to seal a deal that would institute a temporary cease-fire and allow for the release of dozens of hostages from Gaza, along with potentially hundreds of Palestinian prisoners from Israel. Burns was always scheduled to come back to Washington at the end of this week, one of the people familiar with the negotiations said. But his departure without a deal in hand raises questions about how the ongoing fighting in Rafah will impact the talks in the coming days. “His departure does not connote the end of the current round of negotiations,” National Security Council Spokesperson John Kirby told reporters today. “We’re going to stay engaged in the hopes that we might be able to land something.”   LISTEN TO POLITICO'S ENERGY PODCAST:  Check out our daily five-minute brief on the latest energy and environmental politics and policy news. Don't miss out on the must-know stories, candid insights, and analysis from POLITICO's energy team. Listen today .     NIGHTLY NUMBER 5.25 percent The key interest rate in the United Kingdom , after the Bank of England decided today for the sixth straight meeting to keep the rate unchanged. The Bank of England did signal that it may start easing policy as early as next month, as inflation pressures ease. RADAR SWEEP THE FULL SCHRADER — How does a guy who’s been everywhere from the white hot center of Hollywood to close to forgotten to everywhere in between think about the movie business? Paul Schrader, who wrote Taxi Driver in 1975, is in the midst of something like a late career renaissance. He has a new film, “Oh, Canada,” coming out this year. But looking back on his career, it hasn’t been without its bumps, which continue to this day due to his propensity for loud political incorrectness. He states his off the wall opinions enough that production companies have asked him to stop posting on Facebook in the weeks before his films premier. And in the midst of this profile, he tells journalist Stephen Rodrick about recent conversations with Kevin Spacey after the actor was legally cleared of sexually assaulting four men last July but remains persona non grata in Hollywood. Read the Variety profile of Schrader here . PARTING IMAGE On this date in 2012: President Barack Obama tells ABC's Robin Roberts that he supports gay marriage, becoming the first American president to announce his support for gay marriage publicly. | Carolyn Kaster/AP Did someone forward this email to you?  Sign up here .   A message from eBay: Why do millions of small businesses and entrepreneurs rely on eBay? We’ve invested billions to create a safe and trusted online marketplace for both buyers and sellers. With the latest technology and innovation, we’ve built a platform where anyone, anywhere can launch and grow their business. In fact, 43% of eBay sellers live in small towns and rural communities. By building real connections between consumers and businesses that transcend geography, we’re providing every American a chance to transform their passions into small business success. See what makes eBay the online home of opportunity. Learn more at eBaysmallbiz.com.     Follow us on Twitter Charlie Mahtesian @PoliticoCharlie Calder McHugh @calder_mchugh   FOLLOW US

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