Gatehouse Media goes non-local MASSterList: Warren's good and bad day | The GOP money machine

 

Friday, March 18, 2016

By Jay Fitzgerald and Keith Regan

Today: Boston Marathon banner unveiling, Supreme Judicial Court applications Boston Mayor Martin Walsh at the 2016 Boston Marathon banner unveiling, outside of Marathon Sports, 671 Boylston St., Boston, 10 a.m. Congressman Joseph Kennedy III and Peace Corps Director Carrie Hessler-Radeletcelebrate the 55th Anniversary of the Peace Corps at Boston College, the Heights Room, Corcoran Commons, 140 Commonwealth Avenue, Chestnut Hill, 2 p.m. Gov. Charlie Baker attends the South Boston St. Patrick's Day Evacuation Day Banquet, Boston Convention & Exhibition Center, 415 Summer Street, 6:45 p.m. Today is the deadline for nominees to submit applications to a 12-member Supreme Judicial Court Nominating Commission that was set up by the governor to recruit and screen applicants to fill three upcoming vacancies on the state's highest court.  GOP Congressman wants to 'neuter' Elizabeth Warren and more ... Massachusetts US. Sen. Elizabeth Warren got off to a really bad start yesterday, getting grilled on "CBS This Morning" about not endorsing a Democratic candidate and dodging a slew of other questions, such as whether Hillary Clinton should turn over transcripts of her past Goldman Sachs speeches, according to CBS Boston. This morning, the Herald's Chris Cassidy was all over Warren's evasive performance, quoting pollster John Zogby as saying she shouldn't give more interviews if she can't answer questions clearly. But by the afternoon Warren was reacting quite strongly -- and clearly -- to recent controversial remarks by Republican Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer, who called Warren the "Darth Vader of the financial services world" and urged bankers attending a conference to "find a way to neuter" the senator, Boston Magazine's Kyle Scott Clauss reports. In a fundraising email titled "I won't be neutered," Warren called Luetkemeyer a "Wall Street yes-man" and expressed surprise at the "Darth Vader" comparison. "Really? I've always seen myself more as a Princess Leia-type," she said. http://bit.ly/1TTpbSA It proves Warren's fine and dandy when she's bashing Republicans, not so fine and dandy when put on the spot about fellow Dems. 'Anti-Trump protesters are patriots' The Globe's Renée Graham thinks the anti-Trump protesters are idealistic patriots, not 'thugs' as described by Donald Trump: "With Trump nearly sweeping this week's primaries, those rallies will become more hostile toward anyone pushing against his hideous rhetoric. Yet those patriots will still come, not just because they oppose Trump but for the love of their country which is being shoved toward the abyss." The Globe's Joan Vennochi has more on Trump's enabling of the obnoxious. Of course, one person's hero is another person's villain. There are more than a few people, both on the left and right, who believe some, though certainly not all, of the anti-Trump protesters are cut from the same left-wing cloth of those regularly clamping down on campus free speech, heckling speakers, storming stages and calling for boycotts of anyone they happen to disagree with politically. Civil liberties attorney Harvey Silverglate and others have spent long and hard hours battling these closed-minded protesters. Check out the long list of protest abuses on the side news feed of this FIRE link: http://bit.ly/1R3NdXB Bigwigs funneling big bucks to Mass. GOP via unique fund The Massachusetts Republican Party has found a novel way to raise money from large donors, raising questions by some about whether it's allowed under the state's tough campaign-finance laws, the Globe's Frank Phillips reports. Here's how it works: "These large donations are funneled through the Massachusetts Victory Committee, a complicated and robust joint fund-raising effort between the state and national parties that was established in 2013. Because of its national component, it was set up under federal guidelines, which allows annual donations up to $43,400 - far above the $5,000 cap set for state-regulated political donations to party accounts and the $1,000 annual limit for donations to Baker's campaign committee." http://bit.ly/1pslSox

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SPONSORED Solar energy in Massachusetts lowers electricity prices, provides cleaner air, has created over 15,000 local jobs, and gives consumers choice. Our solar industry is one of the most successful in the country. But all this is in danger if the Legislature doesn't act now to eliminate the arbitrary cap on solar net metering. Protect this vital industry.Eliminate the cap. Find us at LetMassShine.com. Sponsored SPONSORED Our state's public defenders are denied their right to form a union. Why? Because they were left out of the state collective bargaining law. The defenders have proposed legislation to fix that glitch. The Senate should pass their bill (S.1393). It's about fairness.  Sign their petition to the Senate TODAY! **** Ex-Bridgewater State prez's consulting deal nixed amid inquiry Former Bridgewater State University president Dana Mohler-Faria's lucrative consulting contract has been cancelled, but it's not enough to stop Higher Education commissioner Carlos Santiago's inquiry into Mohler-Faria's $270,000 cash-out for unused sick and vacation time, the Boston Business Journal's Craig Douglas reports. http://bit.ly/1XzRzHr Baker: No more out-of-state trips without public notification Gov. Charlie Baker said yesterday that he'll stop leaving the state, an act that triggers a constitutional transfer of power, without informing the public, the Globe's Jim O'Sullivan reports. Baker recently took a hush-hush trip to attend a conservative leadership summit in Georgia. Boston Magazine's Matt Juul has more, noting Baker also told Boston Public Radio that he's quietly left the state on other occasions, including a trip to New York to watch his son play football. Yancey may run for Suffolk County Register of Deeds ... or perhaps Congress Former city councilor Charles C. Yancey recently yanked campaign nomination papers, according to a spokesman for the secretary of state, as reported by the Herald's Matt Stout. Yancey reportedly mentioned he may run for register - or maybe Congress. Stephen J. Murphy, another long-time city councilor who was ousted by voters last November, is also mulling a run for register of deeds. http://bit.ly/1SXOQbT Caitlyn Jenner, Abby Wambach, Patrice Bergeron support transgender bill Caitlyn Jenner (the former Bruce Jenner), soccer start Abby Wambach, Celtics co-owner Steve Pagliuca and Bruins center Patrice Bergeron are among those expressing support for a Massachusetts transgender anti-discrimination bill that lawmakers held back in committee this week, reports Patch.com's Alison Bauter. http://bit.ly/1Roz0ri Gatehouse goes non-local by closing Cambridge Chronicle, Somerville Journal office GateHouse Media has shuttered the shared Somerville office of the Cambridge Chronicle and Somerville Journal, sending the Chronicle's operations to Lexington and the Journal's staff to Danvers, as part of its latest cost-cutting moves, the Boston Business Journal's David Harris reports. The huge newspaper-chain company also let go managing editor Wayne Braverman. http://bit.ly/1S7R327 SPONSORED Each and every day, social workers confront some of the most challenging issues facing individuals and families throughout the Commonwealth - tackling the opioid crisis, keeping at-risk children safe, providing critical mental health services and more. Whether directly or indirectly, we've all been touched their critical work. Join Governor Charlie Baker, U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren, State Senate President Stan Rosenberg and many others in recognizing the immeasurable impact these dedicated professionals have in our communities.  Visit www.ThankOurSocialWorkers.com to learn more. **** Walsh becomes Washington regular  Boston Mayor Marty Walsh has become a fixture in Washington, D.C., helping to represent the emergence of a new generation of Massachusetts Democratic politicians in the process, Andrew Ryan of the Globe reports. Walsh has made eight trips to the nation's capitol since taking office. http://bit.ly/22rmglB Baker: Supreme nominee Garland should get a hearing Rosenberg happy with legislative flow Senate President Stan Rosenberg expressed satisfaction with the number of bills that began in the Senate that were returned to that body for a vote after joint committees reviewed them, Bruce Mohl of CommonWealth reports. Rosenberg and other senators had been frustrated by the number of bills that got stuck in the House-dominated joint committees. "The Senate's bills are now back in the Senate's control," Rosenberg said in a statement.  http://bit.ly/1Mra5fv Spotlight investigates with ... a survey?CommonWealth Magazine's Bruce Mohl reports that the Globe's Spotlight team seems to have found a "novel" way for an investigative unit to gather information-sending out a survey. The Spotlight survey asks private schools to answer questions about sexual harassment and abuse and how incidents have been handled. Scott Allen, now editor of the normally secretive unit, said that the team has used survey in the past with good results and that, in the case of private school sexual assaults, it is being used to help reporters get a handle on how stories in the media fit in context.   "We're supposed to ask questions, and this is a way to do it on a large scale," he said. http://bit.ly/1RS66Kw Business Journal honored for Olympics coverage  The Boston Business Journal earned a Society of American Business Editors and Writers award for its coverage of the undoing of the Boston 2024 Summer Olympics bid. The BBJ was lauded for its original reporting on the questionable cost assumptions behind the Olympics quest and for helping to reveal details of the first bid city organizers sent to the U.S. Olympic Committee. "This was a true team effort by the newsroom," said Editor Doug Banks.  http://bit.ly/1RS76yr MGM exceeding minority hiring targets Representatives of MGM Springfield told the Massachusetts Gaming Commission its $950 million project is ahead of diversity benchmarks as it assembles its construction team, Gintautas Dumcius of MassLive reports. MGM said it is exceeding targets for women-owned, minority-owned and veteran-owned businesses. Commission chairman Stephen Crosby said the state is taking diversity "probably more seriously than it's ever been taken before in any construction project in the country." http://bit.ly/22oEUhk Sunday public affairs TVKeller At Large, WBZ-TV, 8:30 am., Senate President Stanley Rosenberg discussing possible Democratic challengers to Gov. Charlie Baker, tax-hike and charter cap referendums, and criminal justice reform. On The Record, WCVB, 11 a.m. Guest: Mo Cowan, former Massachusetts U.S. Senator. This Week in Business, NECN, 8 p.m. Guests: Jim Rooney, Greater Boston Chamber CEO; Meghan Joyce, Uber East Coast General Manager; and Craig Douglas, Boston Business Journal managing editor CEO Corner, NECN 8:30 a.m. Guest: Tracy Pitcher, Comcast senior vice president for Greater Boston Send tips and comments about MASSterList to jay@massterlist.com. Subscribe now for free!

TODAY'S TOP STORIES

National headlines Missouri primary: Sanders concedes defeat, says this move saves taxpayers money Senate holds Backpage.com in contempt Elizabeth Warren upset by 'offensive' comment made by Missouri congressman - The Boston Globe State headlines Low salaries have preschool educators, providers struggling State transportation plan includes $148M for South Coast Rail Gaming Commission director says decision on Brockton casino possible by late April Governor Baker: Supreme Court Nominee Merrick Garland Deserves A Hearing End Of Late-Night MBTA Service Sets Off Jockeying For Alternatives Spotlight sends out a survey - CommonWealth Magazine Wolf for governor? Reviews are mixed Open Meeting Law violators let off too easy, some say Massachusetts Democrats and the GOP are already talking about Gov. Charlie Baker and 2018 Mass. GOP finds new way to raise big money - The Boston Globe Baker vows to announce future out-of-state travel - The Boston Globe Garland maintains deep ties to Harvard - The Boston Globe Rosenberg lauds return of bills - CommonWealth Magazine Hillary Clinton to fundraise in Boston again - The Boston Globe Former Bridgewater State president to give up lucrative consulting contract - The Boston Globe MGM Springfield exceeding diversity targets on construction | masslive.com Caitlyn Jenner publicly backing Massachusetts' transgender rights bill Local headlines Walsh talks school budget with concerned parents, students | Dorchester Reporter Inclusionary housing bylaw proposed in Provincetown Public comments sought on planned commuter rail to Bourne Framingham voters weigh in on charter idea Worcester Public Health Division first in state to earn national accreditation Charlton police chief defends 'rap battle' alert, says child safety was concern Caitlyn Jenner promotes Mass. transgender bill - The Boston Globe The hot spot for wealthy baby boomers? Try Cambridge - The Boston Globe Authorities crack down on drug use aboard fishing vessels off Massachusetts - The Boston Globe Once again, no room for pacifists in the St. Patrick's Day Parade - The Boston Globe 'Corrupt,' 'totally disgusted,' 'unbelievable:' East Longmeadow residents critical of selectmen's votes on manager, police chief, chairman