By Jay Fitzgerald and Keith Regan
06/22/2016Make-believe vetting? | ‘Tantrums by Toddlers’ | Commie adulterers
Happening Today
House in formal session
The House meets in a formal session, with Speaker Robert DeLeo's office advising lawmakers to be prepared to consider a wide range of items, House Chamber, 11 a.m.
| Signatures deadline for ballot questions |
Today is the deadline for initiative petition campaigns to file with local election officials a second and final round of required signatures in order to qualify to be on the November election ballot.
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| Clean energy options |
The Senate Committee on Climate Change and Global Warming holds an oversight hearing on a whitepaper that examines the clean energy resources available to Massachusetts, Room 222, 10:30 a.m.
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| Opioid report |
The Health Policy Commission's Quality Improvement and Patient Protection Committee will meet to discuss findings from the HPC's upcoming report on opioid abuse in Massachusetts, 50 Milk St., Boston, 11 a.m.
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Gov. Charlie Baker joins Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito and others at the Massachusetts Commission on the Status of Women's 13th annual Unsung Heroines of Massachusetts celebration, Great Hall, 1 p.m.
As expected, Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren is on Hillary Clinton’s short list of possible vice presidential running mates and is currently being vetted by the campaign, the Globe’s Annie Linskey reports. But the question is: Will Hillary really pick her or is it an elaborate show to appease the political left, which adores Warren? We’ll repeat: Picking Warren would be hugely popular on the left, but it would also alienate many centrists who are looking for a reason to vote for Clinton against Donald Trump, not a reason to sit out the election. It’s a huge risk for Clinton, whether she knows it or not. Boston Globe
Robert Kraft and Stephen Lynch on a stadium collision course -- again
Robert Kraft and UMass-Boston officials are in talks about building a new soccer-stadium home for the New England Revolution at the site of the old Bayside Expo Center, which is now owned by UMass, report the Globe’s Shirley Leung and Laura Krantz. The two sides don’t appear to be close to an agreement, but the mere mention of a possible new stadium in Dorchester is raising concerns about traffic and other potential problems. Among those expressing concerns is U.S. Rep. Stephen Lynch of South Boston. Yes, the same Stephen Lynch who many moons ago opposed Robert Kraft’s attempt to build a new stadium for the New England Patriots in South Boston. Boston Globe
Lynch: Obama needs to drop his ‘political-correctness screen’
Speaking of Lynch, the South Boston Democrat is worried about President Obama’s “politically correct” reluctance to use the term “Islamic extremists,” reports the Herald’s Laurel Sweet. A moderate Dem, Lynch said the president should have been more forceful in both his words and actions following the Orlando massacre that was carried out by a deranged self-described Islamic jihadist.
We’re not at all sure about Lynch’s assertion that the US needed to strike back against ISIS after Orlando. A strike against whom, specifically? What targets? How? Where? But Lynch is right about the president’s initial hesitation to accurately describe an obvious truth: The Orlando shooter was partially motivated by extreme Islamic beliefs. From a purely political standpoint, not mentioning that truth opens Dems up to charges that they’re not dealing with a reality. Fortunately for Dems, Donald Trump completely overreached – and alienated many –with his obnoxious and toxic rhetoric following Orlando, making it easier for Obama and Dems to recover from their initial tactical missteps. Boston Herald
Trump has less campaign funds than Lt. Gov. Polito?
This is pretty extraordinary: Donald Trump’s campaign had only $1.3 million in the bank at the end of last month to run an all-out, nationwide presidential campaign, according to CNN and numerous other media outlets. To put that into local perspective, the Globe ran a simple chart in the print edition this morning showing how Trump has less money in his coffers than in the individual accounts of Elizabeth Warren, Charlie Baker, Ed Markey, Joseph Kennedy, Marty Walsh or even Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito, who had $1.5 million in the bank as of March 31. No offense to Polito. But less money than a lieutenant governor who’s not even running this year?
CNN
| Today's News |
A contributor at Blue Mass Group is bowled over by the antics of members of the Governor’s Council after they learned earlier this month they weren’t going to be the stars of the upcoming Supreme Judicial Court nominee hearings: “It seems that four of the members of the Governor’s Council, that vestigial organ of state government, are throwing their sippy cups at the news that Lieutenant Governor Karyn Polito intends to preside at this summer’s hearings for Governor Baker’s three nominees to the Supreme Judicial Court. Never mind that under the Constitution the Lieutenant Governor is also a member of the Council and presides when the Governor is absent. Also never mind that the Governor has ‘full power and authority, from time to time, at his discretion’ to call the Council together. Also never mind that there’s plenty of precedent for the Lieutenant Governor to preside on occasions that the Governor regards as appropriate, like, for example, nominations to the state’s highest court.”
After quoting councilors bellyaching that Polito was stealing their publicity thunder, the BMG item concludes: “Really, these people are judging our judges?”
Btw: The Governor's Council meets today. And, yes, Polito is expected to chair the meeting.
Blue Mass Group| Is Massachusetts really ready for Commie adulterers? |
Actually, our headline above is rather tame, and perhaps a bit puritanical, compared to the actual headline on today’s piece by WGBH’s Mike Deehan about how state Rep. Byron Rushing wants to scrub away ancient state laws that criminalize adultery, vagrancy, fornication, sodomy, blasphemy, and Communism. “What seemed reasonable 30 and 40 and 50 years ago is not reasonable now, and every once in a while it could be used in a way you wouldn't want it to be used," Rushing said of his campaign to rid the state of such laws. Btw: The House seems poised to accept some of Rushing’s suggested legal updates.
WGBH |
| Focus turns to Chang after Boston Latin headmaster resigns |
The resignation of Boston Latin headmaster Lynn Mooney Teta in the wake of a racial controversy at the school could put Boston Superintendent Tommy Chang—a strong backer of Teta—in the crosshairs, Jack Encarnacao of the Herald reports. Teta’s resignation comes as students at the school are scheduled to meet with investigators from the U.S. Department of Justice today. For his part, Chang said intense scrutiny comes with the territory of leading a diverse school district. “All superintendents, particularly those in large urban districts, expect to face scrutiny from citizens, families and constituents. It goes with the job.”
Boston Herald |
| Fed up with Liberty Tree Mall, RMV finally calls it quits in Danvers |
There’s the very old saying: You get what you pay for. In the case of the Registry of Motor Vehicles, it established a branch in the Liberty Tree Mall in Danvers during the last recession after it was offered free space as part of a marketing move by the mall to increase foot traffic, according to published reports. But that initial freebie perk came with a cost: “infrastructure issues,” meaning an apparently lousy HVAC system at the branch that forced the registry to close for days earlier this month.
With its lease up at the end of the month, RMV is now bolting the mall, reports Wicked Local. Can you blame registry officials?
Wicked Local |
‘Probably the craziest political season in my lifetime’
Depending on your politics, one can agree or disagree with U.S. Rep. Jim McGovern’s criticism of Congress for its inaction on a wide range of issues this session. But it’s hard to disagree with his description of the recent hyper-partisan atmosphere in Washington as “probably the craziest political season in my lifetime." It’s been beyond crazy – and we have the sinking feeling it’s only going to get crazier at and after this summer’s political conventions. SHNS (pay wall)
They say talk is cheap. But sometimes it’s priceless. In the case of fighting opioid addition, it’s critical. In a joint interview with the Globe, Gov. Charlie Baker and Health and Human Services secretary Marylou Sudders emphasize that reducing the stigma of opioid addiction is key to getting help to addicts and limiting the spread of opioid abuse across the state. “One of the big challenges in this is just getting people to open up about their own experience, because for most people it’s not something they want to talk about,” Baker is quoted as saying in a story by the Globe’s Joshua Miller. “It’s not like your kid had cancer. It’s not like your kid has diabetes. It’s different." Boston Globe
The 10 most dangerous jobs in Mass. (and you’ll never guess which is No. 1)
MassLive has an interesting list of the ten most dangerous jobs in Massachusetts, based on federal and state data. You’ll never guess the most dangerous job. And you’ll be surprised by at least two professions not on the list. MassLive
Baker: Greenway will be weaned off state funds
Gov. Charlie Baker says the state could cut off funds it sends to the Rose Fitzgerald Greenway Conservancy for maintenance of the park sooner rather than later in the wake of a report that found the nonprofit spent more heavily on am art installation than planned, Matt Stout of the Herald reports. “The stated goal of both the commonwealth and the Greenway has been to wean the Greenway off of state support. I certainly hope and expect that that will take place at some point in the not too distant future,” Baker said. Boston Herald
A Quincy city councilor is questioning whether a private developer was given a heads up about Mayor Thomas Koch’s sweeping downtown revitalization plan after the city’s lawyer said two of several buildings the developer owns were purchased with knowledge the city may later be interested in buying them, Patrick Ronan of the Patriot Ledger reports. Koch wants the city to buy three properties owned by LBC Boston, which says it has no plans to sell and wants to see how the redevelopment plans play out. Patriot Ledger
In Worcester, hunt on for those elusive millennial voters
Worcester Magazine’s Sarah Connell takes a look at ongoing efforts by political leaders in Worcester to bring more millennials into the fold ahead of this fall’s elections. Both Democrats and Republicans have tweaked events to make them more attractive to younger voters. “Politics aside, it is clear both committees have one thing in common: a sense of urgency around attracting millennial voters, key players in this year’s electoral result.”
Worcester Magazine| It’s simple: Dizzy the monkey saw his opportunity and took it |
The hilarious part about Dizzy the monkey’s escape from Springfield’s Forest Park Zoo yesterday is how and when he did it: when the zoo attendant’s back was turned. From the report by MassLive’s Patrick Johnson: “A zoo attendant apparently left the enclosure to answer a question from a visitor, and Dizzy managed to escape while the attendant was distracted. ‘Within that time frame, Dizzy manually twisted the door knob and let himself out,’ the statement reads. The escape was ‘a circumstance that has never happened at the zoo and is very rare.’" Well, you gotta hand it to Dizzy, literally.
MassLive |
| Baker devastated by TV show’s cancellation |
Gov. Charlie Baker just gained an extra hour each week to devote to his job. Baker, an apparent fan of the CBS primetime thriller "Person of Interest," expressed at length yesterday his sadness about the show reportedly ending after five seasons. “I tell ya, I’m such big fan of that show – ‘Person of Interest’ - and have been since it first started running, so is my wife. We’ve never missed an episode, and the show goes off the air tonight. It’s the finale. I’m really sorry to see it go and I love the fact that one of the lead players in that is a guy named Kevin Chapman, who happens to be a kid from Dorchester, who’s made good on the West Coast.”
For the record, the governor continued on with his lament: “I really hope that that whole notion of trying to create shows around the ever changing dynamic associated with technology and surveillance is worth doing. And I would love to see some of the smart people who create these shows and write these scripts come up with whatever the next act is - they make you think. They really do and I’m really sorry to see it end.”
The governor could always offer state tax credits to the show’s producers to keep the series going – or maybe not.
-- Antonio Caban, SHNS
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