POLITICO Massachusetts Playbook: PENCE in, BAKER out — KELLY’s formative neighborhood — Ex-KENNEDY staffers on ‘Chappaquiddick’

POLITICO Massachusetts Playbook: PENCE in, BAKER out — KELLY’s formative neighborhood — Ex-KENNEDY staffers on ‘Chappaquiddick’

Baker's connection with the RNC has come under fire for the state party's joint fundraising venture that funnels 40 percent of the Massachusetts Victory Committee's fundraising to the RNC.

Baker, who is up for reelection this year, has sought to walk a fine line between the Trump administration and a Massachusetts electorate that's deeply unhappy with the president. Baker, in the most recent polling, held a 66 percent favorability rating among voters while Donald Trump was the mirror opposite - 66 percent had an unfavorable view of the president.

- "Republicans concerned about civics education funding," by Nick Neville, Boston University Statehouse Program: "Senate President Harriette L. Chandler, D-Worcester, has called the comprehensive civics education bill that passed the Senate less than two weeks ago bipartisan and bicameral, but two of the four Senate Republicans who voted against it have concerns as it awaits a vote in the House. Sen. Ryan Fattman, R-Webster, and Sen. Dean Tran, R-Fitchburg, said that they support the concept behind the bill, but it is not appropriate to place this requirement on school districts, many of which are strapped for funds."


HOW RIGHT THEY WERE! 

- "The Hell-No Caucus: How five 2020 contenders voted on Trump's nominees," by Elana Schor and Jeremy C.F. Lin, POLITICO: "Five Senate liberals who might run against Donald Trump in 2020 have seized just about every opportunity to stick it to the president since he took office - voting overwhelmingly to thwart his nominees for administration jobs. A POLITICO analysis of every confirmation vote cast found Kirsten Gillibrand of New York, Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, Bernie Sanders of Vermont, Kamala Harris of California and Cory Booker of New Jersey have distinguished themselves as the stiffest opponents of Trump's picks for the executive branch and federal judiciary."


- "Harvard: Justice Department carrying water for anti-affirmative action group," by Josh Gerstein, POLITICO: "Harvard University says something's fishy about the Justice Department's entry last week into a long-running civil suit accusing the prestigious school of discriminating against Asian-American applicants. In a letter Monday to the federal judge overseeing the suit, Harvard attorney William Lee described as 'perplexing' and 'entirely unnecessary' the Trump administration's unusual filing Friday urging robust public access to key legal briefs that are set to be filed soon in the case." 


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