HEALEY wades into MA-7 – Last day of LEGISLATIVE SESSION – ROSENBERG’S return
07/31/2018 07:03 AM EDT
By Lauren Dezenski (ldezenski@politico.com; @laurendezenski) and Brent D. Griffiths (bgriffiths@politico.com; @BrentGriffiths)
GOOD MORNING MASSACHUSETTS. I'm back! A huge thank you to Stephanie Murray and Brent Griffiths for filling in for me while I was away.
HEALEY'S NOD — With the dust now settled on Attorney General Maura Healey's endorsement of Boston City Councilor Ayanna Pressley over Rep. Michael Capuano, those close to Healey tell me it wasn't a question of if Healey would back Pressley, but when.
The thinking was that yesterday's announcement hit the sweet spot of being close to the primary but before voters tuned out for their vacations in August. Healey, a Charlestown resident, also lives in the Capuano's 7th District.
And Healey and Pressley have history. Pressley was one of the few who backed Healey in the primary fight for attorney general in 2014 over Warren Tolman, and the two have remained in touch. Healey specifically cited that loyalty in her endorsement letter to supporters yesterday: "She stood by me and supported me in my first campaign, at a time very few elected leaders were willing to take a chance on an outsider candidate like me." Capuano backed Tolman in 2014.
The Capuano campaign points to their own lengthy list of endorsements, including Boston Mayor Marty Walsh, former Gov. Deval Patrick, the powerful Massachusetts Teachers Union and AFL-CIO, among others. As Capuano's spokesperson put it, "Mike's proud to have the endorsements of nurses, teachers, labor unions and elected officials across the district. Mike's focus is on campaigning door to door, person to person, talking with voters about how important it is to do everything we can to stop Donald Trump and his destructive policies and actions."
Have a tip, story, suggestion, birthday, anniversary, new job, or any other nugget for the Playbook? Get in touch:ldezenski@politico.com.
TODAY — Welcome to the final day of formal legislative session — Sen. Ed Markey joins Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, Senators Richard Blumenthal, Robert Menendez, and others for a press conference in Washington to discuss the dangers of 3D downloadable guns and new legislation to address the threat — Business leaders announce their support for the Yes on 3 ballot initiative that upholds the state's transgender nondiscrimination law. Attendees will include Eastern Bank Chair and CEO Bob Rivers, Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce President Jim Rooney , and Executives and CEOs from the state's leading businesses and business associations, according to the campaign.
THE TSONGAS ARENA —
FIRST IN PLAYBOOK — Rufus Gifford Announces New TV Ad, Highlighting Experience, Bold Policy Agenda, from the Gifford campaign: The ad, titled, "Green Jobs," focuses on Gifford's experience as U.S. Ambassador to Denmark working on renewable energy and how this will help bring good-paying green jobs to the 3rd District. He starts the ad out by saying, "the Democratic Party has to stand for something, not just against something," and cites green jobs as one element of his bold and aspirational policy agenda. The ad can be viewed here: https://youtu.be/mSc2oeZaMYE
DATELINE BEACON HILL —
- "Legislature sends automatic voter registration bill to Gov. Charlie Baker's desk," by Shira Schoenberg, MassLive.com: "The Legislature on Monday sent to Gov. Charlie Baker a bill that would institute automatic voter registration in Massachusetts. Under the bill, an eligible voter who applies for a license or identification card at the Registry of Motor Vehicles or completes a transaction at MassHealth or the Health Connector would be automatically registered to vote."
- "AG Maura Healey joins fight to keep 3-D printed guns off streets," by Aimee Ortiz, Boston Globe: "Attorney General Maura Healey Monday joined a multistate lawsuit against the Trump administration to block public access to downloadable blueprints for plastic, 3-D printed guns, calling the weapons an 'imminent threat to public safety.' The lawsuit, filed in federal court by Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson, seeks to block a recent federal government settlement that would allow the files to be published."
- "Lawmakers nix proposal to ban single-use plastic bags," by The Associated Press: "Massachusetts lawmakers have decided against a statewide ban on single-use plastic bags by retail stores. House and Senate negotiators dropped the proposal Friday from the compromise version of an environmental bond bill now awaiting final votes in the Legislature."
- "Airbnb hosts criticize plan for short-term rental database," by Tim Logan and Matt Stout, Boston Globe:"Lawmakers Monday sent Governor Charlie Baker a bill that would make Massachusetts the first state in the nation to post the street addresses of all short-term rentals on a public database. The registry is part of sweeping legislation passed by both the House and Senate to tax and regulate the booming business of renting homes nightly through popular websites such as Air-bnb."
- "Gov. Charlie Baker decks yacht clubs' rent breaks buried in state budget," by Brian Dowling, Boston Herald:"Gov. Charlie Baker sunk a generous House proposal tucked into the state budget that slashed state rents for yacht clubs on public land. The governor, returning the budget measure back to lawmakers, said the rent levels they sought would have led to taxpayers never getting fair compensation for the private use of the public land."
- "A look at one of the Legislature's veto overrides," by Bruce Mohl, CommonWealth Magazine: "The legislature swiftly overrode many of the governor's budget vetoes on Monday, including one whose elimination has become almost an annual rite of passage on Beacon Hill. Baker on Thursday vetoed nearly $4 million in legislative earmarks included in a line item for the Department of Fire Services, an agency in charge of training firefighters across the state and funded by an assessment on property and casualty insurers doing business in Massachusetts. The House voted to override by a margin of 148-1 on Friday, while the Senate voted 36-1 on Monday."
- "Massachusetts House rejects Gov. Charlie Baker's attempt to change welfare eligibility," by Shira Schoenberg, MassLive.com: "The Massachusetts House soundly rejected an attempt by Gov. Charlie Baker to tie lifting the welfare 'family cap' to changing other rules that would limit welfare eligibility. The House defeated the governor's proposed budget amendment by a vote of 36-113 on Monday, largely along party lines."
ON THE STUMP —
- "US Rep. Richard Neal says he's open to debating Tahirah Amatul-Wadud ahead of Democratic primary," by Shannon Young, MassLive.com: "U.S. Rep. Richard Neal, D-Springfield, said Monday that he looks forward to the possibility of debating Democratic opponent Tahirah Amatul-Wadud ahead of Massachusetts' Sept. 4 primary. Neal, who has represented Western Massachusetts in Washington for nearly 30 years, told reporters following a Springfield event that his campaign is negotiating terms for at least two televised debates with his opponent."
- "A generational shift in politics finally arrives in Mass." by Joan Vennochi, Boston Globe: "FEEL THE TREMORS? Attorney General Maura Healey's endorsement of Ayanna Pressley over US Representative Michael Capuano is another sign that the old-guard white male establishment that has controlled the Democratic power structure since forever is finally starting to crack. Pressley, the first black woman to win a seat on the Boston City Council, is still the underdog in this race. But, win or lose, she represents the party's new face."
- "Congressman Neal Defends Use Of PAC Money," Sean Teehan, New England Public Radio: "Springfield Congressman Richard Neal defended the practice of accepting money from political action committees, or PAC's, following criticism from his Democratic primary opponent. 'Teachers, firefighters, tradesmen, construction workers; they're just pooling their money,' Neal said. 'The bank presidents can write checks for $1,000, what's wrong with the AFL-CIO getting 100 employees to give $10?'"
DATELINE D.C. —
- "'Food ought to be a fundamental right': US Rep. Jim McGovern highlights importance of summer meal programs amid proposed SNAP cuts," by Aviva Luttrell, MassLive.com: "On Monday, Congressman James P. McGovern (D-Worcester) kicked off his Fifth Annual Summer Food Rocks Tour to visit spots throughout Central and Western Massachusetts that provide free meals to kids. With recently proposed cuts to benefits like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, McGovern said it's critical to highlight programs like Summer Eats that help alleviate hunger among youth in the state."
TRUMPACHUSETTS —
- "Prisoners in Bristol County launch hunger strike in solidarity with ICE detainees, refusing prepared meals," by Maggie Penman, WGBH: "Inmates at the Bristol County House of Corrections in North Dartmouth began a hunger strike Tuesday evening in solidarity with ICE detainees, says Bristol County Sheriff Thomas Hodgson. Hodgson says 71 inmates refused dinner Tuesday night, and another 35 inmates joined them in refusing breakfast Wednesday morning."
MOULTON MATTERS —
-"Obscure Contest? Not When House Democrats Are This Divided," by Sheryl Gay Stolberg, New York Times:"In ordinary circumstances, the race between [Representatives Linda T. Sánchez and Barbara Lee, both of California] and perhaps other as-yet-undeclared candidates for the chairmanship of the Democratic caucus would amount to little more than an obscure contest for a job that nobody outside the Capitol pays much attention to. 'I can't keep up with the numbers of meetings I have with people who are interested in running for things,' said Representative Seth Moulton of Massachusetts, a frequent critic of Representative Nancy Pelosi of California, the Democrats' longtime leader."
WOOD WAR — Herald: "'SAFER IN AFGHANISTAN'" — Globe: "TSA faces scrutiny on stealth tracking," "Cape DA admits office mishandled case," "For Zoey, a rebirth at age 3," "Elite colleges back Harvard against suit on admissions," "Airbnb, other renters criticize plan for registry," "CONSTRUCTIVE START."
THE LOCAL ANGLE —
- "Residents push for removal of Judge Timothy Feeley from the bench in Massachusetts," by State House News Service: "Mothers of police officers and overdose victims lent their voice Monday to a push to remove a Salem Superior Court judge from the bench, joining a group of Republican lawmakers who say they want to force a floor debate on the topic in Monday's House session. Feeley has come under fire over controversial rulings, including sentencing Manuel Soto-Vittini to probation instead of prison time after he pleaded guilty to drug-dealing charges."
- "After ignominious Beacon Hill exit, Stan Rosenberg to lead panel at legislative summit," by Matt Stout, Boston Globe: "Stanley C. Rosenberg, the former Senate president who resigned his seat in May after investigators found 'significant failures' in his leadership, is re-emerging on the legislative stage — in Los Angeles. The Amherst Democrat is slated to lead a panel on redistricting at the National Conference of State Legislatures' annual summer summit, which the group touts as the 'biggest and best gathering' of its kind and is expected to bring together thousands of state lawmakers and staffers on the West Coast."
- "U.S. Attorney Andrew Lelling talks marijuana, immigration and Attorney General Jeff Sessions," by WGBH News: "In an interview with Greater Boston's Jim Braude, U.S. Attorney Lelling discussed his latest prosecutorial successes, as well his positions on marijuana enforcement, immigration and what it's like to work for Attorney General Sessions."
- "Cambridge Orders Bird To Remove Scooters, Pending Permit Deal," by Callum Borchers, WBUR: "The city of Cambridge on Monday ordered Bird Rides Inc. to remove its rentable electric scooters from public streets until it reaches a permit deal with the city. But the California-based company did not immediately agree to comply, setting up a possible legal battle. Cambridge Transportation Director Joe Barr said city officials told Bird representatives during an hour-long meeting that the city is prepared to embrace the company under certain safety and accessibility conditions."
- "Lawmakers demand answers on 'Quiet Skies' surveillance program after Globe report," by Jana Winter, Boston Globe: "Amid a barrage of criticism from lawmakers, top Transportation Security Administration officials agreed Monday to brief Congress this week on a secret domestic surveillance program in which federal air marshals track ordinary US citizens at airports and on airplanes. The response came after the Globe reported that the TSA in March began actively conducting surveillance of people who were not suspected of a crime or were not on a terrorist watch list, but who had caught the agency's attention because of where they had flown, among other criteria."
- "Retailers give new tobacco law mixed reviews," by Jamie Halper, Boston Globe: "Tobacco retailers have mixed reviews for a new law that raises the legal age for purchasing tobacco in Massachusetts to 21. The law standardizes the minimum age across the state, where more than 170 municipalities, including Boston and Worcester, had already raised the age above 18."
- "Marijuana facilities in Holyoke and Amherst unaffected by CEO change: officials," by Mike Plaisance, MassLive.com: "Nothing will change in the operations of medical marijuana facilities in Holyoke and Amherst as their parent company changes CEO's, officials said Monday. Ben Kovler, who founded Green Thumb Industries (GTI) in 2014 and is chairman of its board of directors, will take over as CEO Aug. 29 from Peter Kadens, officials said."
- "Lyft testing subscription model," by Bruce Mohl, CommonWealth Magazine: "Lyft is testing subscription models across the country, offering customers a package of rides for a flat, discounted fee. The packages promote Lyft loyalty and some bear a resemblance to transit passes."
HAPPY BIRTHDAY — to Libertarian VP nominee and former Massachusetts Gov. William Weld, former Mass. Gov.Deval Patrick, state Rep. Donald Humason of Westfield, State 6 comms pro and author Dave Wedge, 15th Suffolk candidate Nika Elugardo and her campaign Field Director Matt Graham.
DID THE HOME TEAM WIN? Yes! The Red Sox edged out the Phillies 2-1, in 13 innings.
ICYMI — THE LATEST EPISODE OF THE HORSE RACE: On the podcast this week, Lauren Dezenski is still on vacation, but calls in to talk with Steve and Doug Rubin, senior strategist for Deval Patrick and Elizabeth Warren, about presidential race rumors. Then, a quick check in on the MA-1 primary with Shannon Young, of MassLive and The Springfield Republican; followed up by a look at key races in the Pioneer Valley with MassINC Polling Group's very own Research Director, Rich Parr. Subscribe and listen on iTunes and Sound Cloud
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