Billionaire drops more CASH in Springfield — SHUTDOWN will impact immigrants for years — BARS form advocacy group on sports betting

Feb 08, 2019

GOOD MORNING, MASSACHUSETTS. TGIF.

NEED TO IMPEACH DROPS ANOTHER $100K— Billionaire Tom Steyer, who's committed to initiating the process of impeaching President Donald Trump, is cranking up pressure on key House Democrats where he thinks they'll feel it most — back in their home districts.

Steyer's first targets are three powerful committee chairmen, including Rep. Richard Neal. But the liberal megadonor isn't stopping there: He will soon turn his attention to rank-and-file members — including freshmen — who are seated on the committees that would be involved in impeachment proceedings. And Steyer's Need to Impeach PAC is considering going after the top three Democratic leaders, Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) and Majority Whip Jim Clyburn (D-S.C.).

The previously unreported plans to single out additional members on the Ways and Means, Judiciary and Oversight Committees, detailed by Steyer and his advisers, represent the latest turn in Steyer's multimillion-dollar campaign to impeach Trump. And the thinly veiled threat against the Democratic upper brass puts the former hedge fund manager-turned-activist squarely at odds with leaders of the party.

But before he does that , Steyer's Need to Impeach group is adding another $100,000 in digital ad buys targeting Neal. That's on top of the campaign the group started this week, which includes paid staff, a town hall next week and a $109,000, two-week television ad buy in the relatively small Springfield Market.

"There's a gigantic cost to not listening to your constituents," Steyer said in an interview with POLITICO. "There's a gigantic cost to thumbing your nose at democracy."

Neal's position remains unchanged: He wants to wait until Mueller's investigation into Russian meddling and potential collusion with the Trump campaign is finished. Neal is consulting the counsel of the House of Representatives and the Joint Committee on Taxation to determine the appropriate legal steps to move forward with the "unprecedented request" for Trump's tax returns, the congressman's spokesman William Tranghese said.

"There's a discernible process that's acknowledged and at the moment I think my position is consistent with the party leadership on the Democratic side," Neal said.

And as for being the first Need to Impeach target? "I was mayor of a big city," Neal, the Ways and Means chairman and former mayor of Springfield quipped. "No, it doesn't bother me, no."

Read the story by Laura Barrón-López and me here.

Have a tip, story, suggestion, birthday, anniversary, new job, or any other nugget for the Playbook? Get in touch: smurray@politico.com.

TODAY - Gov. Charlie Baker and Boston Mayor Marty Walshparticipate in a Boston Chinatown Neighborhood Center tea ceremony for its 50th anniversary. Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito , Secretary of Housing and Economic Development Mike Kennealy and State Senate President Karen Spilka participate in a roundtable in Ashland. Sen. Ed Markey and former Ambassador to Japan Caroline Kennedyspeak at the Harvard Institute of Politics. Walsh is a guest on "Boston Public Radio."

DATELINE BEACON HILL

- "Lawmakers eye facial recognition moratorium," by Christian M. Wade, The Salem News: "Facial recognition systems are getting more use to nab criminal suspects, thwart security threats and prevent fraud, but the technology is fueling debate over privacy. On Beacon Hill, a bipartisan group of lawmakers want to put the brakes on use of facial recognition and other biometric systems by the state and local law enforcement until there are rules for its use."

- "As Massachusetts moves toward legalizing sports betting, bars seek seat at the table," by Dan Glaun, Springfield Republican: "Beer, pretzels and a bet on the Super Bowl? A group of bars have formed an organization to advocate for inclusion as the state move toward the legalization of sports betting this year. The group, Fair Play Massachusetts, currently consists of a modest number of Western Massachusetts establishments, including Nathan Bill's Bar and Restaurant and Christopher's in Springfield and The Rumbleseat and Collegian Court in Chicopee."

- "Central Mass. lawmakers oppose commuter rail fare hike," by Katie Lannan, State House News Service: "FIFTEEN CENTRAL MASSACHUSETTS lawmakers are asking transportation officials to scrap a proposed increase in commuter rail fares, saying it will 'result in a disparate financial burden' on people in their part of the state. The MBTA on Jan. 28 announced a proposal to raise more than $32 million in new revenues by hiking bus, subway, and commuter rail fares an average 6.3 percent in July."

- "Appealing to the governor," by Mike LaBella, Eagle-Tribune:"Gillette, 27, is among a group of Wood School neighbors who are going right to the top to express their frustration with issues of noisy commuter train idling and fumes they say have been negatively impacting the health and quality of life in their neighborhood since the early 1990s, when the MBTA layover station was built. They say that over the years, meetings were held, promises were made, but whenever a solution is put in place it doesn't last. A proposal to build barns to house idling trains never materialized, they said. So they sent a letter this week to Gov. Charlie Baker asking to meet with him to discuss their concerns."

FROM THE HUB

- "At MassHousing, $10K for a sendoff tribute," by Colman M. Herman, CommonWealth Magazine: "THE MASSACHUSETTS HOUSING Finance Agency has been through a rough patch when it comes to coverage from the Boston Herald. The headline-hungry tabloid has gone after the quasi-public affordable housing agency in one story after another, detailing "lavish" spending on hotel stays, a fleet of cars, and a party costing more than $5,000, all on top of generous salary outlays that have nine employees earning more than $200,000 a year. Now add to that tab what looks like a living-large trump card - a bill of nearly $10,000 for a going-away soirée held last fall for MassHousing's former vice president of external affairs,Thomas Lyons."

- "As Change Comes To Allston, Developers And Residents Debate What The Future Should Look Like," by Gabrielle Emanuel, WGBH News: "DiStefano, now the president and CEO of Stadium Auto Body, is finding a new way to make money: real estate. He's hoping to replace the towed and beaten up cars on his lot with modern, glassy buildings. It's all part of what Boston officials say is the biggest building boom in the city's history, especially in Allston-Brighton. Some developers are envisioning the neighborhood across the river from Harvard Yard as a new and improved Kendall Square. Many residents are excited about change, but nervous about the details. Both sides are focusing in on DiStefano's Western Avenue property. What happens there, they say, could set a precedent forwhat's to come."

- "'It's what's on the inside': Brutalist-style City Hall turns 50," by Brooks Sutherland, Boston Herald: "Inside City Hall on the third-floor mezzanine Thursday, dozens of city employees, elected officials, architects and residents ate cake, made small talk and raved about the iconic brutalist-style building in celebration of its 50th anniversary. Outside on the plaza was a different story."

- "Strippers, an argument, a stolen gun: Boston officer's night-out triggers internal probe," by Danny McDonald, Boston Globe:"A Boston police officer is on paid leave and facing an internal affairs investigation after a night out at a Rhode Island strip club and a bar with two women who have been charged with stealing his gun, authorities said. The officer's name and rank were not disclosed."

- "Official's use of n-word in class discussion on racial language plunges Cambridge into controversy," by Meghan E. Irons, Boston Globe: "The School Committee member came to the high school classroom to discuss racial language and why the district's computers block certain websites that include some slurs but not others. But when the committee member, Emily Dexter, who is white, used the full version of the n-word as part of that discussion, she outraged many in the room and beyond and triggered a fiery debate in a city that prides itself on embracing diversity."

DAY IN COURT

- "Michelle Carter returns to court Monday," by John R. Ellement, Boston Globe: "Michelle Carter will return to court next Monday where Bristol County prosecutors will ask a judge to order her to start serving the 15-month sentence imposed for her role in the suicide of Conrad Roy III. The move by prosecutors came one day after the Supreme Judicial Court unanimously upheld Carter's involuntary manslaughter conviction, ruling that her actions met the legal standard of wanton and reckless conduct established by the courts since an 1816 case involving suicide."

- "For immigrants in Boston's court, the shutdown will reverberate for years," by Maria Cramer, Boston Globe: "An estimated 86,000 immigrants had their hearings canceled as a result of the 35-day shutdown that began on Dec. 22, according to the Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse, a research group at Syracuse University that tracks federal immigration figures. Massachusetts, which already had a backlog of more than 28,000 cases, was among the states most acutely affected by the shutdown. Nearly 4,000 hearings had been scheduled in Massachusetts' immigration court during the shutdown, according to the research group."

WARREN REPORT

- "Warren sought to rip off bandaid on native heritage last year. But she left out the apology," by Jess Bidgood and Liz Goodwin, Boston Globe: "Senator Elizabeth Warren knew that if she wanted to run for president, she needed to finally put the lingering issue of her controversial claim to Native American heritage behind her. So last year she launched a methodical plan. First, she cleared the air: She told a national gathering of native leaders last February that she knew she was not a member of a tribe and vowed to fight for their issues."

- "Elizabeth Warren builds out Iowa staff as part of presumed 2020 run," by Brianne Pfannenstiel, Des Moines Register:"Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren has hired three new Iowa staffers as she moves closer to announcing an official presidential run. According to her exploratory committee, Warren has hired former Let America Vote Communications Director Jason Noble as its Iowa communications director. Noble previously was the chief politics reporter for the Des Moines Register before working with the progressive voter advocacy organization formed by Jason Kander, who at one time was reportedly considering a presidential bid."

- "Elizabeth Warren's heritage claims turn some N.H. voters against her," by Lisa Kashinky and Sean Philip Cotter, Boston Herald: "U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren's ongoing heritage controversy is turning some New Hampshire Democratic and independent voters against her, but Democratic party leaders are insisting the likely presidential candidate still has a shot in the Granite State."

- "In key primary states, activists nervously eye Warren's troubles over ancestry," by Noah Bierman, LA Times: "With Sen. Elizabeth Warren once again confronting controversy over her tenuous claims to Native American heritage, activists in early-voting states and national allies are nervously eyeing whether she can succeed in getting past an issue that has shadowed her campaign. Many Democrats continue to defend the Massachusetts senator, believing the questions have been overblown or used against Warren unfairly. Yet with so many candidates in the Democratic field, some say she will have to show soon that she can shake it off, given voters' intense focus on finding a candidate who can defeat President Trump ."

DATELINE D.C.

- "MELROSE REP URGES CONGRESS TO ACT ON INCOME INEQUALITY," by Matt Murphy, State House News Service: "State Rep. Paul Brodeur brought his experience working on a minimum wage hike on Beacon Hill to Capitol Hill on Thursday, telling members of a House committee that growing income inequality across the country 'demands national intervention.' Brodeur, who last session co-chaired the Committee on Labor and Workforce Development, testified before the U.S. House Committee on Education and Labor about how Massachusetts policy leaders in 2018 coalesced behind a $15 minimum wage by 2023."

IT'S NOT EASY BEING GREEN

- "'Green New Deal' lands in the Capitol," by Zack Colman and Anthony Adragna, POLITICO: "Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) and Sen. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) released a blueprint for a Green New Deal on Thursday, urging a '10-year national mobilization' for a speedy shift away from fossil fuels and calling for national health care coverage and job guarantees in a sweeping bid to remake the U.S. economy. The burgeoning left-wing faction within the Democratic Party quickly persuaded several 2020 White House contenders to sign onto the Green New Deal's tenets in a bid to push climate change and the broad economic platform up the ladder of party priorities."

MOULTON MATTERS

- "Moulton to outline foreign policy vision," by Matt Murphy, State House News Service: "U.S. Rep. Seth Moulton, who was in New Hampshire last weekend amid speculation that he might run for president, will give a speech at the Brookings Institution next week where he plans to outline his 'vision for the future of U.S foreign policy,' according to his campaign. After the speech, the Salem Democrat will take part in a conversation with Brookings Senior Fellow Michael O'Hanlon on what the new divided Congress means for foreign policy, budget and strategic planning."

ABOVE THE FOLD

— Herald: "ALL THE WAY TO SUPREME COURT," "TAKING THEIR SHOT," — Globe: "Family's feud takes a turn to the courts," "Shutdown may delay hearings for years."

FROM THE 413

- "Hampshire College worried about state's new oversight plan," by Laura Krantz, Boston Globe: "A state plan to monitor the financial health of private colleges was one factor that led the trustees of Hampshire College not to admit a fall class, according to the school president. Miriam Nelson, who took over as president of the alternative liberal arts school last year, said she and the trustees worried about the so-called state stress test that officials have drafted, along with accrediting standards, and therefore thought it prudent to seek to merge the Amherst school with another institution."

THE LOWELL CONNECTOR

- "Lowell flips over its 'America the Beautiful' quarter," by RIck Sobey, The Lowell Sun: "The hundreds of fourth-graders on the edge of their seats erupted in euphoria. The students in the packed auditorium were about to be the first ones in the nation to get their hands on a Lowell quarter, depicting a mill girl working at a power loom with a view of the Mill City — including the Boott Mill clock tower."

THE LOCAL ANGLE

- "Proposed Weymouth Compressor Station Draws More Opposition," by Barbara Moran, WBUR: "A Massachusetts organization whose health impact report paved the way for the Baker administration to issue an air quality permit for a controversial proposed natural gas compressor station says it opposes the project on other grounds. Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC) Executive Director Marc Draisen says his agency does not support construction of the compressor station in North Weymouth, citing concerns about climate resilience and public safety."

- "Cape surfers want say in shark-safety decisions," by Doug Fraser, Cape Cod Times: "Surfing legend Ian Cairns and scientist and entrepreneur Craig Anderson have seen the economic and psychological devastation that shark attacks can do to a community. Both men hail from Western Australia, where 15 fatal shark attacks occurred between 2000 and 2017, four from August 2010 to October 2011 alone. 'It rocked us to the core,' said Anderson, speaking at a forum on shark safety hosted by Cape Cod surfers Tuesday night at Wellfleet Elementary School. Six of the 15 victims were surfers and bodyboarders, the rest divers and swimmers."

- "Stonehill students protest professor's firing in Easton," by Ben Berke, Brockton Enterprise: "Two weeks into the spring semester, Stonehill College has fired Professor Callie Watkins Liu, an educator known for her support of student activism and diversity. The dismissal has sparked outrage on campus, with some students circulating a digital flyer on Facebook that accuses the college of discrimination in their dismissal of Watkins Liu, who is black."

TRANSITIONS - Emily P. Crowley joins Davis, Malm & D'Agostine, P.C. as an associate in the firm's employment and litigation practices.

- Carolyn Kirk was elected executive director of the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY - to Attorney General Maura Healey , Harvard Kennedy School fellow Jascha Franklin-Hodge, David Cowan and Arturo Natella.

DID THE HOME TEAM WIN? No! The Lakers beat the Celtics 129-128.

WELCOME TO THE PLAYBOOK FAMILY — Annabelle Dickson,POLITICO Europe's London-based politics and technology correspondent, starting today, will officially write the Friday edition of the London Playbook. Jack Blanchard will continue to oversee the newsletter and will write the other 4 editions. Subscribe

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