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GOOD MORNING, MASSACHUSETTS.
BIDEN'S BAY STATE OFFICE — Joe Biden's campaign is opening a Massachusetts campaign office in Quincy today. It's a sign that the former vice president is looking ahead to Super Tuesday, and making a bet that he will make it through the first four states — Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina and Nevada.
The Biden for President Massachusetts office is located at 159 Burgin Parkway in Quincy. The campaign will celebrate the opening tonight at 6:30 p.m., followed by a phone bank.
The Biden office opening comes after months of Boston fundraisers and Massachusetts endorsements for the former VP. In October, Biden hired John Laadt, a former aide to Boston Mayor Marty Walsh, to run his Massachusetts campaign.
But Biden's isn't the only operation staffing up in the Bay State. Sen. Elizabeth Warren has two Massachusetts campaign offices in Cambridge and Northampton, in addition to her national campaign headquarters in Charlestown. She has around half a dozen staffers in Massachusetts, who are led by state director Jossie Valentin, an outgoing Holyoke city councilor. Former Gov. Deval Patrick also has his national campaign office in Massachusetts.
It's less clear what Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders' campaign is doing in Massachusetts. The campaign has not said how many staff or offices it has here, and former aide Joe Caiazzo recently left his post as Sanders' Massachusetts state director. That's notable because Sanders came close to beating Hillary Clinton in the Massachusetts primary in 2016. Clinton won by fewer than 2 percentage points and took only one more delegate than Sanders did.
Pete Buttigieg, the mayor of South Bend, Ind., has a team dedicated to what the campaign calls "marathon states" including Massachusetts. Two statewide volunteer leaders are coordinating the Massachusetts effort, and each of the Massachusetts congressional districts has at least two volunteer leaders. They organize house parties and phone banks, among other things. The Amy Klobuchar campaign told me yesterday it has field staff dedicated to organizing in Massachusetts, but did not say where those staff are located or how many staffers there are.
THINGS THAT MAKE YOU GO HMMM — Someone registered two domain names: joshzakimforcongress.com and zakimforcongress.com last week. It's not clear whether it was outgoing Boston City Councilor Josh Zakim or someone else who bought the URLs, Zakim didn't respond to a request for comment. But for speculation's sake, Zakim represented part of Rep. Stephen Lynch's district during his time on the City Council, and he's a Newton native, where there is an open congressional race to replace Rep. Joe Kennedy III. Tweet.
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 Walsh attend a ribbon cutting for a Community Servings renovation and expansion project. Baker tours the Harvard Street Neighborhood Health Center. Baker and Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito make an announcement about the Fall River Vietnam Veterans' Memorial Wall. Walsh testifies before the Housing Committee at the State House. Rep. Jim McGovern leads the consideration of an impeachment resolution in the Rules Committee. McGovern is a guest on WBUR and WGBH. Boston activists hold a pro-impeachment rally on the Common.
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 | DATELINE BEACON HILL |
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— "Former State Police head receives $84,000 buyout," by Matt Rocheleau, Boston Globe: "Former State Police head Kerry A. Gilpin has received an $84,000 buyout after stepping down last month, state records released Monday show. The lump sum payment is for vacation time she accrued during her career but never used, as well as 20 percent of her unused accrued sick time, department officials said. Gilpin worked for the department for 25 years. During her two-year tenure atop the state's largest law enforcement agency, she presided over a succession of crises, most notably investigations into a sprawling overtime fraud scheme, that exposed systemic problems and badly eroded public trust ."
— "Baker Veto Means Auto Voter Registration a Go for Jan. 1," by Katie Lannan, State House News Service: "Automatic voter registration advocates plan to keep trying after Gov. Charlie Baker vetoed a proposal they say would make the new system smoother. Baker in August 2018 signed a law creating a pathway toward automatically registering eligible voters when they interact with the Registry of Motor Vehicles and MassHealth, unless they choose to opt out. On Friday, Baker vetoed language in a $542 million spending bill that would have rolled back the effective date for automatic voter registration and specified changes to the opt-out procedures."
— "Following Globe report, lawmakers call for investigation into state's licensing of 'dangerous' people," by Andrea Estes, Boston Globe: "A legislative oversight committee on Monday urged the Baker administration to launch an 'immediate and thorough' investigation into the agency that licenses more than 400,000 professionals and tradespeople across the state. The request comes a day after The Boston Globe revealed that the state Division of Professional Licensure has issued licenses to people with serious criminal records, including dozens of sex offenders."
— "Pollack, control board at odds on income-based fares," by Bruce Mohl, CommonWealth Magazine: "REJECTING CONCERNS raised by state Transportation Secretary Stephanie Pollack, members of the MBTA's Fiscal and Management Control Board on Monday insisted on moving faster to embrace lower fares for low-income riders. In a somewhat testy series of exchanges, control board members, who are all appointed by Gov. Charlie Baker, rejected efforts by the governor's point person on transportation to slow down the move toward income-based fares, which are often called means-tested fares. The back-and-forth was the most recent example of the board's growing independence of the Baker administration."
— "State makes push to battle impaired driving over the holidays," by Chris Lisinski, State House News Service: "State officials are trying to cut down on drunken and drugged driving over the holidays with a combination of grants to police departments and a $220,600 advertising campaign. Through Jan. 1, 2020, the state Executive Office of Public Safety and Security will purchase televised advertisements, gas station TV spots and posters for bars and restaurants warning about the dangers of impaired driving, focusing on marijuana as legal recreational sales of the substance continue to increase."
— "Department of Revenue putting taxpayer data at risk, auditor says," by Mary Markos, Boston Herald: "Sensitive taxpayer information is vulnerable to cyberattacks and the Department of Revenue has no plan in place to respond to a breach, a new report from the state auditor shows. Auditor Suzanne Bump warned of 'inadequate controls' that leave data like Social Security numbers and tax payment history susceptible to exposure at the DOR in an audit released Monday. The DOR is 'not prepared' to respond to or mitigate cyberattacks, according to Bump's office, because they do not have policies in place to address security breaches."
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POLITICO TECH AT CES - We are bringing a special edition of the POLITICO Tech newsletter to CES 2020 . Written by Nancy Scola and Cristiano Lima, the newsletter will take you inside the largest and most influential technology event on the planet, featuring every major and emerging industry in the technology ecosystem gathered together in one place. The newsletter runs from Jan. 6 - 10 and will focus on the public policy related aspects of the gathering. Sign up today to receive exclusive coverage of the Summit.
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| FROM THE HUB |
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— "Here's one spotlight on Boston's housing boom: City's property value hit a historic high of $164 billion," by Milton J. Valencia, Boston Globe: "The value of Boston's taxable property hit a historic high of $164 billion last fiscal year, a 78 percent increase from 2013, according to a report Monday that underscored how expensive the city has become — the same day officials formally asked the state to let them tax pricey real estate deals to fund new affordable housing. The study, by the Boston Municipal Research bureau, showed that taxable property value grew the most in the booming Seaport District, and the slowest in West Roxbury and Roslindale. It also found some 40,000 people moved into Boston between 2013 and 2017."
— "Here's how other New England states are navigating the highway exit re-numbering mandate," by Christopher Gavin, Boston.com: "As Massachusetts gears up to swap out its highway exit numbers to a mileage-based system in the coming years, some of its neighboring states are taking a different approach to address the federal mandate. Most states already follow this system or have started the process to switch over — all except Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Delaware, according to MassDOT officials."
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| PATRICK PRIMARY |
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— "After a three-week scramble, Patrick campaign claims it submitted enough signatures to make the Michigan ballot," by James Pindell, Boston Globe: "Deval Patrick's presidential campaign claims it turned in more than enough signatures for the former Massachusetts governor to qualify for the Michigan Democratic presidential primary, after his team spent the last three weeks scrambling to secure his spot on the ballot. A spokesman for the Michigan secretary of state confirmed that the Patrick campaign dropped off what it said were 13,611 signatures of Michigan residents requesting that Patrick's name be on the ballot."
— "Deval Patrick has no clear path to the nomination, pollsters and NH voters say," by Rick Sobey, Boston Herald: "Deval Patrick, struggling in the low single digits in polls, is brushing off critics who say he doesn't have a clear path to the nomination less than 60 days out from the New Hampshire primary. 'You talking about polls? Who cares about polls,' Patrick responded to reporters. 'The polls that matter are when people vote. People keep saying, 'You know, what about being late?' I'm not late. I'm later. I'm not late. You know, I'm not late until the voters vote,' he added."
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DEBATE PREP: Seven candidates have qualified for the final Democratic Presidential debate, hosted by PBS Newshour and POLITICO, in Los Angeles on Dec. 19. Check out POLITICO's debate hub featuring election forecasts, a breakdown of the candidates' policy positions, and everything you need to know to get ready for the big night.
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| DAY IN COURT |
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— "ICE asks judge to let agency back into courthouses," by Sarah Betancourt, CommonWealth Magazine: "FEDERAL IMMIGRATION OFFICIALS are seeking to dismiss a lawsuit that would bar agents from making arrests in local Massachusetts courthouses. In April, Suffolk and Middlesex district attorneys Rachael Rollins and Marian Ryan filed the first federal lawsuit of its kind against US Immigration and Customs Enforcement, seeking to bar agents from making civil arrests in or around courthouses, in conjunction with immigrant advocacy group Chelsea Collaborative and Committee for Public Counsel Services."
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| TWEET OF THE DAY |
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| DATELINE D.C. |
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— "Articles of Impeachment Reach Final Hurdle Before House Vote in Rules Committee," by Ed Kilgore, New York Magazine: "Last week's televised House Judiciary Committee mark-up of articles of impeachment was both unusual and extremely tedious — mostly thanks to Committee Republicans trying to drag the evening session into the wee hours when no one would be watching. Tuesday's Rules Committee session aimed at preparing the articles for floor action represents an even rarer televised event (the powerful committee's discussions are usually very private), while the potential for Kabuki theater posturing by Republicans may be even higher, since delaying things is about the only play the House GOP has left before the final vote."
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| THE PRESSLEY PARTY |
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— "Sex work or sexual abuse? US Representative Pressley, activists debate decriminalizing prostitution," by Stephanie Ebbert, Boston Globe: "A growing movement to decriminalize prostitution in cities and states across the country — recently embraced by US Representative Ayanna Pressley — has feminists and women's advocates sharply divided on the best way to protect women's rights. Should prostitution be considered a job like any other, whose practitioners could be empowered by workplace protections if it were made legal? Or is it inherently harmful — a form of violence predicated on racial, gender, and income inequality from which women should be set free?"
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| KENNEDY COMPOUND |
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— "Angry Democrats — many of them women — prepare to go after Van Drew seat," by Michelle Brunetti Post, The Press of Atlantic City: "A woman is likely to be the Democratic nominee for the 2nd Congressional District seat held by U.S. Rep. Jeff Van Drew, who is expected to soon change parties to Republican. Longport's Brigid Harrison, a Democrat and Montclair State University professor, on Monday afternoon announced she will definitely run, and Brigantine's Amy Kennedy, a mental health advocate and former teacher who is married to former Rhode Island U.S. Rep. Patrick J. Kennedy, said she has formed an exploratory committee to consider mounting a campaign."
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| IT'S NOT EASY BEING GREEN |
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— "Higher gas prices for cleaner air: What is the Transportation and Climate Initiative?" by Shira Schoenberg, Springfield Republican: "Gov. Charlie Baker is one of the leaders pushing for a regional program that would raise the price of gas while curbing greenhouse gas emissions from transportation. The Transportation and Climate Initiative, or TCI, is expected to become a major focus of state government, environmentalists and businesses across the Northeast over the coming months and years as TCI takes shape and states consider whether to commit to the program."
— "Berkshire Wind helps light North Shore homes," by Ethan Forman, The Salem News: "The fact that two new wind turbines atop Brodie Mountain in the Berkshires have recently reached commercial operation is a milestone that will provide a source of clean and predictable power for nearly 3,000 homes on the North Shore. While the Berkshire Wind Power Project — the state's second largest wind farm — may be 170 miles away, its expansion is important for customers served by municipal light plants in Peabody, Marblehead and Ipswich."
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| MARIJUANA IN MASSACHUSETTS |
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— "Deval Patrick endorses federal marijuana legalization despite mixed record on pot," Marijuana Moment: "Former Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick said Friday that he's in favor of federally legalizing marijuana — a significant shift for the 2020 Democratic presidential candidate whose record on cannabis reform has been mixed and who previously opposed a statewide decriminalization proposal during his time as governor. Asked about his prior and current stance on the issue, Patrick told Cheddar's Justin Chermol that he is supportive of legalization and seemed to attempt to distance himself from his prior stances."
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| ABOVE THE FOLD |
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— Herald: "SERGEANT SANTA," "BEAT THE CLOCK," — Globe: "Swing vote Democrats lining up to impeach," "Data direct from their heads." |
| BEHIND THE TOFU CURTAIN |
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— "Can Hampshire College be saved?" by Michael Jonas, CommonWealth Magazine: "Can Hampshire College rise, if not from the dead, from the higher ed death watch list? Harvard Business School professor Clay Christensen has predicted that as many as half of all US colleges and universities will close or go bankrupt over the next decade, and a year ago it looked like Hampshire would be one of them.The Amherst college, founded in 1970 with a commitment to rethinking traditional liberal arts education, said it was in dire financial straits and would be seeking a 'strategic partner' to merge with. The college, which depends almost entirely on tuition revenue to operate, seemed to push itself closer to the fiscal cliff by then announcing it would not accept a new entering class this fall. The news of Hampshire's death, however, has been premature."
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| THE LOCAL ANGLE |
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— "'It's not OK for adults to tell other adults how to live their lives'; Concord considers town-wide tobacco ban," by Tanner Stening and Melissa Hanson, MassLive.com: "Massachusetts has already banned the use of flavored tobacco and vaping products. But one town is looking to take the effort to regulate nicotine one step further. On Monday, Concord's Board of Health held its second public hearing weighing new restrictions on all tobacco products — not just flavored ones. Concord is looking to limit the sale of tobacco products to adult-only stores. While there are 14 retailers in town that sell tobacco products, there are no adult-only stores."
— "Schools are collecting new data in new ways about students with cutting-edge high-tech," by James Vaznis, Boston Globe: "Ask 16-year-old Jack Vanourny about his schedule at the Cambridge School of Weston, and he'll admit that it sometimes leaves him 'incredibly stressed.' So when he put on an electronic headband that reads brain activity one recent morning, he expected it to glow brighter than a firetruck's flashing red lights. 'It was the polar opposite,' he said. His headband illuminated a mellow blue light, indicating calmness. He was surprised at how relaxed he actually was. The headbands are part of a new generation of technology being tested in schools nationwide, an effort to gather more precise information about the ways students learn in hopes of boosting achievement."
— "Worcester in running to become new home of Little League Softball World Series," by Bill Ballou, Telegram & Gazette: "The city is being considered as the new host for the Little League Softball World Series, a nationally-televised event that would attract thousands of players, parents and fans from around the world each summer. Little League International is looking for a new home after a corporate dispute made it impossible to stay at its longtime host site in Portland, Oregon — Alpenrose Dairy. Worcester has bid on the event for 2020, according to Mass. District 4 Little League Coordinator Linda McGill and officials from Little League International were in the city last Tuesday to look at possible facilities ."
— "MBTA officials want to use former Quincy Lowe's for commuter parking," by Mary Whitfill, The Patriot Ledger: "MBTA officials say using the site of a former West Quincy Lowe's for a commuter parking lot and storage facility could help accelerate projects at two nearby Red Line stations. Chief Real Estate Officer Richard Henderson told the the MBTA Fiscal & Management Control Board Monday that the 13-acre site, which has a 102,000-square-foot building and space for 442 cars, would let the agency complete construction projects at the Quincy Adams and Braintree stations 'well ahead of the current schedules.'"
HAPPY BIRTHDAY — to Joe Kaplan.
FOR YOUR COMMUTE: THE POLL-AR EXPRESS — On this week's Horse Race podcast, hosts Jennifer Smith and Steve Koczela discuss new polling on the New Hampshire primary. Boston Globe reporter Adam Vaccaro runs through the safety report on the MBTA conducted by an independent panel of experts. MassINC Polling Group Research Director Rich Parr rounds out the show with a look at a regional poll focused on the Transportation Climate Initiative. Subscribe and listen on iTunes and Sound Cloud.
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.
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