We’ve all seen grocery prices skyrocket in recent years, as stores blame supply chain issues – despite reporting record profits. As consumers brace for how proposed tariffs may drive up the cost of food, a new investigation by Consumer Reports has found another shocking culprit: some grocery stores are mislabeling shelf prices that could leave shoppers paying 18 percent more on certain items at checkout!
Our investigation into one of the nation’s largest grocery chains, Kroger – which operates in 35 states and also includes stores like Ralphs, Fry's and Fred Meyer – found significant errors on discount price labels on store shelves in 7 out of the 13 states and D.C. we shopped. In these Kroger stores, our shoppers found over 150 labeling errors on the store shelves, which would have cost an extra $260 at checkout!
CR examined Kroger because it’s one of the nation’s largest chains, and after store employees told us and other news organizations that pricing errors were rampant due to a shortage of staff (through staffing cuts and reduced hours) to change out expired shelf price labels. Kroger has known about its pricing errors for years and has yet to meaningfully fix the problem, according to class-action lawsuits filed in four states, and consumer complaints filed in others.
In addition to this mislabeling problem, we are looking into the broader issue of rising digital grocery pricing. Years ago, most groceries were affixed with a paper price tag. But now, stores are integrating bar codes, electronic shelf tags, and loyalty programs that offer different prices to different shoppers – which could leave consumers in the dark about what an item actually costs.
Using technology and algorithms raises questions about the replacement of workers and potentially opens the door not only to surge pricing – the practice of increasing prices at times of high demand – but to potential misuse of customers’ personal data and shopping habits, prompting Consumer Reports to launch our Make the Price Right campaign to make sure you’re protected from potential abuses.
After you act, we’ll send you a copy of our investigation. And please share this petition with friends and family, so we can use our consumer power to tell one of the nation’s largest grocer to listen to shoppers, and do the right thing!
Morning all. A lot of news today. Let’s start with Omaha - Dems unseated a three-term Republican mayor and flipped Nebraska’s largest city. Here’s The Washington Post this am:
John Ewing Jr. was elected Omaha’s first Black mayor on Tuesday, defeating the city’s three-term Republican mayor, Jean Stothert, in a race where Democrats sought to tie her to President Donald Trump’s unpopular agenda — another warning sign for Republicans in a critical battleground area.
Omaha and its suburbs have played a unique role in national politics, as the “blue dot” in a conservative state that wields an unusual amount of power in presidential contests. Though Democrats outnumber Republicans in the city limits of Omaha, Stothert kept her seat over three terms by building a broad-based coalition that included the city’s many independent voters. But Ewing’s campaign and Democrats sought to tie her to economic uncertainty and anger about Trump, whom she backed in 2024.
Ewing said Tuesday night that his victory belonged to “every resident of the city of Omaha” and that his campaign had demonstrated that when voters unite around shared values “we can achieve remarkable things.”
This uplifting win, and Allison Riggs’ win last week in North Carolina, came in states where this community made enormous investments in building up the state Democratic Parties last cycle. Hopium was the largest investor in both the Nebraska and North Carolina Democratic Parties of any outside group in the country in 2024. With our aggressive support these two states arguably performed the best of any of the 8 targeted battleground states in 2024 (AZ, GA, MI, NE-2, NC, NV, PA, WI) as we won Nebraska’s single Electoral College vote (the blue dot), and won 5 of 10 statewide races in North Carolina including Governor, Lt. Gov and Attorney General. In North Carolina we also broke their GOP’s legislative supermajority and won Allison Riggs’ Supreme Court race in November, and again just last week. Nebraska Democratic Party Chair Jane Kleeb came by for a discussion just a few days ago, and sent me this message last night: “Thank you for believing in us.”
Friends, the plucky and proud patriots of Hopium make a difference in their communities across this great country every day. We just keep putting our heads down and doing the work that needs to be done. But as we often say here we also need to take and celebrate the wins when they come, and I hope all of you take pride in our contribution to these two big, satisfying wins we’ve had in recent few weeks - Allison Riggs in North Carolina, and John Ewing Jr. in Omaha. Great work everyone!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
NM AG Raúl Torrez On Fighting To Preserve Our Constitutional Order -Yesterday afternoon I sat down with another Democratic Attorney General on the front lines - Raúl Torrez of New Mexico. A recording and transcript of our discussion is above.
I encourage you to watch or listen to our conversation. It’s a fascinating and detailed window into our great struggle against Trump’s lawlessness, savage attack on the federal government and abandonment of the Constitutional order. AG Torrez goes in depth into how the 23 Dem AGs coordinate their work, meeting several times a week. We explore, together, how important Federalism itself has become to thwarting Trump’s authoritarian fantasies. As the Attorney General says that he could never have imagined when first elected to this position in 2022 that he would be on the front lines of this extraordinary battle to preserve our democracy; but here he is, fighting as hard as he possibly can.
I had never crossed paths with AG Torres before but I think you will agree after watching our discussion that he is an impressive, smart leader who we are lucky to have fighting for us at this critical time.
This is the third in our series of conversations with Democratic Attorneys General. For more check out our recent talks with MN AG Keith Ellison and AZ AG Kris Mayes. The work these intrepid AGs are doing deserves far more attention, and I’m pleased that we can give them a platform to tell their important story here at Hopium.
New Poll Has Good News For Us, More Bad News For Trump - G. Elliot Morris, formerly of 538 and The Economist, has launched a new data-filled Substack called Strength In Numbers. As part of his offering he is going to be polling regularly and he is out this am with his first poll. The data tracks other recent high-quality polls:
But the findings that will be getting the most attention today are these - Dems lead on the generic ballot by 6 points, 47%-41%.
There is a reason why battleground House Republicans are so worried right now, and why Dems keep overperforming in election after election across the country - We The People are seriously unhappy with what Trump and his allies are doing to the country, and want something better.
Hopium Housekeeping - A few reminders to help you navigate our community:
Events - this new page has links to our upcoming Live and paid subscriber events, and my public talks. Paid subscribers can sign up for our event tonight at 7pm here.
Pods and Interviews - You can find all of my interviews and podcasts on the Hopium site under Podcast and on YouTube and Spotify too. Catch my recent conversations with David Jolly, Katie Phang and Ryan Lizza.
Housekeeping - we’ve built a new page with info on how to manage your Hopium subscription, go Live with us, trouble shoot event registration and more.
Grow And Support Hopium - A Hopium annual paid subscription is 10% off through the end of May. While Trump is raising your costs, here at Hopium we are lowering them! Use that link to purchase group or gift subscriptions too.
Defeating The GOP’s Ruinous Economic Agenda - The Republican reconciliation bill continues to work its way through three House committees this week and is likely to come to the floor next week. Defeating this terrible bill, and using it make the broader case against Trump’s “pay more, get less” and “more for me, less for you” economic agenda is job one now. So keep making your calls, keep contacting your Rep and Senators. The Hill really needs to hear from all of us this week, particularly those of you with Republican House or Senate Members.
Here is my current working summary of the Trump-GOP economic plan:
A 14% across the board tax hike on all foreign goods imported into this US. These terrible Republican tariffs are among the largest tax increases in American history; they will raise prices of just about everything in America despite Republican election promises to lower them; these tax increases are regressive, falling disproportionately on working American not the wealthy; they will slow the economy, increase unemployment and keep interest rates high - another way working Americans are paying more and getting less under Trump.
Enormous cuts in health care for tens of millions of Americans and a weakening of the overall health care system in America. There is no way to make America healthy again if you are cutting access to care for the poor, working people and seniors and causing hospitals in rural areas to close.
Enormous cuts in food assistance for the poorest Americans.
While raising prices and cutting vital programs for every day Americans the Trump-GOP plan will enact enormous tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans. It’s clear now their strategy is to shift the tax burden of the United States from billionaires (income tax) to hard working, every day Americans (import taxes).
The math of all this doesn’t add up and these plans taken together - import taxes, slower economy, enormous tax cuts for billionaires, gutting of health care and benefit programs - will end up exploding the deficit. As Rob Shapiro arguedin our talk last week this reckless fiscal strategy, coupled with Trump’s weakening of America’s safe haven status and inflation causing tariffs, could end up creating an historic economic and financial crisis in America.
Unprecedented corruption, plunder and the ransacking of the Federal government for their private gain.
The gutting of America’s world-leading federal research infrastructure and an ongoing attack on our higher education system. This inexplicable strategy will mean less America-led innovation in tech, science and medicine which in turn will make our companies less globally competitive and America less prosperous, less healthy, and more dependent on foreign nations. It is a strategy of sabotage and surrender not success.
The Trump-GOP economic strategy is ruinous for the country, and an extraordinary, reckless betrayal of the American people themselves. To give the wealthiest among us enormous tax cuts Republicans are raising prices on virtually everything in the US; slowing the economy, putting people out of work, keeping interest rates high; cutting health care and food security programs for seniors and working people; weakening our overall health care system; exploding the deficit, alienating our allies, vaporizing America’s global tech and innovation leadership and putting the fiscal integrity of the United States at risk. All this to satisfy the insatiable greed of Trump, Musk and their rancid allies.
Trump and Republicans are pursuing an agenda of sabotage, surrender and betrayal, and we must fight it with everything we got.
So, I am asking this community to go into battle mode now. We need to contact our Congressional offices with everything we got. Call both House and Senate offices. Tell them that you want to work against this reconciliation bill and to keep working on rolling back Trump’s illegal and unconstitutional “taxation without representation” tax increase (tariffs).
Everyone on the Hill in both parties need to hear from us today. Our anger, our sense of betrayal needs to become a very loud roar today and in the days to come until this terrible bill is defeated and these ruinous tariffs are rolled back.
Let’s get some inspiration now from this powerful video from Rep. Steven Horsford:
For those of you with Republican Reps and Senators you need to be particularly loud now.
A proposed script. Use whatever works for you:
I am calling to urge you to vote against the reconciliation bill and to roll back Trump’s terrible and illegal tariffs. Together these actions have raised taxes on all of us and will explode the deficit - things Republicans have always told us they did not believe in.
But your agenda is also causing all of us to “pay more and get less” for every day things including our health care; people to loses their jobs; and the economy to slow - all so you can give your rich donors a huge tax break. Your plans will weaken this great country and are an extraordinary betrayal of everything you promised during the campaign - which was to help people like me, not Elon Musk, get ahead.
Your plans are ones of sabotage, surrender and betrayal and I urge you to abandon them and to work with Democrats to find a better way.
In addition to making our calls today, we have two more projects I hope you will consider supporting:
1 - Help Abigail Spanberger Win Virginia - Simply, the Virginia elections are the most important elections we have this year, and we must win them. We have narrow majorities in both legislative chambers and while our candidate Abigail Spanberger has a modest lead in current polling, this is going to be a close election where our money and volunteer time can make a real difference. If you are to give to only one candidate or election this year it should be this one. Here’s a link to do so today……
To learn more about Abigail check out my new discussion with her, released yesterday. We have now raised almost $100,000 towards our June 30th goal of $200,000 - thank you all. If you want to volunteer for her race head over to her campaign website today. We can do this people!
2 - Support The Hopium House 7 - We’ve begun our work to help flip the House next year by supporting and shoring up the 7 newly-elected battleground House Dems we helped elect last year. Catch our interviews with Reps Derek Tran and Janelle Bynum and give to all 7 through a single donation on our ActBlue page. Learn more about this important effort here.
We’ve already raised over $76,000 towards our $200,000 June 30th goal - thank you all!
Keep working hard all. So proud to be in this fight with all of you! - Simon
Last Thursday night, Donald Trump fired the three Democratic commissioners who held the majority on the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC).
This is a major step in another of Trump’s dangerous plans: To eliminate the CPSC entirely.
The CPSC’s work benefits all Americans and the agency plays a particularly large role in reducing injuries and deaths among vulnerable consumers, like children and older adults.
The CPSC negotiates product recalls — including for children’s toys that contain toxic levels of lead, portable bed rails that can trap people, chargers that overheat and catch on fire, and medicines that aren’t in child-resistant packaging
The CPSC creates new rules to protect consumers — including stronger standards for more durable cribs and safer infant support cushions
And the CPSC educates the public about product safety — including through fireworks safety demonstrations; campaigns to warn people about falling, fire, and drowning hazards; and an online database where people can check if products are unsafe before buying them
The CPSC’s work makes a real difference: For example, crib fatalities decreased by nearly 80% from 1973 to 2019 and pediatric poisoning for children decreased by 80% from 1972 to 2020.
We can’t stand by while Trump considers shuttering the Consumer Product Safety Commission.
DENYING HEALTH CARE TO FUND TAX CUTS FOR THE WEALTHY & ENDLESS DEFICITS!
MEDICAID FUNDS SERVICES FOR THE LEAST AMONG US - THE DISABLED, THE POOR....
TRUMP'S WEALTHY TAX CUTS CAUSED THE DEFICITS THAT YOUR GRANDCHILDREN WON'T LIVE TO SEE PAID!
MAGA GOP WILL BANKRUPT THE NATION! STOP THE LIES!
THE MEDICAID DEBATE BEGINS — Congressional Republicans began their sprint Tuesday to pass President Donald Trump’s “big beautiful bill” by Memorial Day. Democrats are making the process as painful as possible.
Members of the House Energy and Commerce Committee are more than 17 hours into what could be a record-setting debate over their portion of the GOP’s tax, energy and national security legislation. Democrats have been using the hearing to force a flurry of votes on doomed amendments.
The exercise, says Rep. Jake Auchincloss, who sits on the committee, is putting pressure on vulnerable House Republicans.
Democrats are “building public awareness and we're getting receipts,” Auchincloss told Playbook over the phone between votes Tuesday. “And it matters because, frankly, their proposals have already changed over the last three months as they come under public pressure,” he said.
The proposal the committee is still voting on meets Republicans' goal of finding $880 billion in savings, according to estimates from the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office. But it would leave around 7.6 million people uninsured and it could create a big hole in state budgets. That’s a potential calamity for Massachusetts.
“There isn't the money at the state level to backfill this,” said Auchincloss, who’s been in touch with Gov. Maura Healey and state House and Senate budget writers on the topic. In an interview on WBUR that aired Tuesday, Healey warned that “people are going to die ,” if cuts come to fruition.
Democrats opened the hearing Tuesday afternoon by spotlighting people from their districts who they said could be impacted by Medicaid cuts in the Republican spending plan. Rep. Lori Trahan, who also sits on the committee, highlighted a Haverhill resident, Philip, who has a disability and uses Medicaid-funded programs to help him build job skills. Auchincloss described a family who relied on personal care attendants paid via Medicaid after the son was paralyzed in an accident and his father suffered a stroke.
Republicans argue the changes would streamline Medicaid and shift the focus to serving the most vulnerable beneficiaries. But Auchincloss says the idea that waste, fraud and abuse is rampant in the federal health program isn’t true.
“It's not that there aren't things that you can do to tighten up the program,” he said. Still: “If Republicans were interested in improving Medicaid, there's a host of bipartisan initiatives they could work on with Democrats – but they're not interested in that.”
TODAY — Gov. Maura Healey delivers the open remarks at the ClimaTech 2025 Conference at 10:15 a.m. in Boston. Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll moderates a panel on grid resilience at the conference at 11:15 a.m., chairs a Governor’s Council meeting at 12:25 p.m. at the State House and joins a webinar on the state’s new accessory dwelling unit law at 1 p.m. Attorney General Andrea Campbell speaks at Boston Spirit Magazine’s 17th annual LGBT Executive Networking Night at 7 p.m. in Boston. Sen. Elizabeth Warren hosts a forum at 2:30 p.m. in D.C. as part of her “Save Our Schools” campaign. Boston Mayor Michelle Wu hosts a press conference on the city’s bond rating at 10 a.m. downtown, speaks at a reception for people who have opened a new family child care over the past three years through the Office of Early Childhood licensing program at 5:30 p.m. in Bacon Hill and attends the MassDems "Chinatown Banquet Dinner" fundraiser at 6 p.m.
Have a tip, story, suggestion, birthday, anniversary, new job, or any other nugget for the Playbook? Drop me a line: kgarrity@politico.com .
DATELINE BEACON HILL
— Healey unveils plan to target billions in savings for Mass. energy bills by Sabrina Shankman and Samantha J. Gross, The Boston Globe: “In an effort to tackle [electricity and heating] costs, Governor Maura Healey proposed multiple changes and new initiatives for how energy is bought, financed, and billed in Massachusetts, measures that she said would save ratepayers some $10 billion over the next decade. Among the proposals: removing or drastically reducing charges now on utility bills, such as fees to subsidize energy efficiency programs, so that consumers are only charged for the costs of delivering energy to their homes, increasing accountability of utilities, and making it easier to add cutting-edge nuclear energy technologies to the grid.”
— Scheduling underway for meeting with Canadian premiers in Boston by Chris Van Buskirk, Boston Herald: “Gov. Maura Healey’s administration said “nearly all” of the six Canadian premiers invited to Boston to discuss the impacts of President Donald Trump’s tariffs have said they are willing to meet. Healey and five other northeastern governors pitched the Canadian premiers on an in-person gathering as Trump has said he wants to make Canada the 51st state of the United States and has placed tariffs on exports from the country.”
excerpt:
In a statement alongside a letter to the premiers, Healey said Canada is Massachusetts’ top trading partner, including for goods and resources like lumber, energy, dairy, cars and car parts, and seafood.
“Our businesses and our residents all benefit from this relationship,” Healey said. “But President Trump’s tariffs are undermining this partnership, making it harder for businesses to keep their doors open, and increasing the cost of everything that the New England and Canadian people rely on.”
Healey signed onto the letter with Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont, Maine Gov. Janet Mills, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, and Rhode Island Gov. Dan McKee — all of whom are Democrats. Vermont Gov. Phil Scott was the lone Republican to attach his name to the missive.
An invitation was extended to the premiers of six Canadian provinces — New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, and Québec.
The governors said they wanted to maintain “open lines of communication and cooperation and identify avenues to overcome the hardship of the uninvited tariffs and help our economies endure.”
“As we continue to navigate this period of great uncertainty, we are committed to preserving cross-border travel, encouraging tourism in our respective jurisdictions, and amenities,” the governors said. “To that end, we invite you to join us for an in-person convening in Boston, Massachusetts, to be held in the coming weeks. We will be in touch to discuss your availability for this meeting.”
Previous Herald materials were used in this report.
“These people could be their grandmothers or grandparents, brothers, sisters, family members. We really need those funds to keep people at home, to keep them safe, to live at home with dignity instead of going into a nursing home,” she told GBH News.
While many seniors are fighting to stay at home, some are searching for a place to live. State Senator Pat Jehlen noted that the fastest growing group of homeless people are people over 60.
“I know there are people in my district living in the woods, in parking lots,” she said. “We heard testimony from Somerville yesterday that there were over 200 people on the waiting list for senior housing in Somerville. Four got in last year.”
In the coming years, the number of seniors at risk of being homeless will increase significantly, said Rhonda Pieroni, president and CEO of Hearth, Inc. In addition to more affordable housing, Pieroni said the shelter system needs to be more accommodating to seniors and people with disabilities.
“They’re [shelters] not made for older adults,” she said. People who need assistance with “activities of daily living” like bathing, using the bathroom or getting dressed, generally won’t be admitted to a shelter. “There is not the accessibility in the majority of them. So older adults will end up being pushed onto the street.”
Emurriel Holloway, who is 81, came to Boston from Springfield to advocate. She wants more funding for housing, home care and transportation. She doesn’t want seniors to be forgotten in legislation.
“What they [lawmakers] need to know is that seniors are really the backbone of communities. That seniors are very much contributors,” she said.
“Federal cuts to senior nutrition programs, reduction in SNAP benefits, and increasing barriers to access social security assistance are not just policy issues. They are life issues, impacting food security, health, housing stability, and independence,” Crimmins said. “There are a lot of unknowns leaving many older adults anxious and rightly so.”
FROM THE HUB
***SUGGEST REVIEWING HOW RANKED-CHOICE HAS WORKED ELSEWHERE!****
— Boston City Council set to vote on move to ranked-choice voting system for local elections by Gayla Cawley, Boston Herald: “The Boston City Council is set to vote Wednesday on a home rule petition that seeks to overhaul the city’s electoral system by replacing the traditional approach of electing city politicians by popular vote with a ranked-choice voting system. The petition, led by Council President Ruthzee Louijeune and co-sponsored by fellow progressive Democrat Councilors Julia Mejia and Henry Santana, seeks to change the city’s voting system for municipal elections for mayor and city council.”
THE RACE FOR CITY HALL
— Wu administration puts City Hall attorney on leave amid his mayoral run by Gintautas Dumcius, CommonWealth Beacon: “John F. Houton, the assistant corporation counsel who jumped into the mayoral race earlier this month, said his superiors put him on administrative leave on Friday. City officials also told him that they were looking to hire outside counsel to sort out whether it was possible for him to mount a campaign, according to Houton.”
— As Michelle Wu seeks a second term, some fear her commitment to progressive causes has dimmed by Emma Platoff and Niki Griswold, The Boston Globe: “The Michelle Wu who ran for mayor in 2021 used her platform to call for a municipal Green New Deal and a free T. She had recently advocated for a 10 percent cut to the Police Department budget, and said she would refuse campaign contributions from police officers and police unions. The Wu seeking reelection in 2025 has slammed the brakes on bus and bike lanes and proposed increasing the Police Department budget every year she has been in office. The words ‘Green New Deal’ rarely pass her lips anymore. And she has touted the endorsement of both the city’s biggest police union and District Attorney Kevin Hayden, who just two years ago she snubbed in favor of a more progressive candidate.”
****CARPETBAGGER NEWTON NEBBISH MISTATED THE BIKE LANE STUDY THAT WAS PLANNED PRIOR TO HIS COMMENTS...WHITE STADIUM WAS SUPPORTED BY THE COURT - THOSE INCLUDED IN THE COURT CHALLENGE WERE NOT NEIGHBORS - LISTEN TO COMMENTS ABOUT THE POLLING...CAN'T ANSWER QUESTIONS ABOUT RECUSAL BECAUSE HE DOESN'T KNOW HOW GOVERNMENT WORKS! MUST WATCH!****
— Candidate Kraft offers unclear recusal plan when family’s involved in Boston business by Saraya Wintersmith, GBH News: “Boston mayoral candidate Josh Kraft Tuesday failed to explain how he could recuse himself from conflicts of interest involving the city of Boston and his family’s multi-pronged business if elected, potentially adding to concerns about the financial implications of his bid to lead the city.”
excerpts:
“If you’re mayor right now during this process, how do you recuse yourself?” asked co-host Jim Braude, noting the ongoing Everett Stadium negotiations.
“I recuse myself,” Kraft said.
“What does that mean? Who makes the decision for the city?” Braude interjected.
Kraft also acknowledged that his father has likely helped to raise money for his campaign by asking friends to contribute.
“He’s a dad, right?” said Kraft. “I mean, I’d do that for my kid.”
Kraft received donations from several of the top attorneys for the law firm Paul Weiss shortly after his father arranged a meeting between the Trump administration and the firm.
The firm has recently come under fire for making a deal with the Trump administration in an attempt to quell a potential federal investigation over its diversity, equity and inclusion policies. The law firm will provide $40 million in pro bono legal services that are Trump administration priorities under the deal.
Asked by co-host Margery Eagan whether he would return donations from lawyers affiliated with the law firm Paul Weiss, Kraft said “No.”
“That’s unusual that that law firm partners would donate to campaigns,” said Eagan, who later asked again: “So, you’re not going to return the money from the Paul Weiss people?”
“No,” said Kraft.
Kraft reiterated his frequent criticism of how Wu deployed bike lanes in stretches across the city and that he is running to help people in Boston who don’t feel their concerns are heard by the Wu administration.
He will face Wu and other mayoral candidates in a forum organized by a coalition of Democratic ward committees Thursday, May 15.
MIGRANTS IN MASSACHUSETTS
****WORCESTER ICE PROTESTS!****
— Protesters at City Hall demand ‘ICE out of Worcester’ as council meeting goes virtual Adam Bass, MassLive: “Outside of Worcester City Hall Tuesday evening, nearly 100 people rallied against Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents and their recent arrest in Worcester. The protesters gathered on Worcester Common at 5:30 p.m. and called out ICE for its arrest of Rosane Ferreira-De Oliveira, a Brazilian mother of three currently being held in a Rhode Island facility, on Eureka Street on May 8.”
RELATED — Trump’s ICE Used a Woman’s Kids and Grandchild as ‘Bait’ To Arrest Her by Asawin Suebsaeng and Ryan Bort, Rolling Stone: “When U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrested Rosane Ferreira de Oliveira last week in Worcester, Massachusetts, the situation rapidly devolved into chaos and community outrage. Multiple recordings of the incident went viral, but what bystanders did not capture on video was how federal agents were able to draw Ferreira-De Oliveira out in public where they could arrest her in the first place. ICE used Ferreira De Oliveira’s loved ones to lure her out of her home — where agents couldn’t arrest her — and onto Eureka Street, three people with direct knowledge of the matter and another source familiar with the situation tell Rolling Stone.”
ALSO RELATED — Petty: 'Threats of violence' led to decision to close Worcester City Hall by Toni Caushi and Jesse Collings, Telegram & Gazette: “Mayor Joseph M. Petty says the decision to close City Hall ahead of a May 13 meeting of the City Council followed ‘threats of violence’ against city officials.”
— Two Guatemalan fisheries workers arrested in early-morning operation in New Bedford by Eleonora Bianchi, The New Bedford Light: “Two Guatemalan men — one of whom is waiting for a kidney transplant — never made it to work at a seafood processing plant on Monday. Marvin Yobani Chitic Us, 30, and Justo Rufino Chitic Us, 33, both undocumented immigrants without any criminal history in Massachusetts, were allegedly taken into custody by federal agents before their early-morning shift at Oceans Fleet, where they have worked for years processing scallops. Though they share a surname, they are not related, their families say.
excerpts:
It wasn’t until noon that Marvin’s cousin, Rolando, received a brief call from him. “It was a very quick call,” Rolando said. “He just said that he was in Burlington and detained by immigration agents who presented him with papers that had his name on them. He said he asked the agents to get his medication before being arrested, but the agents didn’t let him.”
Marvin, who has lived in New Bedford for seven years, according to relatives, has been waiting for a kidney transplant for three, said Gerardo. He takes blood pressure medication and other prescriptions during the day and requires dialysis three times a week. “If he doesn’t get dialysis he gets very sick,” Gerardo said.
Gerardo, Isaias and Rolando spoke with The Light, requesting to be identified only by their second names out of fear.
Justo, who went to work with Marvin every morning, has not made contact with his family. His brother, Isaias, said they have received no information about his location or whether he is also in custody. “We don’t even know why they arrested them,” said Gerardo.
According to relatives, Justo has lived and worked in New Bedford for three and a half years. A search by The Light at New Bedford District Court on Tuesday showed no criminal records in Massachusetts for either of the two men.
Both are from Chinique, a municipality in Guatemala’s K’iche’ region, and are known in their community for their steady work and keeping a low profile.
Adrian Ventura, director of the Centro Comunitario de Trabajadores, said the organization is monitoring the situation closely and plans to contact the Guatemalan Consulate to inquire about Marvin’s health condition, expressing serious concerns. “What we are denouncing is the violation of human rights — this is an attack on all workers,” Ventura said.
Marvin and Justo are at least the 23rd and 24th individuals confirmed to be arrested in immigration operations in New Bedford since the inauguration of President Donald Trump on Jan. 20, The Light has confirmed.
Those arrested so far have been almost exclusively Guatemalan men. Most of them work in local industries and support families here or back in Guatemala.
Marvin lives in New Bedford with his wife and their 3-month-old daughter. Rolando said he was the one to call her with the news. “She was just desperate,” he said. Gerardo added that the family is stepping in to help. “We will support them with expenses till we find a solution.”
Justo, who supports a wife and a 4-year-old son who are in Guatemala, sends money home every two weeks. “He is a very hard working man,” said Isaias. “He doesn’t drink nor party. He just works hard for his family.”
YAHD SIGNS AND BUMPAH STICKAHS
***DEMOCRAT HANNAH BOWEN WINS BEVERLY SPECIAL ELECTION!****
BREAKING THE STREAK — Republicans ended their special election winning streak Tuesday night, as Democratic Beverly City Councilor Hannah Bowen cruised to victory in the special election to replace former state Rep. Jerry Parisella . In a statement announcing her victory over Republican Medley Long III , Bowen thanked Beverly and Wenham residents for “entrusting me to represent them on Beacon Hill.”
“At a time when things seem heavy, this campaign reminded me of what is possible when we bring people together,” Bowen said. More from the Salem News.
ENDORSEMENT ALERT — Sen. Elizabeth Warren is backing Minnesota Lt. Governor Peggy Flanagan in the race to replace Democratic Sen. Tina Smith.
Flanagan is a “fighter,” Warren said, who is “ready to take on corrupt special interests in order to make life better for working people.”
“She is the partner I need in the Senate to make real progress on the issues that matter to you,” Warren said in a video announcing her endorsement.
Also in the race for the open seat: Democratic Rep. Angie Craig.
***DO YOUR RESEARCH! 2 MAGA GOP LOSERS WHO HAVE FAILED MASSACHUSETTS!
BRIAN SHORTSLEEVE IS AN MBTA LOSER THAT WE CAN'T AFFORD & HE'S BRAGGING ABOUT HIS FAILURES!
IT'S TIME TO STOP REPUBLICAN LIES & GATHER FACTS!****
— Republican candidate for governor Brian Shortsleeve raises over $135K in first 24 hours, campaign says by Chris Van Buskirk, Boston Herald: “Brian Shortsleeve, a venture capitalist and former MBTA executive, raised more than $135,000 in the 24 hours since he announced he was running for governor as a Republican Monday morning, his campaign said in a statement to the Herald. Shortsleeve’s haul, which cannot be verified with state campaign finance data until fundraising reports are filed at the end of the month, is more than his Republican primary opponent, Mike Kennealy, raised in the first month of campaigning.”
AMNESIA HASN'T AFFLICTED ALL WHO REMEMBER THE MASSIVE SAFETY ISSUES OF THE MBTA OR THE SLOW ZONES OR THE DEFECTIVE CHINESE CARS OR THE NEW TRACKS THAT WERE DEFECTIVE WHEN THE WHITE TOOTHED GOVERNOR LEFT OFFICE...HOW ABOUT THE EXPENSIVE OUT-OF-STATE EXPERTS WHO NEVER VISITED MASSACHUSETTS BUT WERE IN CHARGE OF CONSTRUCTION? BRIAN SHORTSLEEVE IS SO 'COMPETENT' HOW ABOUT THE NO BID BATHROOM?
DON'T RE-WRITE THE HISTORY OF MBTA FAILURES!
One out-of-state MBTA manager fired, four others warned; Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey says to expect more changes
Massachusetts Democratic Party Chair Steve Kerrigan slammed Shortsleeve.
“Brian Shortsleeve’s disastrous record as manager of the MBTA and chair of Trump loyalist Ron DeSantis’ campaign will be disqualifying to voters. He was a failure then, and he’d be a failure as governor,” Kerrigan said in a statement to the Herald.
The $2.3 billion project has faced myriad issues, including narrow and defective tracks that MBTA officials knew about as far back as April 2021. The deal with Chinese manufacturer CRRC for new train cars has faced multiple delays and is now worth more than $1 billion.
But Shortsleeve said he is “very proud of what we accomplished” at the MBTA.
***NO SOLUTION FOR THE NATIONWIDE HOUSING CRISIS!****
REPUBLICAN CLOWNS WHINE & COMPLAIN ABOUT THE COST OF SHELTERS, DOES ANY SINGLE REPUBLICAN PROPOSE A SOLUTION? NO!
The state’s emergency shelter system serves both permanent Massachusetts residents and migrant new arrivals.
THE BLOVIATORS IGNORE THIS:
More than 75% of families now seeking shelter are “long-time Massachusetts” residents, according to the Healey administration.
THESE ARE THE LIES THE MASS GOP & AMY CARNEVALE PERPETUATE:
“She has the resources to spend over $1 billion a year to fund the migrant crisis — but can’t backfill $12 million to ensure our children have access to healthy, locally sourced meals?” Carnevale continued.
Homelessness rates jumped by double digits in 2024 as Americans battled to afford housing
excerpt:
Across the U.S., more than 771,800 people lived without housing in 2024, according to a count taken annually on a single night in January. The number for January 2024 is 18.1% higher than in 2023, when officials counted about 650,000 people living in homeless shelters or in parks and on streets. In 2022, the population of people experiencing homelessness was about 580,000.
“Cut the waste, balance the budget, modernize the system: We turned things around,” Shortsleeve says. “Until Governor Healey took it back and broke the budget all over again.”
***MBTA COMMUNITIES ACT passed under GOV. CHARLIE BAKER, promoted by MIKE KENNEALY!***
excerpt:
Shortsleeve said the MBTA housing law, which requires some municipalities to zone at least one district near a transit hub for multi-family housing, is “a classic example of administrative overreach.”
He also recently told the Boston Herald he would call for the repeal of the MBTA Communities Act , a controversial zoning law that some cities and towns are still fighting the state over as the deadline to come into compliance approaches.
Shortsleeve is the second Republican to enter the race, joining Mike Kennealy, another Baker administration alum, who launched his campaign in April.
It’s already looking like it’ll be a bruising primary. Kennealy’s campaign bashed Shortsleeve’s time atop the T in a statement shared with Playbook: “Massachusetts needs a manager to clean up Maura Healey’s mess. When Brian Shortsleeve had his chance to lead, he mismanaged the MBTA and left it in just as big a mess as he found it,” Kennealy’s campaign manager, Ben Hincher, said. “It’s hard to imagine what exactly he’s ‘proud’ of.”
WHILE THE MASSACHUSETTS DEMOCRATIC PARTY OFFERED THEIR CRITIQUE OF BRIAN "SLOWZONE" SHORTSLEEVE, THERE'S FAR MORE TO BRIAN SHORTSLEEVE'S MASSIVE INCOMPETENCE THAT CAUSED MBTA DISASTERS THAT GOV. MAURA HEALEY WAS FORCED TO ADDRESS!
MASSACHUSETTS TAXPAYERS ARE FUNDING BRIAN "SLOWZONE" SHORTSLEEVE
FAILURES!
IF YOU'RE NOT ANGRY, YOU'RE NOT PAYING ATTENTION!
DON'T PUT ANOTHER MAGA MASS GOP LOSER IN OFFICE - WE CAN'T AFFORD
THESE INCOMPETENT BOOBS!
"R" VOTERS NEED TO INFORM THEMSELVES ABOUT THE PERFORMANCE RECORD
OF THESE MAGA MASS GOP MISFITS!
MARIJUANA IN MASSACHUSETTS
— Another departure from the beleaguered cannabis commission by Walter Wuthmann, WBUR: “Just as the state's cannabis commission seemed to be emerging from months of turmoil, the unexpected resignation of one of its members this week threw it back into uncertainty. Commissioner Nurys Camargo announced Monday that she had ‘made the decision to complete my service and step down.’ Her term had been set to end Sept. 1. That means the five-member commission will soon be down to just three, because its chair was fired eight months ago and the seat remains vacant. All matters before the commission need three votes to pass, meaning any decision going forward would have to be unanimous.”
— Methuen councilor calls out 'culture of disrespect' by Teddy Tauscher, The Eagle-Tribune: “A frustrated resident who attended last week’s City Council meeting to speak about an issue with a neighbor and a lack of action from the city has raised concerns among city councilors. On May 5, Zenzo Matoga told the council that a city employee in the Inspections Department declined to intervene in a disagreement with his neighbors over their flood lights, which he said are causing his family to struggle with the glare.”
“We need to be as prepared as we can be for this event, but also taking account what is already a jam-packed calendar between June and July,” Department of Art, Culture and Tourism director Joe Wilson Jr. said last week.
The international soccer tournament will be played in 16 host cities, including Boston. Seven games will be held at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro from June 13 to July 9 and include a quarterfinal matchup. At the same time, Providence will also be hosting events related to the Semiquincentennial, plus Pride, Juneteeth, the Day of Portugal Festival and Puerto Rican Bay Fest.
“Our cultural festivals cannot come at the expense of a lack of capacity at that time,” Wilson said.
In last Thursday’s meeting of Providence City Council’s Committee on Finance, where the ACT department’s proposed budget was under review, Wilson told Councilwoman Sue AnderBois that the department was working closely with the Providence Emergency Management Agency (PEMA) in anticipation of an influx of visitors.
Separately, the Rhode Island Emergency Management Agency (RIEMA) is beginning to meet on a monthly basis in preparation for the matches.
Wilson said in addition to planning for an enjoyable visitor experience, the city needs to be prepared for potential quality of life issues related to transportation, parking and more.
“I’m from New Orleans,” Wilson said. “When we had the Super Bowl, we’re not out in the French Quarter. We stay home. There could be a very similar effect here.”
Wilson also expressed concerns with how much guidance the state and city has received from FIFA.
“FIFA’s a mess,” Wilson told the committee. “We’re getting some information as Boston is trying to get their situation together, as far as their activation. We as a city… we’re kind of herding cats.”
Mayor Brett Smiley said in a statement to Target 12 that it is “critical” that all levels of city government play a role in preparing for the event “to help ensure that these games are safe and welcoming.”
“Here in Providence, we are collaborating with state partners and working across multiple city departments so we’re prepared to welcome this exciting event to the region and show visitors from across the globe what Providence has to offer,” Smiley said.
PEMA has already presented its budget for the upcoming fiscal year, which begins on July 1, and asked for $250,000 in discretionary funding to earmark for public safety related costs due to the World Cup.
“There’s a tremendous amount of uncertainty right now in the planning and preparation for this,” PEMA Director Clara Decerbo said in a finance committee meeting last month. “One thing we know for sure is we’re going to have to be taking steps in this next fiscal year in preparation because games start on June 11.”
HEARD ‘ROUND THE BUBBLAH
TRANSITIONS — Natalie Milewski, previously an account executive at Elevate Communications, has joined Prosek Partners.
SPOTTED — NCAA president and former Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker on Capitol Hill to talk Name, Image and Likeness legislation with D.C. lawmakers.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY — to Pam Wilmot, Lucy Martirosyan, Samuel Greer, Jeffrey Barrett, Alycia DiTroia, Sophia Nigro and Kylie Harrigan. Happy belated to Mary Garrity and Taylor Sprague, who celebrated Tuesday.
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