MASSterList: Free advice to Dems! | FBI foibles | The third rail of T reforms

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By Jay Fitzgerald and Keith Regan 06/14/2016 Free advice to Dems! | FBI foibles | The third rail of T reforms

Flag Day ceremony

As the nation reels from the most recent terrorist attack, Secretary of State William Galvin will host schoolchildren from Fall River, New Bedford, Weymouth, and Northborough at a Flag Day ceremony at the State House, Nurses Hall, 10:30 a.m.

Higher-ed sick day and vacation time policies

The Board of Higher Education meets at Worcester State University to vote on changes to sick leave and vacation time policies that apply to approximately 1,650 non-unit professionals at the state's 15 community colleges and nine state universities, May Street Auditorium, 280 May St., Worcester, 9 a.m.

Pine Street Inn graduation

Gov. Charlie Baker speaks at a graduation ceremony for Pine Street Inn, which "celebrates individuals who are moving beyond homelessness through job training, employment and housing," 444 Harrison Ave., Boston, 11:45 a.m.


Gov. Baker joins Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito to announce nominations to the Supreme Judicial Court, Room 157, 3:15 p.m.

Today's News

Vigils for Orlando victims sprout up across the state

Across the country and globe, there were numerous major-city vigils for the victims of the Orlando terrorist attack over the weekend. Boston was among them. But there were numerous smaller vigils planned across Massachusetts as well, including in  Springfield andHolyoke and Wellesley and Weston and Salem – and we’re sure we’ve missed many others.

Sources: MassLive and Wicked Local

Free advice to Dems: Talk terrorism, not gun control

The concern about easy access to assault rifles and other weapons used in massed shootings is a perfectly legitimate issue to raise after a tragic event like we saw in Orlando over the weekend. But here’s the thing: It’s not uppermost in the minds of the majority of Americans -- and it’s not uppermost in the minds of the rest of the world, as the New York Times makes clear in this story: “Judging from the initial reaction, the attack in Florida resonated globally on Monday not as an American anomaly, but because it felt so universal. Orlando now takes a place with Paris, Brussels, Beirut, Bamako, San Bernardino and other cities struck by different incarnations of terrorism in recent years.” Bottom line: Dem liberals need to get out of the cocoon and realize that Donald Trump is indeed doubling down, as the Herald puts it, on his obnoxious anti-Muslim, anti-immigrant, tough-on-terrorism rhetoric that’s resonating with a lot of people. He’s filling a partial political void. Again, gun control is a legit issue, but it’s not as central as some think in an age of terrorists using planes, box cutters, suicide vests, pressure-cooker bombs, knives, car bombs and other weapons to kill. NYT

Barney Frank escapes the cocoon, calls for more ‘significant surveillance’

Former U.S. Rep. Barney Frank isn’t falling for the it’s-all-about-gun-control argument. Frank, who is gay, says radical Islamists are now clearly targeting members of the LGBT community and the government needs to employ “significant surveillance” of such radicals in order to stop future attacks, reports the New York Times. "It's an attack against gay people," he said. "It reflects the virulence of the hatred in this sector of Islam. ... Yes, the overwhelming majority of Muslims don't do this, but there is clearly, sadly, an element in the interpretation of Islam that has some currency, some interpretation in the Middle East that encourages killing people -- and L.G.B.T. people are on that list.” The Herald’s Peter Gelzinis talked with Frank, who very reluctantly and very uncomfortably concedes that Donald Trump is right about the need to step up surveillance of Islamic radicals who spout hatred and pose potential threats. ... NYT piece via MassLive. ‘Just like Tamerlan Tsarnaev’ The Globe’s Joan Vennochi nails it: The FBI keeps missing the warning signs in these ‘lone wolf’ and other terrorist attacks. Boston Globe Baker: ‘This one hit close to home’ WCVB TV has a short video of Gov. Charlie’s Baker’s remarks about how he spoke Sunday night with his brother, who is gay, about the horrific shootings at a gay nightclub in Orlando early Sunday morning. "This one hit close to home,” Baker said. Meanwhile, Matt Murphy of State House New Service (pay wall) reports on the steps the Baker administration is taking to increase security around the state, though the governor downplayed any connection between the Orlando mass murder and the Boston Marathon attack, despite the Orlando suspect’s 911 calls praising the Boston Marathon bombers. WCVB video Shares of Springfield's Smith & Wesson rise after Orlando tragedy It happens every time after a mass shooting and subsequent calls for gun reforms in America: The shares of gun manufacturers spike, as people rush to buy weapons for protection and before any new laws are passed. It happened again yesterday, with shares of Springfield’s Smith & Wesson rising nearly 7 percent yesterday following the Orlando mass killings, reports the Boston Business Journal’s David Harris. Other gun makers saw similar share spikes yesterday. BBJ Baker's chance to reshape the SJC Gov. Charlie Baker and Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito will announce the administration’s choices to fill three upcoming vacancies on the Supreme Judicial Court, appointments that would reshape the state's highest court, according to Gintautas Dumcius of MassLive. We know this much: Reports have emerged that an Essex state judge, Robert Lowy, will be one of the picks and Baker is in line to replace two additional judges. MassLive Now the entire House gets slapped with a fed subpoena First it was the Senate to receive a highly unusual chamber-wide subpoena by the feds investigating the crossroads of Sen. Brian Joyce’s legislative and professional antics. Yesterday, it was the House’s turn to get hit with a sweeping subpoena, the Globe’s Joshua Miller reports. James C. Kennedy, the House’s chief legal counsel, said in a statement following Globe questions that the House “received a grand jury subpoena from the United States Attorney’s Office requesting certain records relating to an ongoing investigation of a member of the Senate” and that no “member of the House of Representatives (is) a target of this investigation.” Boston Globe T pension chief retirement to be thrice as nice Michael Mulhern, who said he plans to retire from his role overseeing the MBTA’s pension fund in part because of growing public scrutiny of its performance, is in line to receive three separate retirement payments from the state, Eric Rasmussen and Erin Smith of Fox25 News report. Mulhern already collects two payments worth nearly $150,000 a year from his time working at the T —from which he first retired at the age of 46— and since he took over the pension fund, taxpayers have set aside another $167,000 into a separate retirement fund. Fox25 News The third rail of T reforms: Outsourcing It’s becoming pretty clear that if there’s a third-rail to reforms at the T, it’s privatizing any of the public payroll jobs at the cash-strapped transit agency. The latest evidence: Lawmakers and T workers yesterday were harshly criticizing potential plans to outsource jobs in the MBTA’s dysfunctional warehouse operations, reports the Globe’s Nicole Dungca. The T maintains the system is “completely broken” but outsourcing critics say there are no guarantees outsourcing will lead to lower costs and better service. It’ll be curious how steadfast the T’s control board will be on the overall issue of outsourcing. Boston Globe Judge: Court and probation officials acted properly in cop-killer case All the judges and probation officers involved in the case of accused cop-killer Jorge Zambrano – who was allowed to walk the streets, despite a long record of nasty run-ins with the law, before he allegedly gunned down an Auburn police officer last month – complied with appropriate protocols and court-system procedures, a new report by an investigating judge has found, according to the Telegram’s Samantha Allen. But the review by District Court Chief Justice Paul C. Dawley makes six reform recommendations, including allowing probation officers to be heard in court hearings and letting judges review past documents related to the defendant, Allen writes. Question: Are you surprised by the review’s findings? We bet most of you are like us: Not at all. The issue wasn’t about people following proper protocols and procedures. It was about a system-wide breakdown in common-sense judgment. The Telegram Embattled DraftKings and FanDuel forced into merger talks by desperate investors Weakened by fierce opposition to daily fantasy sport games, Boston’s DraftKings, one of whose investors is the owner of the New England Patriots, and New York’s FanDuel are now talking about merging, reports BostInno’s Dylan Martin, citing numerous published reports. The once bitter rivals are being forced into the shotgun marriage by their respective investors, who have seen the value of the two firms plummet since politicians across the country launched attacks on their gambling-like operations. BostInno Not enough rooms at the convention center inn Massachusetts Convention Center Authority Executive Director David Gibbons says the city needs an additional 1,800 hotel rooms within a half mile of the South Boston convention center to keep it viable, but believes they can be added by private developers without public subsidies, Donna Goodison of the Herald reports. The agency says long-range bookings are beginning to decline in the face of a shortage of hotel rooms. “In a market this strong,” Gibbons said, “we shouldn’t have to subsidize it.” Boston Herald Apartment tenants will fight UMass Lowell takeover Tenants of a Lowell apartment complex say they will fight the conversion of the property to student housing in the wake of its purchase by UMass Lowell, Grant Welker of the Lowell Sun reports. A petition calling on the current owner to halt the $61.5 million sale is circulating and tenants plan to converge on an upcoming City Council meeting to press for intervention. Lowell Sun Brockton pols battle over police OT budget Brockton Mayor Bill Carpenter is locked in a back-and-forth with the City Council over how much money to set aside for police overtime in next year’s budget, Marc Larocque of The Enterprise reports. The council cut Carpenter’s $1 million line item to $777,000, a level that the mayor says will force the cancellation of walking patrols in the downtown business district and other changes. “It’s mind-boggling that they are playing politics with the police budget,” Carpenter said. The Enterprise Romney jumps back into the ring – wrestling ring, that is Mitt Romney boldly took on Evander Holyfield in the boxing ring for charity. On Saturday night, the former Massachusetts governor, Republican presidential candidate and recent Trump basher-in-chief jumped in the ring again for charity, this time donning a cape andNacho Libre mask to dispatch evil professional wrestlers, Kyle Scott Clauss of Boston magazine reports. Got to hand it to Mitt: He’s a natural ham in the ring and looks like he’s having a lot of fun. Good for him. Boston magazine A proud flag returns home for Flag Day The oldest known Revolutionary American flag, with only 13 stars and stripes on it, will be available for public viewing at the Commonwealth Museum on Morrissey Boulevard, reports the Globe’s Steve Annear. One of the owners says the flag was flown at what’s now known as Fort Independence, on Castle Island, around the time of the Revolutionary War. Boston Globe Today's Headlines Metro Convention center chief calls lack of waterfront hotel a major problem - Boston Globe Hundreds turn out for Boston vigil - Boston Globe Mayor Walsh: Boston ready to support Orlando any way possible - Boston Herald Brigham nurses vote to authorize potential strike - Boston Business Journal Massachusetts MBTA pension chief headed for triple dipper retirement - Fox25 JetBlue offers free flights for family, friends of Orlando shooting victims - Worcester Magazine UMass Lowell eyes master plan to detail city payments - Lowell Sun Tenants say they’ll fight plan to convert building to UML student housing - Lowell Sun City kicks off Blueprint for Brockton listening tour Tuesday - Brockton Enterprise Mayor, councilors accuse each other of playing politics with police overtime budget - Brockton Enterprise Arthur S. DeMoulas seeks injunction over IRS audit - Lowell Sun Report: DraftKings, FanDuel in merger talks - Boston Business Journal Political notes: Cape Democrats mourn loss of Thelma Goldstein - Cape Cod Times House to vote on bill to make Quincy College four-year school - Patriot Ledger State working with central Mass. schools to reduce excessive student discipline - Telegram & Gazette State camera project puts eyes on I-290 - Telegram & Gazette Gov. Charlie Baker to announce his three picks for Mass. Supreme Judicial Court - MassLive Springfield, state officials commit to discussions on absentee landlords, school discipline - MassLive Mass. House is subpoenaed in Brian Joyce probe - Boston Globe Review says courts handled Zambrano case properly - Boston Globe Nation Trump says he will revoke press credentials of Washington Post - Boston Globe Warren, Markey allege conflict of interest in federal pipeline review - Patriot Ledger Reps. Moulton, Clark refuse to take part in Congress’ moment of silence, call for gun policy change - Boston.com

CCT: SHNS: Weekly round-up: Rethinking greatness

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Weekly round-up: Rethinking greatness

Constituents pitch some ideas for how Massachusetts can be great

ARTICLE | POLITICS | AUGUST 9, 2015 06:00 AM | BY MATT MURPHY, STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE

- See more at: http://www.capecodtoday.com/article/2015/08/09/225724-Weekly-round-Rethinking-greatness#sthash.9eBb8R5Z.dpuf

Nine months ago voters put their faith in now Governor Charlie Baker to follow through on promises to make government more efficient, to increase school choice and to bring jobs back to struggling urban neighborhoods.

"Let's be great, Massachusetts," Baker challenged the electorate, and in response it replied, "Yes, please."

After this week, however, it became clear that pockets of Massachusetts residents, including presumably some of the 48 percent that elected Baker as governor, have some additional suggestions for what might make Massachusetts great again, and for which they have little confidence in Beacon Hill pols to do on their own.

In this reimagined Massachusetts, whales and sea turtles will no longer get caught in fishing nets, business will no longer be considered people (for campaign finance purposes), Common Core education standards will be ditched, charter schools will multiply, hospital revenues will be reapportioned, and smoking pot and lighting off fireworks in your backyard will be as legal as puffing a cigar around a camp fire.

Whether the groups behind these ideas represent the majority of residents or just niche interests, only time will tell. But as of Wednesday at 5 p.m., 35 initiative petitions proposing 26 new laws and nine constitutional amendments (some of which were duplicates) had been placed on file with Attorney General Maura Healey's office. It's the most since 1994 when 42 petitions were filed and seven actually made it to the ballot.

Constitutional amendments take longer to make it to the ballot - the last ones that made it were in 2000 (redistricting and prisoner voting rights) - and face more hurdles given the fact that the Legislature must vote twice over the next four years to advance the questions to voters in 2018.

Still, one such effort to tax the wealthy on income over $1 million at a higher rate - 4 percentage points above the income tax rate - got a boost from Senate President Stanley Rosenberg. The Amherst Democrat has gone on record saying the issue should be debated, which is more of an opening than tax reform advocates have had in the recent past.

Marijuana advocates, predictably, grabbed the lion share of headlines and attention when two groups with one common goal, but very different approaches, filed a total of four proposals to legalize recreational marijuana use in Massachusetts.

It's the next step in what has been an eight-year slow burn toward legalization starting in 2008 with the decriminalization of small amounts of pot. Baker, Healey and Boston Mayor Marty Walsh all hate the idea, but the lack of significant political support hasn't slowed down marijuana activists in the past, and they don't think it will stop them now.

It's entirely possible that a little over a year from now in Walsh's Boston it will be legal to light up a joint, but a fineable offense to pack a lip with chewing tobacco, even if you're David Ortiz.

The differences between the pot proposals boil down to whether supporters think marijuana should be taxed above the state's 6.25 percent sales tax and put under the thumb of a new regulatory division, or whether it should just be legalized and treated as any other crop with the issue of regulation left up to the Legislature.

Baker's disdain for marijuana did not extend to other populist recommendations from the peanut gallery. The governor has long been a fan of the idea of expanding access to charter schools, even though he plans to file his own legislation in the fall.

After hitting a roadblock in the Senate last year, the charter school group filed a petition that would keep existing statutory caps on charter seats, but allow the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education to skirt those caps if they see fit. Massachusetts Teachers Association President Barbara Madeloni called it "equally as dangerous" to traditional public schools as eliminating the caps altogether, proving that the issue still burns hot.

Secretary of State William Galvin is counting himself among the aggrieved and those frustrated by inaction on Beacon Hill pertaining to public records reform.

House leaders delayed action last week on a public records bill until after the August recess, prompting Galvin to follow through with filing his own petition seeking to compel government to comply with requests for records without being dilatory or cost-prohibitive.

Galvin said his desire is still for the Legislature to pass a bill so he can pull his petition, and reform advocates, such as the Massachusetts Newspaper Publishers Association, are hopeful that will happen too. They were less than impressed by Galvin's recommendations, and see Rep. Peter Kocot's bill as a stronger alternative.

The deadline for filing possible 2016 ballot questions dominated the news cycle this, but Baker also signed legislation establishing a sales tax holiday on Aug. 16-17 and another bill sealing the expansion of the earned income tax credit that had been negotiated in the budget.

A Superior Court judge heard arguments for why unions should not be able to donate $15,000 to a candidate for public office when businesses are prohibited from giving.

As that plays out in a lower court with the potential to rise to the U.S. Supreme Court, the state's highest court - the Supreme Judicial Court - settled a complaint that arose during Rep. Brian Mannal's campaign last fall invalidating a nearly 70-year-old law that criminalized false statements designed to help or hurt a candidate for office.

The court, in its ruling against Mannal, found that the law was "antagonistic to the fundamental right of free speech."

The first week of the August recess started with joint news from the Big Three that Gov. Baker had signed off on a letter with Rosenberg and House Speaker Robert DeLeo asking the Council of State Governments and the Pew Center of the States to come to Massachusetts and help them examine criminal justice policy.

Baker's interest seems to lie more in finding ways to reduce recidivism rather than scrapping mandatory minimum sentencing, which some would like to see happen through this process. But it's a start on an issue where policymakers haven't been able to find common ground, and Rosenberg said the Senate may have more to say on this topic in the fall.

STORY OF THE WEEK: What do whales, pot, fireworks and charter schools have in common? They all have champions hoping to take their cause to the ballot in 2016.

QUOTE OF THE WEEK: "Legalization is not for stoners. It's for parents." - Dick Evans, an attorney with the Campaign to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol. Evans said the ballot drive is about creating a "new culture of responsible use."

About the Author  »

Matt Murphy, State House News Service

Matt Murphy covers major media, lobbying firms, government agencies, political junkies as well as towns Statewide. He likes to cover politics and campaigns.

- See more at: http://www.capecodtoday.com/article/2015/08/09/225724-Weekly-round-Rethinking-greatness#sthash.9eBb8R5Z.dpuf