POLITICO Massachusetts Playbook: SPILKA says time to talk about charters — Where’s our SOCCER STADIUM? — March for Life turns hectic

SPILKA says time to talk about charters — Where’s our SOCCER STADIUM? — March for Life turns hectic

Jun 03, 2019 View in browser BY STEPHANIE MURRAY Presented by JUUL Labs GOOD MORNING, MASSACHUSETTS. Happy Monday! SPILKA WEIGHS IN ON CHARTER DEBATE — State Senate President Karen Spilka weighed in on a home rule petition that would have allowed a New Bedford charter school to break with state law and serve a specific neighborhood. The proposal created a stalemate on Beacon Hill despite support from New Bedford officials, and Spilka says the flare up raises questions about how the state handles charter schools more broadly. "The charter school debate is probably one of the most heated, controversial debates in our state, and it's been going on for years," Spilka said during an appearance on WGBH's "Boston Public Radio" on Friday. "We need to eventually take a look at what we're doing with charter schools." The plan would have allowed the Alma Del Mar Charter School to open a neighborhood campus, but it was killed on Friday after House and Senate lawmakers made procedural moves during informal sessions to slow the bill. "Any single senator can object to it being heard on that one day. That has happened many many times in the past, it will continue to happen," Spilka said, in reference to the legislative move that stalled the bill last week. "It wasn't anything out of the ordinary to have one person object to a bill one time." But charter schools are a polarizing issue in Massachusetts, especially after a failed 2016 ballot question to raise the cap on charter schools. Tensions around how the state handles the schools still exist, as evidenced by a scathing editorial in the Boston Globe last week. The unfinished charter schools conversation continues as lawmakers try to hammer out an update to how the state funds public schools. Charter school critics say they drain funding from traditional public school budgets. "I believe that charters were started to form as an alternative for regular public schools as incubators, and they were not used in the way they should have been used in terms of sharing all of their innovation," Spilka said. "I am concerned we are beginning to develop two separate school systems," Spilka continued. "And we don't have the funding to fully fund all of that." 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 Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito meet with House Speaker Robert DeLeo and Senate President Karen Spilka. Attorney General Maura Healey speaks at the Student Loan Litigation Conference at Harvard Law School. A message from JUUL Labs: Youth vaping is a problem. We're taking action. No youth or non-nicotine user should ever try JUUL products. We've taken a series of actions to greatly reduce youth use of tobacco products, including our own. Learn more about our youth prevention efforts: JUUL.com/youth-prevention DATELINE BEACON HILL - "Three sets of Mass. public agencies nominated for government secrecy award," by Amanda Kaufman, Boston Globe: "Three sets of Massachusetts public agencies are facing stiff competition for an ignoble accolade: most secretive. State Police, three different district attorneys, and the state's court system are finalists for the Investigative Reporters and Editors' Golden Padlock Award, which is granted annually to the most secretive government agency or individual. Among the fellow nominees are Michigan State University's coverup of serial sexual abuse by Larry Nassar; former Alabama attorney general Luther Strange, who withheld records confirming his role in an alleged bribery conspiracy; and the Charleston, S.C., County School District for refusing to release documents showing the district had settled complaints brought by children claiming an employee had sexually molested them." - "State GOP shifts right under Lyons' leadership," by Christian M. Wade, Eagle-Tribune: "The state GOP is tacking sharply to the right under a new leader, former state Rep. Jim Lyons, embracing many of the hard-line positions of the national party under President Donald Trump. Lyons, who took over as party chairman in January, has unleashed a barrage of criticism at Beacon Hill Democrats, accusing them of promoting "infanticide" for backing a late-term abortion bill and blasting them for proposals to allow "Gender X" classification on driver's licenses and limit cooperation with federal immigration crackdowns." - "Riley throws in towel on New Bedford charter plan," by Michael Jonas, CommonWealth Magazine: "FOUR MONTHS AFTER he unveiled a novel proposal for a New Bedford charter school billed as a way to ease the acrimony that has plagued the state's education sector, Massachusetts education commissioner Jeff Riley pulled the plug on the plan, which had only seemed to trigger a fresh round of the warring he sought to end. Riley said Friday afternoon that the clock has run out on waiting for the Legislature to approve a compromise worked out with city leaders in New Bedford and the Alma del Mar Charter School that would have authorized a 450-student charter school to serve a defined section of the city. He said he will instead give the go-ahead for a backup plan allowing Alma del Mar to open a larger, 594-seat school serving students across New Bedford." - "Mass. to double offshore wind procurements," by Bruce Mohl, CommonWealth Magazine: "THE BAKER ADMINISTRATION is pushing ahead with plans to double the procurement of offshore wind power over the next several years, a move that will increase wind's share of the state's energy portfolio to 30 percent while locking Massachusetts into long-term contracts for nearly two thirds of its electricity. The announcement was another sign of just how bullish the state is on offshore wind, but it also highlighted some of the risks involved in negotiating 20-year contracts directly with electricity suppliers instead of relying on the region's competitive wholesale electricity market." - "Keeping politics in check," by Steve Koczela, CommonWealth Magazine. Link. FROM THE HUB - "Women of color team up for Boston City Council run," by Stephanie Ebbert, Boston Globe: "Women of color transformed the Boston City Council in the last municipal election by claiming six of the 13 seats. Now some of them are upending campaign traditions by banding together to run in the next council contest. Three-term Councilor Michelle Wu and newcomer Alejandra St. Guillen — both in the competition for four at-large council seats — will share Dudley Square campaign headquarters with first-term Councilor Kim Janey, who's running for reelection as a district councilor representing Roxbury. To Wu, the most established of the three and the top vote-getter in the citywide council race, the move is not just about sharing campaign costs and aligning with political allies. It's about supporting St. Guillen, a friend, mentor, and like-minded woman in public service — even if that means supporting a rival in her own race." - "Boston drivers' choice: Parking tickets, the electric bill, lunch or diapers?" by Alexi Cohan, Jonathan Ng, Meghan Ottolini and Sean Philip Cotter, Boston Herald: "Mayor Martin Walsh's dramatic increase of parking fines last year coupled with aggressive enforcement is putting a financial strain on people who say a single mistake can wipe out the month's diaper budget or force them to forego lunch, while juggling other bills. Residents like Alexandra Haddad of Jamaica Plain say the fines that the city jacked up last July are a financial burden. The $40 she recently spent on a parking ticket could have gone toward a month's supply of diapers for her 10-month-old baby." - "The Twin Cities have a beautiful new soccer stadium. Why doesn't Boston?" by Tim Logan, Boston Globe: "A quarter-century after their launch, the New England Revolution still play home matches in a two-thirds-empty Gillette Stadium, 25 miles from downtown Boston, in Foxborough. That makes the team inaccessible — and out of mind — for many potential fans. The Kraft family, which owns the Revolution, the New England Patriots, and Gillette Stadium itself, has for years said building a soccer stadium in the core of the region is a priority." - "Mayor Walsh On What It Will Take To Lower Crime, Homelessness In Boston," WGBH. Link. - "Seven arrested as March for Life turns violent," by Andrew Martinez, Boston Herald: "A demonstration turned violent Sunday afternoon on the Boston Common when protesters clashed with anti-abortion March for Life demonstrators, leading to seven arrests. C.J. Williams, director of community engagement for the Massachusetts Citizens for Life, said she was shoved by two men shouting expletives as a group of 25 people walked up to the annual March for Life event gathering at 11:30 a.m. near Tremont Street and Boylston Street. "One of our speakers ... who is black and gay, was assaulted by the other side and had urine thrown on him," she said. " It got a little bit hectic there, it was not the dialogue I'd hoped for." Boston police confirmed seven arrests." TRUMPACHUSETTS - "Cambridge-area activists hold public reading of Mueller excerpts," by Jeremy C. Fox, Boston Globe: "When Special Counsel Robert Mueller made his first public statement about his investigation last week, he declared that everything he had to say was in his report. "The work speaks for itself," Mueller said, perhaps hinting that more people should crack open the 448-page document, which even members of Congress admit they haven't read. On Sunday, local activists began a grass-roots effort to introduce voters to the account of Mueller's two-year investigation, gathering on the steps of the Cambridge Public Library to read selected passages aloud." WARREN REPORT - "Inside Warren's battle plan to win Iowa — and the nomination," by Alex Thompson, POLITICO: "Elizabeth Warren's presidential campaign is obsessed with stickers. At a half-dozen events in rural Eastern Iowa over Memorial Day weekend, paid organizers and volunteers swarmed every attendee, affixing brightly colored circles to them as proof their contact information had been secured. The sticker patrol circled the room before Warren spoke — and afterward in the selfie line — just in case anyone happened to slip through." - "As candidates descend on California, Kamala Harris struggles to defend her home turf," by Liz Goodwin, Boston Globe: "Senator Elizabeth Warren attracted the largest crowd of her presidential campaign so far Friday night in an unusual location — the hometown of rival Senator Kamala Harris. "Hello, Oakland!" a buoyant Warren shouted to an estimated 6,500 people packed into a soccer field, her arm pumping into the chilly air. "I'm Elizabeth Warren, I'm running for president, and I have a plan for that!" The crowd for Warren's speech — as well as those at the many other well-attended glitzy fund-raisers and campaign events held by other Democratic candidates in the Bay Area this weekend — sent a clear message to Harris, the state's junior senator: Her home state is still very much up for grabs as her campaign for the Democratic nomination has yet to take off." - "Sen. Elizabeth Warren says she has always supported making recreational marijuana legal, but is that true?" by Jacqueline Tempera, MassLive.com: "Sen. Elizabeth Warren said she has supported legalization of marijuana since Massachusetts voted to decriminalize the drug in 2008, but a New York Times fact check says this claim is exaggerated. The Times fact checked a number of Warren's comments on the trail, as the Massachusetts Senator continues to rise in the polls for the 2020 race for the White House. At a CNN town hall in April, a student asked Warren about her position on marijuana legalization and her evolution in thought since she was first elected in 2012." - "2020 candidate Elizabeth Warren compared to Rachel Dolezal in 'The Breakfast Club' interview," by Cheyenne Haslett, ABC News: "In an interview on "The Breakfast Club" Friday morning, Sen. Elizabeth Warren was asked a host of questions about her Native American ancestry claims and compared to Rachel Dolezal, the former NAACP leader who was outed as a white woman pretending to be black in 2015." FROM THE DELEGATION - "Pressley calls UMass Boston grads 'President Trump's worst nightmare,'" by Ysabelle Kempe, Boston Globe: "US Representative Ayanna Pressley praised the hard work and diversity of UMass Boston's Class of 2019, calling the graduates "President Trump's worst nightmare." "Represented here today are dreamers and doers, immigrants, people of every race identity, every gender identity and sexuality, sisters rocking Senegalese twists and hijabs," Pressley told the 2,783 graduates and their families gathered on the lawn of the waterfront campus for the commencement. Martin T. Meehan, president of the UMass system, told the crowd on the sunny morning that Pressley 'has not been afraid to speak up, stand up, and, in some cases, cause trouble.'" MOULTON MATTERS - "Seth Moulton: 'If this country wasn't racist, Stacey Abrams would be governor,'" by Kate Sullivan, CNN: "Massachusetts Rep. Seth Moulton said Sunday Democrat Stacey Abrams should be governor of Georgia, and said she would be if the US "wasn't racist." "We have a problem with racism in America today. If this country wasn't racist, Stacey Abrams would be governor," the Democratic presidential candidate said at a CNN town hall in Atlanta. In response to a question about dismantling systemic racism in America, he called for a "new Voting Rights Act" and said "people of color are being systemically denied the most basic right in a democracy, which is the right to vote." Abrams, who would have been the first AfricanAmerican woman ever elected governor, narrowly lost her gubernatorial bid in Georgia last year." ABOVE THE FOLD — Herald: "EDELMAN: I GOT HACKED," "TICKETED BROKE!" —Globe: "Bishop's LGBTQ tweet stirs backlash," "FOR BOSTON, AN ELUSIVE GOAL." FROM THE 413 - "Zen and the Art of Making Law (on the Police Commission)" by Matt Szafranski, Western Mass Politics & Insight: "For well over a decade, city councilors have grappled how to structure the Police Department leadership. The Control Board's abolition of the Police Commission in 2005 was among its most controversial moves. But it took several reform attempts and the Gregg Bigda imbroglio to produce the political capital to revive the Police Commission over the mayor's veto. The first Council elected post-Control Board was also the first with ward representation. It proffered no fewer than three bills to reform police oversight. None passed. Councilors would continue to debate the issue until Bigda's cinematic debut. Of course, mayoral opposition has reduced the passage of an actual police oversight ordinance to a footnote, at least for now." - "Springfield grapples with surge in overdose deaths," by Felice J. Freyer, Boston Globe: "Milton Rivera has seen it with his own eyes, and it's scary. A man sat down for a meal at the Friends of the Homeless shelter — and suddenly turned white and collapsed. The staff revived him. Help came too late for another guy Rivera knew who overdosed in the shelter's bathroom. He was found hours later, dead from the illicit fentanyl that has infiltrated the drug supply throughout the state. "Thank God I stopped," said the 52-year-old Rivera, who gave up illegal drugs three years ago and now rents a room at the shelter. Rivera and many others live every day with a reality that became starkly apparent in Department of Public Health statistics released last month, surprising numbers that have brought a moment of reckoning for the state's third-largest city." THE LOCAL ANGLE - "Pilgrim ownership will determine path of nuclear plant's future," by Christine Legere, Cape Cod Times: "The decommissioning of Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station could stretch to 60 years if current owner, Entergy Nuclear Generation Co., handles the job, or it could be completed in only eight years if Holtec International succeeds in purchasing the plant. Either way, the first steps remain the same. Removing the 580 radioactive spent fuel assemblies from the reactor vessel and transferring them to the adjacent spent fuel pool — a process done completely underwater — will begin Tuesday and continue for about 10 days." - "'Put down your phone,' Gov tells Upper Cape grads," by Tanner Stening, SouthCoast Today: "Somebody kept telling Upper Cape Cod Regional Technical School's Class of 2019 to put their phones away during Sunday's graduation ceremony. No, it wasn't a parent of one of the 158 graduating seniors, it was Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker. "Believe it or not, your phone has no humanity," Baker said, addressing the graduating class. "It feeds on distance, anonymity and outrage." Baker delivered the commencement address after valedictorian Joseph Rotondo and Madison Brun, named outstanding vocational technical student of the year, offered some reflections on their high school careers." MEDIA MATTERS - "Now that's a good story: news revival in Berkshires," by Mark Shanahan, Boston Globe: "As he was nearing 70, the mandatory retirement age for judges in Massachusetts, Fred Rutberg began thinking about what he might do next. He had served on the bench in Berkshire County for 20 years, and lived in Stockbridge for 40. Then one soft summer night in 2014, Rutberg and his wife, Judith, were on Nantucket, listening to a talk at the island library by veteran political journalist Joe Klein. "At some point, [Klein] said, offhandedly, 'Democracy requires citizenship and citizenship requires a town square,' " Rutberg said. "And when he said that, I whispered to my wife, 'The Berkshire Eagle.' " Five years later, the former district court judge is president and publisher of the Eagle, a once-great daily newspaper whose staff, circulation, and prestige all declined dramatically during two decades of corporate ownership. Backed by a group with local ties and deep pockets, Rutberg bought the moribund paper in May 2016 and began investing in it." - "GateHouse Media to condense 50 weekly Massachusetts newspapers into 18," by Jacqueline Tempera, MassLive.com:"GateHouse Media will consolidate 50 of its weekly newspapers in Massachusetts into 18, according to a memo posted online Friday night. The plan, set to begin Monday, will affect weekly papers, according to an internal memo posted online by Dan Kennedy, a Northeastern University professor and Media Nation blogger." HAPPY BIRTHDAY - to Mass. Playbook superfan Eric Farmer. DID THE HOME TEAM WIN? Yes! The Red Sox beat the Yankees 8-5. 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. A message from JUUL Labs: We're combating the problem of underage vaping by: Advocating for raising the legal age to purchase our products to 21+ nationwide. Stopping the sale of non-tobacco and non-menthol based flavored JUULpods to traditional retail stores. Enhancing our online age verification process. Strengthening our retail compliance program with over 2,000 secret shopper visits per month. Shutting down our Facebook and Instagram accounts and working to remove inappropriate social media content generated by others on those platforms. And investing in new technologies to further prevent youth use. 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POLITICO Massachusetts Playbook: WOMEN RULE the SENATE — Everybody loves BAKER — MARKEY talks tough on TRUMP

WOMEN RULE the SENATE — Everybody loves BAKER — MARKEY talks tough on TRUMP

07/26/2018 07:28 AM EDT

By Stephanie Murray (smurray@politico.com; @StephMurr_Jour) and Brent D. Griffiths (bgriffiths@politico.com; @BrentGriffiths)

GOOD MORNING, MASSACHUSETTS. It's Thursday. And it's shaping up to be a big day in the state Senate.

PROGRAMMING NOTE — Lauren Dezenski will return on July 31.

????? BE CAUTIOUS BELIEVING POLLS! 
IF YOU HAVE CALLER ID, YOU DON'T RESPOND TO UNKNOWN CALLERS. 
ONLY SHUT-INS AND LONELY PEOPLE WHO ARE TYPICALLY POORLY INFORMED RESPOND TO UNKNOWN CALLERS. 

DO YOU HONESTLY KNOW ANY INFORMED PERSON WHO IS PLEASED ABOUT CHARLIE BAKER'S POLITICAL HACKS? THE MANY SCANDALS ON HIS WATCH THAT CHARLIE BAKER HAS FAILED TO ADDRESS SATISFACTORILY? 

CHARLIE BAKER BEGAN HIS TENURE WITH A MASSIVE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION FAILURE, ASSUMED CONTROL, APPOINTED HACKS TO RESOLVE IT.....IT'S NOT RESOLVED! AS A MATTER OF FACT, IT'S WORSE! 

MBTA FARES RAISED! PARKING FEES RAISED! AND THEY GOT THEIR NEW KITCHEN AND BATHROOMS IN VIOLATION OF STATUTES......OH! WELL! CHARLIE SAID!  

AND KEOLIS? PALEEZE! 

AND THE DOR FIASCO? AND THE REGISTRY FAILURES?

AN OFFICER GETS KILLED AND CHARLIE BAKER'S KNEE-JERK RESPONSE IS DEATH PENALTY....NEVER MIND SOLVING SYSTEMIC PROBLEMS. 

INFORM YOURSELF BEFORE YOU VOTE ANOTHER TERM FOR CHARLIE BAKER! 

EVERYBODY LOVES BAKER — Charlie Baker is again the most popular governor in the country, according to a new Morning Consult poll.

Baker's high approval rating — 69 percent — is a point of pride for the national Republican Party. But what's more interesting than his sky-high popularity is Baker's ability to sustain it. Quarter after quarter, he tops the list as the country's most popular governor.

The Republican Governors Association was quick to cheer Baker's status as number one, and noted Wednesday that the 15 most popular governors in America are all Republicans.

"Voters have made it clear: Republican governors are America's doers, and they strongly approve of their leadership," the RGA said in a statement.

As a Republican governor in a blue state, Baker's leadership sometimes involves breaking step with the party. Most recently, he was one of only three GOP governors (all from blue states) who did not sign on to a letter supporting President Donald Trump's Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh. In that same vein, Baker, who supports abortion rights, has said he "conceptually" supports a bill that would wipe an old abortion law off the books in Massachusetts.

Baker polled slightly higher with the state's Democrats than he did with Republicans, according to a WBUR poll in May. Even higher, though, was his approval among the state's "unenrolled/other" voters.

Baker's office did not respond to a request for comment.

In the first quarter of the year, Morning Consult found Baker had a 71 percent popularity rating.

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

** A message from NARAL Pro-Choice MA and the National Institute for Reproductive Health Action Fund:When Roe v. Wade falls, what will happen in Massachusetts? Lawmakers just took a critical step to protect abortion access by getting outdated statutes criminalizing abortion off the books - but there's so much more work to be done. Learn more now. **

TODAY — The Senate is expected to elect state Sen. Karen Spilka as its new president, who will succeed state Sen. President Harriette Chandler. Gov. Charlie Baker and Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito are expected to attend Spilka's installation ceremony, along with Attorney General Maura Healey and Auditor Suzanne Bump.

Boston Mayor Marty Walsh attends the start of Dine Out Boston. The Cannabis Control Commission holds a public meeting. Climate activists hold a "drown-in" protest on the State House Steps.

THE TSONGAS ARENA —

- "3rd District Dems battle in a frantic and cagey forum," by Chris Lisinski, The Lowell Sun:"All 10 Democrats in the 3rd Congressional District crammed onto a community center stage Monday night, so close their elbows were touching, for a forum that was crowded, rushed, and, at points, strange."

- "In the end, L'Italien could be outfoxed by media's faux pas," by The Lowell Sun: "State Sen. Barbara L'Italien certainly believes she scored a major political coup on Monday by hoodwinking some Fox News hosts into thinking they were about to interview an Arizona Democratic congressional candidate who took some heat recently for her support of ICE. Yes, L'Italien's social-media accounts may see a spike in activity, and her campaign contributions might spurt, but the lack of transparency her campaign demonstrated during this episode could end up offsetting all its transitory benefits."

"San Juan Mayor Cruz Endorses Juana Matias" from San Juan Mayor Carmen Yulin Cruz:"Juana Matías is the real deal: visionary, compassionate and committed to justice for all. VOTE FOR HER!"

ON THE STUMP —

- "More female candidates mean tough choices for women's groups," by Stephanie Ebbert, Boston Globe: "Years ago, women's political action committees would line up behind the lone female candidate in a given election, focusing all their resources on elevating her over a crowded field of guys. This year, so many women are running for certain seats that endorsing one of them means, of necessity, snubbing others."

"Greg Henning Announces Plan for Law Enforcement Early Diversion (LEED) Mentorship Program" from the Henning campaign: "Candidate for Suffolk County District Attorney Greg Henning today announced details of his plan to create a mentorship program called Law Enforcement Early Diversion, or LEED, which would pair law enforcement professionals, such as Assistant District Attorneys and police officers, with young people throughout Suffolk County."

DATELINE BEACON HILL —

- "Indictments. Scandal. Power struggles. As new Senate president, Spilka aims to 'right the ship,'" by Joshua Miller, Boston Globe: "After eight months of scandal, tumult, and legislators quitting in the middle of their terms, the state Senate will begin a new chapter Thursday, when Senator Karen E. Spilka, the chamber's budget chief, is poised to become its new president — the third since December. Her colleagues hope the Ashland Democrat's ascension will mark an end to the drama that saw a former member indicted on federal corruption charges, the chamber's leader forced out in a sexual assault scandal involving his husband, and a very p ublic fight to succeed the former president."

- "Lawmakers move to repeal Valor Act," by Matt Stout, Boston Globe: "Legislative leaders moved Wednesday to repeal the state's controversial Valor Act and replace it with a far more narrow measure intended to close loopholes that allowed some veterans to avoid criminal charges, including assaults on women, by citing their military service."

- "Surrounded by families of fallen officers, Gov. Charlie Baker signs police training bill," by Shira Schoenberg, MassLive.com: "Surrounded by families of fallen police officers, Gov. Charlie Baker on Wednesday signed a bill adding a new $2 fee to car rentals in order to pay for municipal police training."

- "GOP governors critical of Trump are the nation's two most popular governors," by Aris Folley, The Hill: "Two GOP governors who have a history of being critical of President Trump are the most popular governors in the United States, according to a new poll. Blue-state Republican Gov. Charlie Baker is currently ranked in first place on the Morning Consult poll released on Wednesday with 69 percent of registered voters in his state of Massachusetts voicing support for him."

- "Nearly $8 million budget for Massachusetts marijuana oversight board includes over 40 full-timers," by Mike Plaisance, MassLive.com: "The full-time staff of the Massachusetts Cannabis Control Commission will increase to over 40 from the previous 26 thanks to $4.4 million in personnel spending in the new state budget, a spokeswoman said. In total, the commission's budget for fiscal 2019 is $7,987,870."

- 'The power of women is no longer a question': Massachusetts Senate President Harriette Chandler says farewell," by Shira Schoenberg, MassLive.com: "When Senate President Harriette Chandler, D-Worcester, was young, she was told repeatedly to stay at home with her children rather than go to graduate school or further her career. As Chandler prepares to turn the president's gavel over to Sen. Karen Spilka, D-Ashland, she said she is proud of the fact that 'we women in power are not anomalies any more.'"

DATELINE D.C. —

- "Poll: Most voters approve of Elizabeth Warren, Ed Markey's work in Congress," by Shannon Young, MassLive.com: "A Morning Consult survey released Wednesday found that U.S. Sens.Elizabeth Warren and Ed Markey remain popular with most of their constituents."

- "Markey: We know more about Trump's talks with Cohen than with Putin," by John Bowden, The Hill: "Massachusetts Sen. Ed Markey (D) on Wednesday slammed President Trump over the secrecy of his meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, remarking that the American public knows more about the president's conversations surrounding an ex-Playboy model."

- "Representative McGovern on Aid Plan for Farmers," by C-SPAN: "Representative Jim McGovern (D-MA) talked about a new plan from the Trump administration to aid farmers affected by tariffs levied against the United States."

- "Mashpee tribe, Interior official and opponents weigh in on reservation land bill," by Tanner Stening, Cape Cod Times: "The U.S Department of the Interior on Tuesday took no position during a congressional hearing on legislation that would secure the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe's reservation lands despite indications earlier in the day that the agency was prepared to back the effort."

MOULTON MATTERS —

- "Democrats press Trump for tariff relief for fishing industry," by The Associated Press:"Democratic members of Congress are pressing the Trump administration for compensation for fishermen hit with losses as a result of President Donald Trump's escalating trade disputes with China and other countries. The group, led by Rep. Seth Moulton of Massachusetts, points to the administration's announcement Tuesday that it will provide $12 billion in emergency relief to help American farmers hurt by foreign retaliation to Trump's tariffs."

THE WARREN REPORT —

"Sens. Warren and Sanders introduce bill that would slash Puerto Rico's debt," by Dawn Giel, CNBC: "Sens. Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders on Wednesday introduced a bill that would essentially wipe out tens of billions of dollars of Puerto Rico's $73 billion in outstanding debt."

THE KENNEDY COMPOUND —

- "O'Pod Episode 33: Congressman Joe Kennedy III," by Matt O'Malley: "City Councilor Matt O'Malley sits down with Congressman Joe Kennedy III (MA-4) to chat about local and national politics. Congressman Kennedy shares his vision about the future of the country in the era of the Trump."

WOOD WAR — Herald: "FOX HUNT -- HESLAM: KRAFT A PERFECT FIT TO BUY TV STATION," "'NIGHTMARE' -- BOY, 3, STRUCK & KILLED ON SOUTHIE SIDEWALK," "THE TAX MA'AM --HOW MUCH IS TOO MUCH? LIZ WON'T SAY"—Globe: "Glimmer of hope in Alzheimer's fight," "Trump, EU vow to forge pact on trade," "As East Boston booms, some shudder," "Lawmakers set to repeal Valor Act," "For Belichick, a conversation nonstarter"

THE LOCAL ANGLE —

- "Wide gap in Boston's homicide clearance rates draws questions," by Laura Crimaldi, Boston Globe: "A report published Wednesday in The Washington Post said that for white victims of homicide in Boston, investigators almost always made an arrest. Among major US cities, Boston had the widest gap in arrest rates for white and black homicide victims, the newspaper reported."

- "5th arrest in state trooper overtime fraud investigation," by Brian Dowling, Boston Herald: "A fifth member of the Massachusetts State Police was arrested in connection with a federal corruption probe this morning for embezzling more than $14,000 in no-work overtime shifts he tried to cover up, like others, by writing fake tickets, federal prosecutors said."

- "Former Worcester student making mark in Washington on unpaid internships issue," by Scott O'Connell, Telegram & Gazette: "Working as an intern in Washington, D.C., Guillermo Creamer Jr. rubbed shoulders with some of the country's most important movers and shakers in government. But when it came time to pay the bills, he often decided he was better off spending time with a child instead. It was a lesson that stuck with the former Worcester resident, who now heads a D.C.-based advocacy organization called Pay Our Interns that is making a push across the nation for more paid internships."

"Cambridge is unhappy that Bird scooters came to roost without warning," by Steve Annear, Boston Globe: "Is it going to be bye, bye Bird? Cambridge officials on Tuesday reached out directly to representatives at Bird — the California-based electric scooter company that arrived unannounced last week and placed a flock of its rentable rides around the city — to talk about the legalities of the business operating on its streets."

MAZEL! — to Meghna Chakrabarti and David Folkenflik, the new hosts of WBUR's national radio talk show "On Point."

DID THE HOME TEAM WIN? THE RED SOX WERE RAINED OUT.

ICYMI — THE LATEST EPISODE OF THE HORSE RACE: We're back post-Fourth of July with a check in on what's still pending on Beacon Hill. MassLive's Gin Dumcius walks us through why Massachusetts still does not have a state budget; then in a return to the pod, Principal of Waterville Consulting Sean Curran explains quarter two fundraising reports and Gov. Charlie Baker's massive ad buy. Plus Steve and Lauren look at the recent Supreme Judicial Court ruling which maintains the 20 day voter registration cut-off. 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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** A message from NARAL Pro-Choice MA and the National Institute for Reproductive Health Action Fund: As recently as 2007, a woman in Massachusetts was indicted for managing her own medication abortion. How could this happen? The answer lies in an outdated statute still in the Massachusetts General Laws - the pre-Roe v. Wade abortion ban. Fortunately, our state just took a critical step to protect abortion access by getting outdated statutes criminalizing abortion off the books - but there's so much more work to be done.

Help keep abortion legal and accessible in Massachusetts, no matter what happens at the federal level. Join us now. **

To view online:
https://www.politico.com/newsletters/massachusetts-playbook/2018/07/26/women-rule-the-senate-everybody-loves-baker-markey-talks-tough-on-trump-291160

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