09/12/2017 07:02 AM EDT
By Lauren Dezenski (ldezenski@politico.com; @LaurenDezenski) and Rebecca Morin (rmorin@politico.com; @RebeccaMorin_)
GOOD MORNING, MASSACHUSETTS. Sunny with a high in the mid-80s today.
WHEN FOLLOWING THE MONEY GETS HISTORICALLY MURKY -The Office of Campaign and Political Finance has slapped its largest fine ever on the New York-based Families for Excellent Schools nonprofit group behind the failed charter school expansion ballot question. The group made more than $15 million in contributions in the 2016 cycle and in the process of doing so, broke a major campaign finance law, OCPF ruled yesterday.
The Families for Excellent Schools must pony up $426,466 for its donations to "Great Schools Massachusetts Ballot Question Committee in a manner intended to disguise the true source of the money," according to OCPF's release.
Democrats have already begun to pounce on this opportunity to criticize Gov. Charlie Baker. Not only was he a highly visible supporter for Question 2 (he filmed a 30-second TV spot, after all), his Secretary of Technology Services and Security Mark Nunnelly and Board of Secondary and Elementary Education Chair Paul Sagan are found to have donated a total of $771,000 to the offending group. MassDems Chair Gus Bickford has called on Nunnelly and Sagan to step down. Look for candidates attempting to dislodge Baker from the corner office to keep banging the drum on this one.
Have a tip, story, suggestion, birthday, anniversary, new job, or any other nugget for the Playbook? Get in touch: ldezenski@politico.com.
TODAY - Gov. Charlie Baker kicks off climate week to highlight the state's efforts to prepare for and combat climate change with a Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness Program Summit in Westborough -- The Cannabis Control Commission holds its first public meeting at One Ashburton, with points of order including electing a secretary and treasurer and assigning constituency outreach - State Rep. Geoff Diehl will hold a press conference on the State House steps about the "next step of his campaign" at 10 a.m.
DATELINE BEACON HILL -
- "Pro-charter school group pays state's largest campaign finance penalty," by Michael Levenson, Boston Globe: "Families for Excellent Schools - Advocacy, a nonprofit that has promoted charter schools across the country and was the single largest funder of Question 2 in Massachusetts, was slapped with a $426,466 fine, the largest in the 44-year history of the state Office of Campaign and Political Finance. The group was also forced to reveal its donors, a disclosure that showed it was anonymously receiving major checks from two Baker administration officials and numerous wealthy contributors from the worlds of high finance in Massachusetts, New York and other states."
- "3 of 5 pot commissioners say they've tried marijuana," by Andy Metzger, State House News Service: "Three of the five members of the state's new Cannabis Control Commission say they've tried the drug they will now regulate. The other two declined to say."
- "Industry leaders: Bay State nursing homes facing crisis," by Katie Lannan, State House News Service: "Nursing home administrators and staff sounded the alarm on Monday, telling lawmakers their industry is underfunded and needs help. 'There has never been more urgency in the need to stabilize the commonwealth's nursing facilities,' Matt Salmon, CEO of Salmon Health and Retirement and vice chairman of the Massachusetts Senior Care Association board, said at a Joint Committee on Elder Affairs hearing. 'We're facing an unprecedented financial crisis that is threatening the quality of care that we provide. This rapid decline has pushed many high-quality nursing homes to the verge of bankruptcy and possible closure.'"
** A message from New England Clean Power Link: Poised to supply Massachusetts with 1,000 MW of clean, renewable power, the New England Clean Power Link is ready to roll. The only project with a Presidential Permit, full site control and full host state support, the innovative buried project will help Massachusetts meet its legislative requirements for lower carbon emissions. More **
THE WARREN REPORT -
- "Elizabeth Warren raises concerns about Army secretary nominee," by Christopher Rowland, Boston Globe: "Senator Elizabeth Warren is expressing doubts about President Trump's nominee to be secretary of the Army, a decorated veteran who has spent the last seven years as Raytheon's top lobbyist in Washington. Warren said in an interview that nominee Mark Esper's role attempting to influence policy for one of the nation's top five defense contractors raises questions about his suitability to lead the Army."
- "Chabot: GOP: Warren prioritizes health of 2020 run over Mass. residents," by Hillary Chabot, Boston Herald: "Republican rivals blasted Sen. Elizabeth Warren's recent support of single-payer health care, saying her backing of Sen. Bernie Sanders' high-profile bill - expected to be introduced in Congress this week - is proof she's eyeing a 2020 presidential run. 'Warren's endorsement shows she's more focused on the White House than Massachusetts,' said state Rep. Geoff Diehl, a Whitman Republican running to oust the senior senator. 'It seems the progressive wing of the Democrat Party is pushing further left for 2020.'"
ON THE STUMP -
- "Charlie Baker hits $10 million campaign finance goal," by Jim O'Sullivan, Boston Globe: "Governor Charlie Baker's political team told its top fundraisers in May that the goal for the summer was to have $10 million on hand come September - a deep warchest for his all-but-declared 2018 re-election bid. ... And it looks like they made it."
- "State rep. hopefuls gather to flex policy positions at Adams forum," by Adam Shanks, Berkshire Eagle: "The five candidates for state representative laid out their platforms and offered a glimpse into their priorities on Monday during a public forum in Adams. Though often echoing each other's goals - like adjusting the state funding mechanism for local schools - the candidates diverged in the nuance of how to achieve them."'
- "'Only' Attleboro Senate candidate a late comer to the city," by Jim Hand, Lowell Sun: "Jacob Ventura likes to tout himself as the Attleboro candidate in the special election campaign for state Senate against three challengers from Walpole. In fact, he notes that if he is elected, he will be the first state senator from Attleboro since 1949."
- "Once again, Mitt Romney has politicos asking: Will he or won't he?" by Matt Viser, Boston Globe: "Rumors persist over whether Mitt Romney may run for US Senate in Utah, and some people close to the former Massachusetts governor and 2012 Republican presidential nominee say that he isn't ruling out a bid for the seat. 'He has mixed feelings,' said one Romney advisor who pegged the likelihood of a run at 30 percent or 40 percent."
WOOD WAR - Herald: "TAKING ON HOFFA," "Anti-war students tarnish 9/11 anniversary." - Globe: "Secret donors, record penalty," "For Romney, it's will-he-or-worn't-he-time," "An epic path of destruction," "A horrifying acccount of four murders," "RECALLING THE PAIN, 16 YEARS LATER," "Warren voices doubt on Army nominee," "Adults get set to go back-to-school shopping (for themselves)."
THE LOCAL ANGLE -
- "Valley Activist Heavyweight Jafet Robles Murdered," by Matt Szafranski, Western Mass Politics and Insight: "The body found early this morning in a Chicopee park belonged to a prominent Springfield activist according to multiple sources close to the victim. Jafet Robles, a Springfield resident, was the Western Massachusetts organizer for Neighbor 2 Neighbor, a community-building organization."
- "At 9/11 ceremony, boy posthumously honored for bravery," by the Associated Press: "A 10-year-old boy was posthumously honored Monday with a civilian bravery award named for Madeline Amy Sweeney, a flight attendant on a hijacked jetliner that was flown into the World Trade Center on Sept. 11, 2001. Jaydon Dancy was struck and killed by a commuter train in June, less than a year after his brave efforts to rescue a stricken kayaker from the waters off Salem."
- "Drop-in program helping drug users," by K.C. Myers, Cape Cod Times: "The Community Health Center of Cape Cod transforms the first Tuesday of each month from a full service health clinic to a mecca for addiction treatment. A total of 15 organizations gather under one roof from 4 to 7 p.m. offering help for drug users and their family members."
- "Major work on Tobin Bridge to start in 2018," by Colin A. Young, State House News Service: "Commuters who live in the Route 1 corridor should prepare for delays getting out of Boston over the next three years as the Department of Transportation prepares to embark on a restoration of the Tobin Bridge deck that will stretch into 2020. The MassDOT Board of Directors on Monday approved a $41.6-million contract for J.F. White to conduct deck repairs, structural steel repairs and painting on a portion of the Tobin."
- "Former Cape residents flee, face off against Irma," by Cynthia McCormick, Cape Cod Times: "Em Lazott moved to Key West, Florida, for the good weather. 'I was sick of the snow on the Cape,' said Lazott, 32, a 2003 graduate of Dennis-Yarmouth Regional High School. But Sunday afternoon she and her husband, Matt Krol, 36, were driving through South Carolina on their way north, seeking shelter from Hurricane Irma."
- "New rules for tours may not come til after Halloween," Dustin Luca, Salem News: "New rules that would govern walking tours were first introduced to city councilors this past spring, but they likely won't be in effect in time for the city's busiest tourism season in October. A set of guidelines is still sitting in front of the council's Ordinances, Licenses and Legal Affairs committee, a board of five councilors tasked with digging specifically into city rule changes and legal issues."
FOR YOUR DANCE CARD - Michael Greenwald, former U.S. Treasury Attache to Qatar and Kuwait, is speaking on Thursday from 4 to 6 p.m. at Harvard College's Weatherhead Center for International Affairs about "The New Normal in the Middle East: The Gulf and the Blockade of Qatar - Strategizing a Way Forward". Details
MAZEL! - to Krina Patel, who has joined Freedom for All Massachusetts as Coalitions Director.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY - to Neal Alpert, chief of staff to Cambridge Mayor E. Denise Simmons; Waterville Consulting CEO and Deval Patrick alum Sean Curran; MassGIS employee and Dorchester's own Paul Nutting; and former Deb Goldberg for Treasurer regional field director Devin McAndrew-Grenier.
THE HOME TEAM DID NOT PLAY LAST NIGHT.
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** A message from New England Clean Power Link : Poised to supply Massachusetts with 1,000 MW of clean, sustainable power, the New England Clean Power Link is ready to roll. The only project with a Presidential Permit, full site control and full host state support, the innovative buried project will help Massachusetts meet its legislative requirements for lower carbon emissions. The entire line will travel underground and underwater, and is expected to deliver low-cost electricity to the Commonwealth over the next 40 years. Massachusetts can expect to reap $19.9 billion in benefits over the next 20 years alone, while ratepayers can expect to save $655 million a year in energy costs. Most importantly, the project is 100% privately financed and comes with a fixed-price bid, protecting taxpayers and ratepayers alike from any cost overruns. The project's developers have also established a $20 million fund to assist low-income ratepayers in western Massachusetts. http://politi.co/2gqhWpr **
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