POLITICO Massachusetts Playbook: DeLEO spars with activists — The other would-be WYNN buyer — Newton judge says NO DEAL

DeLEO spars with activists — The other would-be WYNN buyer — Newton judge says NO DEAL

May 24, 2019 View in browser BY STEPHANIE MURRAY Presented by JUUL Labs GOOD MORNING, MASSACHUSETTS. TGIF! DELEO SPARS WITH ACTIVISTS — While you might associate free college with someone like Bernie Sanders, House Speaker Robert DeLeo says a group of student activists protesting for debt- and tuition-free higher education at the State House remind him of someone else: President Donald Trump. Tensions between DeLeo and activists from the Public Higher Education Network of Massachusetts boiled over last night, when DeLeo slammed the activists for making what he calls "wildly inaccurate" claims about how they were treated during a five-day protest at the State House. "I value participation by all stakeholders and everyone is entitled to their opinion on how taxpayer funds should be appropriated. Everyone, however, is not entitled to their own facts," DeLeo said in a statement last night. The protesters say State House staff threatened to arrest them for holding a sit-in outside DeLeo's office, and that a court officer threatened them with facial recognition technology in the building. DeLeo disputed those claims in a statement last night, calling the accounts both untrue and "offensive." "These Trumpian tactics are both offensive and counterproductive," DeLeo said. "There was no threat of arrest, there is no such technology used at the State House, and my staff and House members met with them on multiple occasions." PHENOM activists are angry DeLeo did not meet with them to discuss the two bills they are pushing for, though his staff and other House members did meet with them. They fired back at the Speaker late last night on Twitter, and turned the Trump label around on DeLeo. "I think it is incredibly sad that Speaker DeLeo has descended into name calling and spreading misinformation, exactly the 'Trumpian tactics' he accused others of using," PHENOM Executive Director Zac Bears wrote online. PROGRAMMING NOTE: There will be no Playbook on Monday in observance of Memorial Day. Happy unofficial start of summer! 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, Rep. Stephen Lynch and Boston Mayor Marty Walsh attend the re-dedication of the Massachusetts Fallen Heroes Memorial. Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito attends a ribbon cutting for the Dartmouth Maritime Facility. Walsh attends a ribbon cutting for the Madison Park Roadway project. Walsh is a guest on "Boston Public Radio." 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 - "Mass. House Will Take Up Janus 'Fix' To Aid Unions," by Mike Deehan, WGBH News: "The Massachusetts House of Representatives will take up a bill before the July 4 holiday to aid local labor unions affected by a U.S. Supreme Court decision that cut deeply into their pocketbooks, according to a spokesperson for House Speaker Robert DeLeo. In last year's Janus v. AFSCME decision, the Supreme Court ruled that labor unions can't charge fees in lieu of dues to non-member workers who refuse to join the union. As a result, unions lost a key revenue stream and the ability for non-member workers to become so-called "free riders" on union services expanded. The bill Speaker Robert DeLeo plans to push through the House in June would let Massachusetts unions charge non-members for legal aid they benefit from in arbitration cases, restoring some of the cash flow lost under the Janus decision." - "Right to choose safe in Massachusetts, Baker says," by Matt Murphy, State House News Service: "Acknowledging a "tremendous amount of anxiety" over abortion rights around the country, Gov. Charlie Baker said Thursday that a woman's right to choose is safe in Massachusetts, even if he remains skeptical of expanding abortion access. "I certainly will do everything I need to do to protect a woman's right to choose here in Massachusetts, period," Baker said during an interview on Boston Public Radio.The Republican governor's comments came just days after abortion rights activists gathered at the State House in solidarity with protestors in other states opposing crackdowns on abortion access." - "Former chief medical examiner being phased out," by Matt Stout, Boston Globe: "The state's chief medical examiner is phasing out her predecessor, Dr. Henry Nields, from his role as a part-time contractor — a move that has surprised staff in an office that's struggled to quickly complete death investigations. Dr. Mindy J. Hull, who replaced Nields in October 2017, told him in an e-mail last week that "at this time . . . we do not anticipate needing your services" because the office has been able to hire several new full-time examiners. She said it allows her to staff each of the agency's four offices in Boston, Holyoke, Worcester, and on Cape Cod without "extra" contracted workers. But Nields is the only one of four part-time, contracted medical examiners the agency uses who was removed from its June schedule, according to internal copies reviewed by the Globe. And the three others are each scheduled to work the same or a similar number of days as they have in May." - "NEW BEDFORD CHARTER SCHOOL EXPANSION BILL BLOCKED IN HOUSE," by Katie Lannan, State House News Service: "A bill state education officials want to see passed by the end of the month to execute a deal between New Bedford and a charter school in that city hit a speed bump Thursday in the House of Representatives and could face a rocky path ahead with some representatives wanting a larger debate. The bill, a home rule petition approved on an 8-2 vote in late April by the New Bedford City Council, surfaced in the House for the first time on Thursday with about a dozen representatives in the chamber. Rep. James Hawkins doubted the presence of a quorum, forcing the House to adjourn because a quorum of lawmakers was not present." - "Senate says no to boost in minimum education aid," by Chris Lisinski, State House News Service: "The state Senate on Wednesday rejected a budget amendment that would have increased the minimum education aid every district receives from $30 per pupil to $100 per pupil on a 7-32 vote Wednesday. After lengthy debate to open the second day of budget deliberations, senators voted virtually along party lines to shoot down the Republican-sponsored change, which would have added $30 million to the $42.7 billion budget. Minority Leader Bruce Tarr, who filed the amendment, said that while the proposed budget's $268 million increase to the Chapter 70 program that helps cities and towns with education costs was laudable, at least 182 districts would only see a boost of $30 per pupil next year. He described that amount as insufficient to meet the growing needs in many schools." - "Lawmakers: Compressor case erased public confidence in regulators," by Jessica Trufant, Patriot Ledger: "Lawmakers are urging a state regulator to overturn the air-quality permit issued for a proposed natural gas compressor station in Weymouth due to what they see as incomplete air testing, a delayed disclosure of new data and questionable appeal proceedings. Nine South Shore legislators sent a letter to hearing officer Jane Rothchild this week requesting that she reject the air-quality plan and force gas company Spectra Energy-Enbridge to resubmit a plan that incorporates all data. State environmental regulators last week released hundreds of pages of additional air-quality testing data from the Fore River Basin several days after they received it, and two days into an appeal hearing on the air-quality permit." - "Collins's budget priorities center on UMass, DCR projects," by Jennifer Smith, Dorchester Reporter: "The Massachusetts State Senate is assembling its annual budget this week, considering more than 1,110 amendments to the $42.7 billion bill that made it through the upper chamber this month. Among the local amendments on the table are some that are intended to boost transit service, bolster Community Preservation Act funds and open spaces, and wrangle with the University of Massachusetts over its budget. Lawmakers are not yet proposing any major new revenue sources; they plan to tackle revenue or potential tax hikes in a separate discussion later this year. State Sen. Nick Collins, whose First Suffolk district stretches from South Boston through Dorchester and Mattapan, filed amendments that would push for studying electrification of the Fairmount and Providence commuter rail lines and advance a two-year pilot program to bring the Fairmount up to rapid transit service." FROM THE HUB - "John Henry, owner of Red Sox and the Globe, considered buying Everett casino," by Mark Arsenault, Boston Globe: "It was one of the biggest deals in memory that didn't happen: Wynn Resorts this month discussed selling the Encore Boston Harbor hotel and casino to MGM Resorts, though talks broke off without an agreement. But MGM was not the only suitor for the $2.6 billion gambling resort on the Mystic River in Everett. Boston businessman John W. Henry, principal owner of the Boston Red Sox and the owner and publisher of The Boston Globe, backed by a group of potential investors, quietly investigated buying the Encore in 2018 and again just weeks ago, Henry confirmed in response to questions from a Globe reporter ." - "Racism allegations put MFA in the spotlight," by Brian MacQuarrie, Gal Tziperman Lotan and Zoe Greenberg, Boston Globe: "The Museum of Fine Arts found itself under siege Thursday as educators, politicians, and civil-rights activists assailed the renowned institution over reports that minority students from a Dorchester middle school were subjected to racial insults and close security during a field trip. Mayor Martin J. Walsh called the allegations "disturbing," while City Council President Andrea Campbell decried them as "sad and unacceptable." An official with the Boston NAACP questioned whether the 149-year-old museum, one of the country's largest, had violated federal and state antidiscrimination law during the May 13 outing by 26 seventh-graders from the Helen Y. Davis Leadership Academy." - "Conservative group to push redistricting reform in Massachusetts," by Lisa Kashinsky, Boston Herald: "A national conservative group focused on government reform says it wants to take on gerrymandering in deeply blue Massachusetts. Alabama-based Take Back Our Republic wants to replace the Legislature's redistricting process with a nonpartisan commission in the Bay State, with the aim of increasing voters' access to their elected officials, said John Pudner, the group's executive director. "We're going to get districts that are much fairer for people," Pudner said. Take Back Our Republic plans to follow the model that was adopted in Michigan last year — using a ballot initiative to create a 13-member independent commission that would redraw district lines based on the 2020 census." - "BPS memo called for 'right-sizing' Boston's schools," by Trea Lavery, Bay State Banner: "When Boston Public Schools moved to close the West Roxbury Education Complex last year, students and teachers from the Urban Science Academy and West Roxbury Academy, the two schools making up the WREC, blasted department officials for not finding a way to keep the two high schools' students together. School officials said they exhausted every option, yet documents from the decision-making process suggest that the district may have closed the school regardless of whether a solution had been found." - "Federal officials investigate Mass. prisons on elderly, ill inmates, solitary confinement," by Maria Cramer, Boston Globe:"Federal prosecutors are investigating the Massachusetts prison system over its use of solitary confinement, and the treatment of elderly and severely ill prisoners, according to several attorneys who have spoken with federal investigators. The investigation, launched by the civil rights unit of the US attorney's office in Massachusetts, is focused on reports of mistreatment of inmates in order to identify potential patterns and practices of abuse, those familiar with the investigation said. Lawyers who have been interviewed by federal investigators said they have provided documents alleging abuses of inmates who are 50 and older, inmates who are terminally ill, and prisoners who have spent months, even years, in isolation." POLITICO PLAYBOOK: "The most influential newsletter in D.C." - Stephen Colbert, host of the Late Show. Be in the know, sign up for Playbook today. politico.com/subscribe/playbook DAY IN COURT - "Suspended Newton judge declined plea deal that would have meant no criminal charges," by Andrea Estes, Shelley Murphy and Maria Cramer, Boston Globe: "Suspended Newton Judge Shelley Richmond Joseph turned down a deal that would have allowed her to avoid prosecution — and possibly preserve her career — if she admitted that she illegally helped an undocumented immigrant elude arrest by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent, according to several people briefed on the federal prosecutor's offer. US Attorney Andrew Lelling had offered Joseph a "deferred prosecution agreement" under which she would not have been indicted and, in a year, as long as she didn't repeat the conduct, prosecutors would abandon the obstruction of justice charges, according to the people familiar with the deal." - "Can ICE target undocumented immigrants for arrest in Massachusetts courts? Federal judge hears the first arguments in case brought by DAs," by Jacqueline Tempera, MassLive.com:"A Boston federal court judge heard the first arguments Thursday in a case that will decide whether U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents can target and arrest undocumented immigrants who show up for court dates in Massachusetts. Erez Reuveni, who is representing the government, argued that ICE focuses only on people who pose a national security or public safety threat when they take the step of a courthouse arrest." - "Years after bitter breakup, Boston lawyers to square off in court," by Greg Ryan, Boston Business Journal: "A trial is scheduled to kick off next week in a Boston courtroom that pits the owner of a local law firm that specialized in asbestos defense work against six partners who left his firm in 2016 to launch a competing outfit. David Governo, owner of Boston-based Governo Law Firm, sued the founders of CMBG3 Law shortly after they left his firm, accusing them of stealing electronic client data and the firm's trade secrets before they quit." - "Massachusetts High Court Says Poor Evidence Storage Endangers Fairness Of Justice System," by Mark Herz, WGBH News: "Massachusetts' highest court has said that problems with the storage of DNA and other kinds of crime evidence could threaten the integrity of the state's criminal justice system by making it harder to overturn wrongful convictions. In a decision on Tuesday, the Supreme Judicial Court ruled on several similar cases in which there was a tussle between state court clerks and local police departments over who would store and preserve such evidence. In its decision, the court said that Massachusetts needs a state of the art facility for evidence storage staffed by trained professionals." WARREN REPORT - "A toaster once nearly set Elizabeth Warren's kitchen on fire. Here's why the story sticks with her." by Nik DeCosta-Klipa, Boston.com: "For Sen. Elizabeth Warren, toasters are more than just a convenient kitchen appliance or stereotypical wedding gift. They're a reminder of her belief in how government should work. Over the past two decades, the Harvard law professor-turned-Massachusetts senator has repeatedly brought up the bread-cooking devices in speeches, writings, and even a fundraising email from her 2020 presidential campaign this week. "Let's talk about toasters," Warren began a speech last year at Georgetown University's School of Law." FROM THE DELEGATION - "Trahan disclosure shines light on finances," by Christian M. Wade, Eagle-Tribune: "A newly filed personal financial disclosure by U.S. Rep. Lori Trahan suggests she had more than enough revenue and assets to secure sizable loans to her campaign last year, but watchdog groups that filed complaints against the congresswoman say her story still doesn't add up. Trahan, a Westford Democrat, has been accused by two groups of violating campaign finance laws by loaning her campaign $371,000 in the months ahead of a contentious primary election. The complaints question the source of the loans, alleging that Trahan's revenue and assets in 2018 weren't enough to secure them." - "US House passes bill to aid workers saving for retirement; Rep. Richard Neal praises vote," by Patrick Johnson, MassLive.com: "The U.S. House of Representatives' passage on Thursday of a bill that intends to increase the ability of people to save for retirement was praised by U.S. Rep. Richard E. Neal as a way of averting an impending "retirement crisis." The bill, known as the Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement (SECURE) Act, was overwhelmingly approved by a vote of 417-3, with 11 representatives not voting. Neal, D-Springfield, chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, said in a statement that the House has made "significant progress" in helping to ensure workers of all ages are able to save enough money for retirement." MARIJUANA IN MASSACHUSETTS - "Cannabis Control Commission approves first sale of a marijuana company," by Shira Schoenberg, Springfield Republican: "The Cannabis Control Commission on Thursday approved the state's first acquisition of a marijuana company. The commission approved the sale of Sira Naturals to Cannabis Strategies Acquisition Corp. Sira Naturals owns three medical marijuana dispensaries, in Cambridge, Somerville and Needham. It has secured licenses to cultivate, manufacture and transport marijuana for the recreational market. Cannabis Strategies Acquisition Corp., a publicly traded company in Canada, announced in October that it had an agreement to buy Sira Naturals along with three Nevada-based marijuana companies and one company that operates in Nevada and Colorado." EYE ON 2020 - "Brookline Attorney Shannon Liss-Riordan On Why She Wants To Take On Sen. Ed Markey In 2020," by Jamie Bologna and Zoë Mitchell, WBUR: "U.S. Sen. Ed Markey has served in Congress for more than 35 years, but one Brookline labor lawyer has decided that this term should be his last. Attorney Shannon Liss-Riordan will challenge Markey in the Democratic primary next year. Liss-Riordan has spent the past two decades fighting for worker's rights, against companies which include Uber, Starbucks, FedEx and American Airlines." - "The First Big Democratic Primary Challenge of 2020 Is Happening In Massachusetts," by Hannah Levintova, Mother Jones: "Labor lawyer Shannon Liss-Riordan announced this week that she is running for the U.S. Senate, challenging incumbent Massachusetts Senator Ed Markey in next year's Democratic primary race. Markey was first elected to the House of Representatives in 1976 and moved to the Senate in 2013, after winning a special election to replace John Kerry, who had stepped down to become Secretary of State. With the exception of a 2013 primary to succeed Kerry, the last time Markey faced a Democratic challenger was 2002." ABOVE THE FOLD — Herald: "DROP PUCK, LIFT FORK," "HOT ICE!" — Globe: "Mass. prisons are facing US review," "SPECTER OF RACISM PUTS MFA IN SPOTLIGHT," "Inclusion means more than just opening the doors," "Torrent of criticism follows reports about students' treatment." FROM THE 413 - "As Nominating Window Closes, Women Rise to Consider Sarno Challenge," by Matt Szafranski, Western Mass Politics & Insight: "In the twilight of the signature gathering-phase of Springfield's election, two women have stepped forward to consider a challenge to Mayor Domenic Sarno. On Thursday, Linda Matys O'Connell, an advocate, activist and journalist in the city, announced she was pulling paper for mayor. She follows Yolanda Cancel, who began gathering signature this week after her son was the victim of a gun crime. Both women will need to collect 500 signatures by Tuesday at 5pm to appear on the September 10 preliminary ballot. But, if they meet that threshold, they will face added challenge of fundraising and organizing in a seemingly crowded preliminary before taking on Sarno in a November smackdown. Still, their consideration and potential entry reflects growing unease with Sarno's now-12 year reign. It also recognizes the myth of his invincibility." THE LOCAL ANGLE - "City eyes scooter rollout," by Dustin Luca, The Salem News:"Nevermind more sharable bikes. A fresh fleet of electric scooters could soon be buzzing through the streets of Salem. The City Council is considering a trial run for expanding its public bike-sharing system with Zagster to include as many as 250 electric scooters around the city. The issue was sent to the City Council's ordinance committee for a future meeting. Zagster has managed a bike-share network in the city since 2017, when three hubs of six bikes each initially launched. Today, the system has 80 bikes maintained and distributed by Zagster throughout 16 docks across the city, according to city senior planner Tom Devine." MEDIA MATTERS - "GateHouse staff cuts hit Telegram, WoMag newsrooms," by Zachary Comeau, Worcester Business Journal: "Worcester Magazine's editorial staff is down to just one reporter, the Telegram & Gazette lost six positions and hundreds of other journalists, photographers and hundreds of other employees working for newspaper giant GateHouse Media are jobless after round of cuts today, as the New York-based company announced the continuation of its $100-million stock buyback program. In Worcester, the magazine's Editor Walter Bird and Arts & Entertainment Editor Josh Lyford were laid off, leaving reporter Bill Shaner to run the only weekly alternative paper in the city." - Laurel J. Sweet leaves the Boston Herald and joins the public affairs team at FBI Boston. Tweet. HAPPY BIRTHDAY - to Massachusetts Teachers Association government relations specialist Kate Donaghey and Boston Globe crime reporter Evan Allen. HAPPY BIRTHWEEKEND - to WGBH's Kirk Carapezza, Rosina-Maria Lucibello of Team Dukakis; Julia Lucivero , media relations manager at the Innocence Project; Jeff McCue, head of the Massachusetts Department of Transitional Assistance; WGBH's Brendan Deady, and UMass Journalism student Brian Choquet. DID THE HOME TEAM WIN? Yes! The Red Sox beat the Blue Jays 8-2. 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. JUUL.com/youth-prevention POLITICO LAUNCHES NEW GLOBAL PODCAST: Trade. Technology. The environment. The globe is beset by profound challenges that know no political bounds. But are our world leaders up to the task of solving them? POLITICO's newest podcast, "Global Translations" presented by Citi and launching on June 6, will go beyond the headlines, uncovering what's really at stake with the most pressing issues of our time, the political roadblocks for solving them and the ideas that might just propel us forward. Subscribe to receive the first episode at launch. Follow us on Twitter Stephanie Murray @StephMurr_Jour Subscribe to the POLITICO Playbook family Playbook  |  Playbook PM  |  California Playbook  |  Florida Playbook  |  Illinois Playbook  |  Massachusetts Playbook  |  New Jersey Playbook  |  New York Playbook  |  Brussels Playbook  |  London Playbook View all our politics and policy newsletters FOLLOW US

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Matt Taibbi | The Pentagon Wins Again

06 April 19 What Would a Revolution Require? A change of direction is the primary first step. Sounds simple, and actually can be, but courage and determination are required. Reader Supported News is not a revolution unto itself, but it is a revolutionary step. We could use your help. Marc Ash Founder, Reader Supported News Sure, I'll make a donation! Update My Monthly Donation If you would prefer to send a check: Reader Supported News PO Box 2043 Citrus Hts, CA 95611

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Matt Taibbi | The Pentagon Wins Again 

Matt Taibbi, Rolling Stone
Taibbi writes: "In budget negotiations this week, congressional Democrats seem to have brought knives to the Republican gunfight. This time, the issue was defense spending."
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William Barr. (photo: Tom Williams/Getty Images)  

Mueller Report Rules Were Written to Give Congress Access, Say Experts
Adam Peck and Danielle McLean, ThinkProgress
Excerpt: "Congress is still trying to extricate the Mueller report from the Justice Department, but the Trump administration doing its best to keep it from public view."
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ICE agents make an arrest. (photo: Getty Images)

ICE Arrests More Than 280 in Texas in Largest Workplace Raid in a Decade
Hamed Aleaziz, BuzzFeed
Aleaziz writes: "US immigration agents arrested more than 280 suspected unauthorized employees Wednesday in a raid on a phone equipment repair business in Texas, the largest such sweep at a single worksite in more than a decade, officials said."
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A health care rally. (photo: Health Care for All)

Medicare for All Critics Are Telling Lies
Matt Bruenig, Jacobin
Bruenig writes: "One of the most common myths about the US health system is that if you like your insurance, you can keep it. But millions of people are thrown off their employer-based coverage every year - so the only solution is Medicare for All."
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Public Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda attends the trial of Congolese warlord Bosco Ntaganda at the ICC (International Criminal Court) in the Hague, the Netherlands, August 28, 2018. (photo: Bas Czerwinski/Reuters)

Trump Administration Revokes Entry Visa for ICC Prosecutor Investigating US War Crimes in Afghanistan
Reuters
Excerpt: "Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said last month the U.S. would withdraw or deny visas to ICC staff investigating such allegations against U.S. forces or their allies."
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Since 2010, Honduras has been host to one of the highest murder rates in the world. (photo: UNICEF)

UNICEF: A Child Dies Violently in Honduras Every Day
teleSUR
Excerpt: "In Honduras, a child under 18 dies violently every day, according to the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF)."
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Pollution from a factory. (photo: Reuters)

CO2 Levels Are Now at a 3 Million-Year High
Olivia Rosane, EcoWatch
Rosane writes: "There is likely more carbon dioxide in the atmosphere now than at any other time in the last three million years."
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POLITICO Massachusetts Playbook: DEMOCRATS trade CAMPAIGN tips — City Hall CORRUPTION case could return — ICE ARRESTS at local courts

DEMOCRATS trade CAMPAIGN tips — City Hall CORRUPTION case could return — ICE ARRESTS at local courts

Mar 29, 2019 View in browser   BY STEPHANIE MURRAY GOOD MORNING, MASSACHUSETTS. TGIF! DEMOCRATS TRADE CAMPAIGN TIPS — Democrats will huddle this weekend for the state party's Democratic Campaign Institute. The two-day event features tips for fundraising, organizing and building coalitions, along with talks from elected officials including Rep. Ayanna Pressley and Sen. Ed Markey. "The Democratic Campaign Institute is essentially a nuts-and-bolts training about how to get involved in politics," Massachusetts Democratic Party Executive Director Veronica Martinez said over the phone yesterday. "It's an opportunity to open up the party to folks who might have not felt welcome before." Also on the speaking roster are Boston City Council President Andrea Campbell and state Sen. Sonia Chang-Díaz, and other experts like Democratic National Committee member Kate Donaghue, state Senate counsel Ava Callendar Concepcion, Liberty Square Group's Scott Ferson and Elizabeth Warren for President National Regional Political Director Chelsey Cartwright. The two-day workshop has three tracks geared toward candidates, activists and campaign staff. One notable alum of the program, Martinez said, is Anthony Collins, who went on to become a field organizer on Pressley's 2018 campaign for Congress. Martinez said she expects around 200 people to attend the event, hosted at the Reggie Lewis Track and Athletic Center in Roxbury. Tickets are $75, though some attendees can attend through donor-supported waivers. Shortly after being elected last fall, state Rep. Nika Elugardo, Suffolk District Attorney Rachael Rollins and Rep. Liz Miranda described the state party as racist, and raised concerns about the lack of support from the party for their campaigns. Martinez said the comments were "reflective of conversations" taking place within the party, and this year's event has "an eye toward diversity and inclusion." "When we're working with speakers, we're asking them to keep in mind obstacles inherently built in these structures," Martinez said of this weekend's event. 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 visits the Quest Diagnostics laboratory in Marlborough. Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito, Quincy Mayor Tom Koch,state Rep. David Biele, Boston City Councilors Ed Flynn and Michael Flaherty attend the Maritime Champion Award Ceremony & 2019 Cruise Season Kickoff. Sen. Elizabeth Warren campaigns in Iowa. Attorney General Maura Healey appears on "Boston Public Radio." Rep. Seth Moulton visits Iowa. The Joint Committee on Ways and Means hears testimony at Roxbury Community College. The Massachusetts Association of 766 Approved Private Schoolsholds a "Bring Your Legislator to School" day at the Brandon School in Natick. DATELINE BEACON HILL - "5 Republicans Vote 'Present' As Senate Overwhelmingly Votes To Ban Conversion Therapy For Minors," by Katie Lannan, State House News Service: "The Senate on Thursday voted 34-0 to ban the use of conversion therapy to change the sexual orientation or gender identity of minors, with five Republicans voting "present" rather than for or against the bill. Sen. Vinny deMacedo said he and Sens. Bruce Tarr, Ryan Fattman, Donald Humason and Dean Tran oppose conversion therapy but have concerns that the bill's wording is vague and infringes on the rights of mental health professionals." - "Spilka calls for gender X bill's passage," by Andy Metzger, CommonWealth Magazine: "SENATE PRESIDENT KAREN Spilka took the rare step Thursday of appearing before her colleagues to argue for passage of a bill — in this case a measure to benefit non-binary residents that was jammed up at the eleventh hour last session. The bill Spilka supports would create a new non-binary gender classification of X instead of M or F on state IDs, including driver's licenses. It would also allow for the alteration of a person's gender listed on birth records to X at the request of the person or in the case of a child, their parents." - "Sen. Don Humason is sole Senate vote against lifting the welfare 'family cap,'" by Shira Schoenberg, Springfield Republican: "The Massachusetts Senate voted 37-1 on Thursday to lift a cap on benefits for children born once a family is receiving welfare. Sen. Don Humason, R-Westfield, was the lone dissenting vote. Humason, who is running for Westfield mayor, said he has heard from constituents who are having trouble making ends meet but who do not qualify for public benefits." - "Credit card fees biting into state's savings from all-electronic Mass Pike toll system," by Mary Markos, Boston Herald: "Efforts to cut costs by dumping toll takers on the Mass Pike and switching to an all-electronic system have come up short, with climbing credit card fees threatening to take an even bigger bite out of the savings, according to state data. Prior to the transition in October 2016, electronic tolling was projected to reduce Pike operating costs from $56 million to $36 million, according to MassDOT." - "State suspends $72,000 annual pension for ex-trooper in overtime fraud scandal," by Matt Stout and Matt Rocheleau, Boston Globe: "The State Retirement Board voted Thursday to suspend the $72,205-a-year pension of a former state trooper sentenced this week in the overtime fraud scandal, marking the first time it's made such a move since prosecutors began bringing charges in the sweeping investigation. Gregory Raftery, a retired trooper and the first defendant to face incarceration over the scheme tied to the now-disbanded Troop E, was sentenced Tuesday to three months in prison." - "Advocates want ban on flavored tobacco and vaping products," by Victoria McGrane, Boston Globe: "More than 100 cancer patients, survivors, and their family members fanned out across Beacon Hill on Thursday to push for a ban on all flavored tobacco products, including the nicotine liquid used in vaping, as well as steep new taxes on e-cigarettes. "They are marketed and sold to our youth and our youth are getting sick and they have no idea what the consequences are," Representative Danielle W. Gregoire, a Marlborough Democrat and the lead sponsor of the House measure that would ban flavored e-cigarettes, told the advocates before they set off on their lobbying blitz at the State House." - "Lawmakers hear support and concern for road safety bills," by Andy Metzger, CommonWealth Magazine: "DISTRACTED DRIVING HAS become an "epidemic," Transportation Secretary Stephanie Pollack told lawmakers on Thursday, pushing for a policy package that she said would make motorists, cyclists, and pedestrians safer. Gov. Charlie Baker's bill would allow police to pull over drivers for failing to wear a seat belt, ban handheld phone use by drivers, and provide a statutory framework to allow for electric scooters and electric pedal-assist bicycles on roadways." - "Jim Lyons blasts bills expanding abortion access," by Lisa Kashinsky, Boston Herald: "Massachusetts Republican Party Chairman Jim Lyons blasted a pair of bills that would expand access to abortion as "radical infanticide" on Wednesday, while advocates defended a woman's right to control her own health care.In a letter to his party, Lyons said the legislation "removes all practical limitations on aborting unborn babies," adding, "absolutely nothing would be done to protect or even comfort a baby who survives a late-term abortion." "Is that really where we are in Massachusetts, that a helpless newborn child is to be left aside with no comfort and no ability to live?" Lyons, who opposes abortion, told the Herald." WHAT CITY HALL IS READING - "City Hall corruption case could head to trial, after all," by Maria Cramer and Danny McDonald, Boston Globe: "A federal appeals court vacated the dismissal of public corruption charges against two Boston City Hall aides Thursday, holding that a judge misinterpreted the law in the Boston Calling case — a development that now paves the way for prosecutors to bring the matter to trial. In a major win for the US attorney's office, the First Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that federal prosecutors do not have to prove that the aides, Kenneth Brissette and Timothy Sullivan, personally benefited from the hiring of union workers at the Boston Calling musical festival in 2014." FROM THE HUB - "Nine young people overdosed last year while under DCF's watch," by Matt Stout, Boston Globe: "Three youths under the watch of the state's Department of Children and Families died of overdoses last year, and six others suffered nonfatal overdoses — the most since state officials declared the opioid epidemic a public health emergency five years ago. The nine cases, disclosed in a recent state report, have set off alarms among child welfare advocates. While it's unclear if it's a grim, new trend or a tragic anomaly, they said the overdoses underline how much the drug crisis is still buffeting DCF, the agency charged with helping protect children from abuse and neglect." - "Is Boston too noisy? One city councilor wants to talk about it." by Christopher Gavin, Boston.com: "Blaring music from college parties, construction chugging along across a city buzzing with new development, and countless street fairs, festivals, and events: the sounds of Boston. But are those noises too loud? City Councilor At-Large Althea Garrison wants to look into it." - "Report on Laura Levis's death cites hospital's parent company," by Priyanka Dayal McCluskey, Boston Globe: "A report released Thursday identified serious flaws at the parent company of Somerville Hospital, where a 34-year-old woman dying from an asthma attack was locked outside the emergency room — but it stopped short of blaming any individuals for the 2016 incident. It criticized hospital officials for failing to share key details about the death of Laura Levis with her family and with hospital board members and describes Cambridge Health Alliance, the parent of Somerville Hospital, as beset by internal divisions." - "Marty Walsh Promises to Fix Parking Ticket Errors," by Ellen Gerst, Boston Magazine: "Diligent and legal parkers in Boston are getting stacks of parking tickets on their windshields for violations they didn't commit. Turns out even if you think you're carefully moving your car every two hours to park it in a new zone, the city may still give you a ticket. Mayor Marty Walsh, appalled by a new NBC10 report on the unwarranted parking tickets, said he's sorry—but sorry isn't good enough for Marty." - "Bed sores, smeared faces, helplessness: New reports paint dismal picture of care at VA nursing homes," by Andrea Estes and Donovan Slack, Boston Globe and USA Today: "At the Veterans Affairs nursing home in Brockton, a severely impaired veteran with dementia sat trapped in his wheelchair for hours, his right foot stuck between the foot rests. Inspectors watched as staff walked past the struggling man without helping. Nine months after USA Today and The Boston Globe reported that veterans received substandard care at many Department of Veterans Affairs nursing homes, newly released inspection reports paint a discouraging picture of the care that sick and frail veterans continued to receive at these federal nursing homes." - "Taxpayers are asked to support falcons, fight pigeon poop," by Bob Salsberg, Associated Press: "Along with all the usual declarations and deductions, Massachusetts residents have been asked to keep something else in mind this tax season: pigeon droppings. In an unusual and at times stomach-turning appeal, the state agency MassWildlife proposed that one way to fight back against the sticky messes befouling cars and damaging bridges is for taxpayers to check a box on their tax forms to support the state's endangered species program. How so? Peregrine falcons are among the program's beneficiaries, and they prey on pigeons." DAY IN COURT - "'Chilling effect;' ICE made more than 100 arrests at Massachusetts courthouses in the past year," by Steph Solis, MassLive.com: "The phone rings off the hook at Ivan Espinoza Madrigal's office with complaints from immigrants about federal agents stalking local courthouses across Massachusetts. His organization, Lawyers for Civil Rights, has tracked more than 100 arrests in the past year by Immigration and Customs Enforcement at local courthouses. One of those include the arrest of an undocumented 21-year-old Cape Verdean man in a Boston courthouse in January." - "Kraft lawyers file motion to toss video evidence in soliciting prostitution case," by Travis Andersen, Boston Globe: "Lawyers for New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft on Thursday filed a motion to toss video evidence in the misdemeanor prostitution solicitation case pending against him in Florida. The eight-page filing submitted in a Palm Beach County court said Kraft, 77, "seeks to suppress video recordings that are the fruits of an unlawful sneak-and-peek search warrant that the Town of Jupiter Police Department used to spy on Mr. Kraft and others, while they were in the private rooms of a licensed spa (the "Spa"), receiving treatment from licensed masseuses." WARREN REPORT - "To win in 2020, Elizabeth Warren channels a message from ... 1896?" by Niels Lesniewski, Roll Call: "Democratic presidential candidate Elizabeth Warren has a new target in her campaign against big businesses: integrated agricultural conglomerates like Tyson Foods. And in making the policy announcement, she's channeling William Jennings Bryan. The Democratic senator from Massachusetts announced Wednesday morning that she would seek to change the Justice Department's antitrust enforcement to stop (and even reverse) large mergers in the agribusiness space, as well as change the way the department views vertically-integrated companies." FROM THE DELEGATION - "Richie Neal's big moment," by Larry Parnass, CommonWealth Magazine: "RICHARD NEAL, consummate policy guy and inveterate old-school pol, had come to talk pensions. But after a March 21 roundtable in Boston, the new chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee was yanked back to the issue dogging him for months — when would he request President Trump's tax returns? The question seemed to annoy Neal. He told the press huddle at the State House that it had to be done right and he wouldn't "succumb to the emotion of the moment." What's the timeline, a reporter began to ask. "You weren't listening," Neal snapped back. An aide broke in: Any questions about pensions? "Yeah," Neal said with sarcasm. "There are other issues we might want to consider talking about." Dream on." - "The Race Research Cited by DeVos," by Lauren Camera, U.S. News & World Report: "A MAJOR JUSTIFICATION for a controversial policy action taken by the Trump administration regarding discipline in schools relied on research from an academic considered well outside the mainstream who didn't know his work was being used to bolster the decision. The issue came to light Tuesday, when Rep. Katherine Clark, a Democrat from Massachusetts, pressed Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos about her reasons for revoking Obama-era discipline guidance during a congressional hearing about the president's proposed budget for the Department of Education." - "Rep. Joseph Kennedy III leads House condemnation of President Trump's transgender military ban," by Jacqueline Tempera, MassLive.com: "The U.S. House of Representatives passed a resolution Thursday condemning President Donald Trump's proposed transgender military ban. The measure - which was brought forward by Rep. Joseph Kennedy III, a Massachusetts Democrat who is the chair of the Equality Caucus's Transgender Equality Task Force, passed 238-185 on Thursday." ABOVE THE FOLD — Herald: "FIRED UP!" — Globe: "Overdoses on rise in DCF youths," "Hospital criticized in ER patient's death." FROM THE 413 - "Hampden DA Anthony Gulluni's decision not to charge Springfield cops before indictments was a 'dereliction of duties,' council president Justin Hurst says," by Scott J. Croteau, Springfield Republican: "The Springfield City Council is questioning Hampden District Attorney Anthony Gulluni's handling of the Nathan Bill's assault investigation and has accused the district attorney's office of neglecting to complete a thorough investigation. Justin Hurst, council president, issued a scathing statement one day after the state attorney general's office secured indictments against one dozen Springfield police officers." - "Three months in, Domb sticking to campaign promises," by Lillian Ilsley-Greene, Daily Hampshire Gazette: "After three months in the Legislature, state Rep. Mindy Domb, D-Amherst, continues to stand against what she considers to be the dangerous policies coming out of Washington, D.C. Since taking office in January, Domb has co-sponsored a series of progressive bills on immigration, education reform, and issues of gender and sexuality. She also was a strong voice on the recent vote to ban conversion therapy for LGBTQ minors." THE LOCAL ANGLE - "'I love New Bedford': Jon Mitchell gives State of City Address," by Kiernan Dunlop, Standard-Times: "At his annual State of the City Address Thursday, Mayor Jon Mitchell invited the audience to join him for a family meal and check in on how things are going in the city. As with many family meals, the audience was already familiar with the majority of subjects up for discussion. Mitchell used his 50-minute speech to highlight how much New Bedford has improved since he took office in 2012 , once again highlighting the documented drops in the crime and unemployment rates, and the rise of the high school graduation rate." - "Bakers visit child development center," by Jessica Valeriani, Eagle-Tribune: "Gov. Charlie Baker and Lauren Baker, first lady of Massachusetts, visited The Professional Center for Child Development, or PCCD, Thursday morning to meet with students, parents, and staff, and read books to the children. PCCD works with children of all abilities to eliminate barriers to children's growth and development, said Executive Director Chris Hunt. Staff at the center also work to identify early stages of disabilities in children in an effort to guide them toward long-term success." - MEANWHILE IN NEW HAMPSHIRE: "Salem Home owner says he's working on cleanup of yard filled with printers," by Madeline Hughes, Eagle-Tribune: "Michael Bates cited his divorce, the Chinese ban on recyclables and an emotional decision to close his liquidation business as the reasons printer boxes are piled 5-feet high in the backyard of his home at 45 Maclarnon Road. Salem town officials have been working for nearly a year to get the homeowners, Bates and his estranged wife Christina, to clean up the property." MEDIA MATTERS - "WBUR Board Looks To Increase Role Following News Of GM's Departure," by Martha Bebinger, WBUR: "Influential donors to WBUR are exploring ways to make the station more independent, including a separate governing board or a "spinout" from the station's owner, Boston University. Discussions began immediately after the group, known as WBUR's Board of Overseers, learned that WBUR General Manager Charlie Kravetz would no longer oversee daily operations of the station and would leave, officially, at the end of June. Members of the board, which has no direct decision-making authority, say they felt blindsided by the decision and ignored by BU when they protested." - Rick Sobey joins the Boston Herald as a general assignment multimedia reporter. Sobey was a reporter at The Lowell Sun. Tweet. SPOTTED: Sen. Elizabeth Warren and Rep. Seth Moulton on the same American Airlines flight from DCA to Des Moines last night. HAPPY BIRTHDAY - to 1776 President & Chief Innovation Officer Peter Cherukuri, David King, senior lecturer in public policy at Harvard Kennedy School; Ned Gandevani, Sanjay Misra, Harvard PhD candidate; and Richard Lewontin who turns 9-0 today. HAPPY BIRTHWEEKEND - to Victoria Ireton, an account executive at Lynch Associates and a Seth Moulton alum, who turns 25 on Saturday (h/t Joe Sherlock), and the Daily Hampshire Gazette's Dusty Christensen, who celebrates Saturday. DID THE HOME TEAM WIN? No! The Mariners beat the Red Sox 12-4. 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.   Follow us on Twitter Stephanie Murray @StephMurr_Jour   Subscribe to the POLITICO Playbook family Playbook  |  Playbook PM  |  California Playbook  |  Florida Playbook  |  Illinois Playbook  |  Massachusetts Playbook  |  New Jersey Playbook  |  New York Playbook  |  Brussels Playbook  |  London Playbook View all our politics and policy newsletters FOLLOW US

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