POLITICO Massachusetts Playbook BAKER’s in — SENATE harassment case details — BOSTON hit with $1 million in IRS penalties

11/29/2017 07:00 AM EDT

By Lauren Dezenski (ldezenski@politico.com; @LaurenDezenski) with Rebecca Morin (rmorin@politico.com; @RebeccaMorin_)

GOOD MORNING, MASSACHUSETTS. Windy with a high of 58 in Boston today.

IT'S OFFICIAL - Gov. Charlie Baker is seeking another term, his team officially announced yesterday. It's a question that Baker has dodged for months, but insiders have viewed a bid for a second term for the nation's most popular governor as inevitable.

Consider the sizable war chest he and LG Karyn Polito, who plans to stay on the ticket, have amassed since 2014. Their campaign accounts together total close to $10 million; reports from back in May that said Baker and his team wanted to raise a whopping $30 million for the entire re-election bid.

But don't confuse this announcement with the actual campaign launch. That'll come next year. Baker, like his friend Marty Walsh in 2017, faces challengers with low name recognition and a fraction of the cash - there is no interest in giving oxygen to challengers by engaging in a race any sooner than absolutely necessary.

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 heads to Fitchburg to campaign for state Senate candidate Dean Tran - Acting U.S. Attorney William D. Weinreb, DEA Special Agent in Charge Michael J. Ferguson, and MBTA Transit Police Chief Kenneth Green announce a public awareness campaign to address the opioid epidemic - Rep. Joe Kennedy III appears on WGBH's Greater Boston at 7 p.m.

WHAT CITY HALL IS READING - "Boston paid nearly $1 million in penalties after IRS audit," by James Vaznis, Boston Globe: "The City of Boston paid nearly $1 million in penalties to the federal government after an IRS audit revealed wide-ranging problems with the city's payrolls, from schools paying stipends to individuals under the table to the city failing to deduct Medicare withholding taxes for many employees, according to findings released Tuesday by the city."

DATELINE BEACON HILL - 

** 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 **

- "Massachusetts Senate sexual harassment cases involved intern, visitor," by Shira Schoenberg, Springfield Republican: "The two sexual harassment cases investigated by Massachusetts Senate staff over the last three years involved an intern and a visitor to the building, Senate President Stan Rosenberg, D-Amherst, said Tuesday. ... Both cases, Rosenberg said, were resolved to the satisfaction of the person who reported the complaint."

- "Baker sees education, housing, MBTA as term two priorities," by Matt Murphy, State House News Service: "Gov. Charlie Baker confirmed Tuesday that he will seek a second term in 2018, vowing that with another four years he will be able to continue on the progress he said his administration has made to grow jobs, close the education achievement gap, fight the opioid epidemic and improve housing options for Massachusetts families. Baker, who was in Worcester touring the new Table Talk Pie processing plant, announced his re-election campaign over the din of pie ovens humming in the background."

- "Senate President Stan Rosenberg will seek third term as Senate president," by Shira Schoenberg, Masslive.com: "Senate President Stan Rosenberg, D-Amherst, plans to run for reelection and will seek a third two-year term as Senate president in 2018. 'If I'm reelected first by my constituents, then I'd ask my colleagues to consider giving me another round,' Rosenberg told reporters at the Statehouse on Tuesday."

- "Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey joins 18 other state prosecutors in opposing proposed contraceptive coverage rollback," by Gintautas Dumcius, Masslive.com: "Healey and the other attorneys general filed an amicus brief in federal court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, backing Pennsylvania's lawsuit against the federal government over new Trump administration rules that allow companies to claim an objection on religious or moral grounds."

- "Massachusetts bill could put medical professionals in prison for sexual assault," by Elisha Machado, 22 News: "Middlesex County District Attorney Marian Ryan said under current law, she cannot prosecute a medical professional when a patient believes touching is inappropriate if that patient consents. Ryan testified in support of a bill that would criminalize sexual assault by a medical professional."

- "Questions arise over profession spawned by opioid crisis: recovery coaches," by Felice J. Freyer, Boston Globe: "Governor Charlie Baker is the latest to seek answers, with his recent proposal for a commission to look into credentialing recovery coaches, a move that could lead to insurance reimbursement."

TRUMPACHUSETTS -

- "Geoffrey Diehl dodges on Liz Warren," by Meghan Ottolini, Boston Herald: "Republican state Rep. Geoffrey G. Diehl, who is running to unseat U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, sidestepped questions yesterday about President Trump's decision to mock his opponent by referring to her as 'Pocahontas' during a ceremony honoring Navajo code talkers."

- COUNTERPOINT: "Commentary: Trump's "Pocahontas" comment wasn't a racial slur," by Michael Graham, CBS News: "But 'Faux-cahontas,' 'Lie-awatha,' 'Rides In Limos' and the other nicknames Warren's been given by the Right aren't slurs against Native Americans. They're attacks on Warren and her play at identity politics (her claim of Cherokee heritage remains unproven)."

THE WARREN REPORT -

- "Sen. Elizabeth Warren: Trump has "no authority" to appoint interim CFPB boss," by David Brancaccio, Marketplace: "Dodd-Frank created the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, and the law that Congress put in place specifically says the deputy director takes over when the director is absent or unavailable. So if we're going to have a deputy director who's going to take over on an interim basis, it ought to be done according to the law. There's no vacancy here for Donald Trump to fill."

ON THE STUMP -

SORRY CHARLIE - "Massachusetts Senate President Stan Rosenberg: I will support the Democrat for governor," by Shira Schoenberg, Masslive.com: "As governor, Gov. Charlie Baker, a Republican, has worked closely with state Senate President Stan Rosenberg, a Democrat, on issues ranging from the state budget to the opioid epidemic. But Rosenberg, of Amherst, made clear Tuesday that Baker cannot count on his help in one major area: Baker's re-election. 'I will be supporting the Democrat,' Rosenberg told reporters at the Statehouse on Tuesday, the same day Baker officially announced that he was running for a second term."

DIEHL ON WHEELS - "GOP Senate candidate Geoff Diehl launches campaign bus tour across Massachusetts," by Shannon Young, Springfield Republican: "State Rep. Geoff Diehl, R-Whitman, announced Tuesday that he will bring his 2018 U.S. Senate campaign to voters all across Massachusetts through a statewide 'Diehl on Wheels' bus tour."

THE TSONGAS ARENA -

FIRST IN PLAYBOOK - Rufus Gifford is hosting a campaign kickoff cocktail reception/fundraiser in Boston tonight, with co-hosts including John Connors, John Fish, and Kathy Gasperine.

WOOD WAR - Herald: "SLAM DUNK!" "BAKER MAKES BID OFFICIAL," "ROCKET MAN'S FUN GAMES OVER." - Globe: "Boston pays nearly $1 million in audit," "Putting a real price on city land," "Tax overhaul nears a full Senate vote," "Holiday shopping gets off to a strong start," "THE POINT OF NO TURN"

THE LOCAL ANGLE -

ABOUT LAST NIGHT - "Hillary Clinton decries Republicans," by Matt Stout, Boston Herald: "Hillary Clinton in Boston last night called the GOP tax bill an 'abomination,' skewered President Trump for 'playing right into Russia's hands' and blamed Fox News for altering campaigns as we know it in a triple broadside against Republicans."

- "Blood suckers: Call center workers battle abusive customers, manager, bedbugs," by Eoin Higgins, Dig Boston: "After months of mistreatment, filth, and apparent abuse, workers at the Boston home security firm [SimpliSafe] are taking matters into their own hands-by petitioning the company to address their grievances and by forming an organization, United SimpliSafe Workers, that they hope will help to unionize their workplace soon."

- "Cape Wind fight spins on," by Tanner Stening, Cape Cod Times: "Opponents of the stalled Cape Wind project have appealed a federal agency's decision to allow the offshore wind energy developer to maintain its long-term federal lease in Nantucket Sound, where the company had planned to build 130 wind turbines."

- "Worcester panel favors 15 pot shops at most, and 3% local tax on marijuana sales," by Nick Kotsopoulos, Worcester Telegram: "A City Council standing committee favors limiting the number of establishments selling recreational marijuana in the city to 15 and having a 3 percent local tax assessed on their sales. Tuesday night, the Economic Development Committee unanimously endorsed those recommendations made by City Manager Edward M. Augustus Jr. as part of an overall package he submitted to the City Council detailing how the city should respond to the new state law that allows sale and use of marijuana ."

- "UMass to vaccinate all undergraduates against meningitis; CDC rules 2 diagnosed cases an 'outbreak,'" by Diane Lederman, Masslive.com: "The University of Massachusetts will begin a massive vaccination campaign against meningitis after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention determined that two diagnosed cases should be considered an outbreak. University Health Services Executive Director Dr. George Corey said there is no need to cancel classes, but UMass instead will hold four clinics with the intention of vaccinating the entire undergraduate population."

MAZEL! - to Liz Goodwin, the Boston Globe's newest general assignment political reporter. She joins the paper from Yahoo News.

ALSO MAZEL! - to Thomas Curry, former United States Comptroller of the Currency, who is joining Nutter as a partner. Curry will co-lead the firm's Banking and Financial Services practice group and advise the firm's clients in a wide range of policy, regulatory, governance, and other matters.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY - to House Speaker Robert DeLeo's communications director Seth Gitell, Roslindale paralegal Katherine Forde, and Dorchester Reporter scribe Maddie Kilgannon.

THE HOME TEAMS DID NOT PLAY.

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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. More **

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This email may be cut off by your email provider. To see today's full MASSterList, click "View entire message" at the bottom, or view the online version here. By Jay Fitzgerald and Keith Regan 11/28/2017

‘Baby-ish’ | Rosy future? | Reality politics show

Happening Today

Economic outlook, Dell at BC luncheon, Hillary Clinton pitches book - The Board of Elementary and Secondary Education meets to discuss the search for a new education commissioner, funding and policy issues around virtual schools, proposed amendments to the MCAS exam and other issues, 75 Pleasant St., Malden, starting at 8:30 a.m. -- The Boston Foundation releases its 15th annual Greater Boston Housing Report Card, 75 Arlington St. - 3rd floor, Boston, 8:30 a.m. -- New England Economic Partnership holds its fall economic outlook conference on the state, New England and national economies, Federal Reserve Bank of Boston, Connolly Center, 600 Atlantic Ave., Boston, starting at 9 a.m. - Gov. Charlie Baker and Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito visit Table Talk Pies' new processing facility, 25 Southgate St., Worcester, 10 a.m. -- Cannabis Control Commission is expected to meet, One Ashburton Place, 21st floor, Boston, 10:30 a.m. -- The Joint Committee on Financial Services Health will review insurance mandates and life insurance legislation, Hearing Room A-1, 10:30 a.m. -- The Massachusetts State Lottery Commission meets with Treasurer Deb Goldberg chairing, 1 Ashburton Place, 12th Floor, Crane Conference Room, Boston, 10:30 a.m. -- Treasurer Deb Goldberg will give brief remarks at the Massachusetts State Retirement Board Seminars, Gardner Auditorium, State House, 11:30 a.m. -- Dell Technologies chairman and CEO Michael Dell is the featured speaker at the Boston College Chief Executives Club luncheon, Boston Harbor Hotel - Wharf Room, 70 Rowes Wharf, Boston, 12 p.m. -- Boston Mayor Martin Walsh is a guest on ‘Boston Public Radio,’ WGBH-FM 89.7, 1 p.m. -- The Joint Committee on Public Health reviews bills dealing with emergency medical services, vital records and disposition of remains, Room A-2, 1 p.m. -- The Joint Committee on the Judiciary holds a hearing on 67 bills dealing with sex offenses, with several bills dealing with the registration or classification of convicted sex offenders and access to information about registered sex offenders, Room B-1, 1 p.m. -- Boston Mayor Marty Walsh will join Mayor Sly James of Kansas City, Mayor Peter Buttigieg of South Bend, Indiana, and Mayor Sharon Weston Broome of Baton Rouge for a talk titled ‘Cities as Laboratories for Innovation: What the Country Can Learn,’ with Jorrit de Jong, faculty director of the Bloomberg Harvard City Leadership Initiative, moderating the event, Kennedy School, Cambridge, 6 p.m. -- Hillary Clinton speaks at a sold-out event that’s part of her nationwide book tour for ‘What Happened,’ a telling of her years in politics and the 2016 presidential election, Boston Opera House, 539 Washington St., Boston, 7:30 p.m. -- Gov. Charlie Baker and First Lady Lauren Baker join Boston Mayor Martin Walsh at the WBZ Faneuil Hall Holiday Spectacular and Tree Lighting, Faneuil Hall, Boston, 7:30 p.m.

Today's News

Mooch’s ‘baby-ish’ critics As they say, it takes one to know one. Anthony Scaramucci is now labeling critics of his threats to sue a Tufts student and student-run newspaper as “baby-ish” and he’s making no apologies for his actions, reports Ben Kesslen at the Tufts Observer and Abigail Feldman at the Boston Globe, which based its story on the Mooch interview with the Observer. It’s all about his honor, Scaramucci says. In editorials this morning, both the Boston Globe and the Boston Herald say Tufts University’s Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy should never have associated itself with Scaramucci – and they say he needs to go. Meanwhile, the Globe’s Michael Finucane has a good blow-by-blow account of the two Tufts Daily student columns that so ticked off Scaramucci, a Tufts alum who increasingly sounds like he never left the Somerville-Medford campus. Finally, Carol Rose, executive director of the ACLU of Massachusetts, announced in a statement yesterday that the ACLU is advising Tufts graduate student Camilo Caballero against the libel threats issued by Scaramucci attorneys.

Warren calls Trump’s latest ‘Pocahontas’ taunt a ‘racial slur’ It almost boggles the mind that President Trump used a ceremony honoring the legendary Navajo “code talkers” of World War II to once again take a cheap “Pocahontas” shot at U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, but he did, according to an AP report at WBUR. Warren is now accusing Trump of using a “racial slur” during what was supposed to be a solemn occasion. The Herald’s Kimberly Atkins describes the now familiar “Pocahontas” jab as a clear “racial epithet.” But here’s our question: Why did it take so long to denounce the “Pocahontas” digs, long used by Trump and others against Warren, in such terms? Not that the term isn’t a racial slur or racial epithet. Instead, it’s more than a little fascinating for those of us interested in political group think that this line of defense is only now being hauled out in force, not months or even years ago. Either way, the new defense strategy isn’t going to work. Trump being Trump, he’s never going to let go of the insult -- and any counter-attacks will only draw more attention to the Native-American controversy that’s dogged Warren for years. The Herald’s Howie Carr is all over the controversy -- again. WBUR

The CFPB drama: ‘A decent reality TV plot’ Speaking of Warren, it was indeed a ‘surreal’ day in Washington yesterday, as Trump and anti-Trump surrogates battled it out over control of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Of course, it was ultimately a mere proxy fight between forces representing President Donald Trump and, distantly, U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren. The Globe’s Julia Jacobs and SHNS’s Katie Lannan (pay wall) have the details.

Brockton-led education funding suit coming by year’s end Here’s one holiday-season gift the state’s leadership would rather not unwrap: The city of Brockton is poised to file a lawsuit by the end of the year challenging the state’s approach to funding education, Tom Relihan of the Enterprise reports. Brockton—which stared down a $16 million deficit in its school budget this year—has reached out to other communities to join the action and is looking to identify students to name as plaintiffs. The last time such legal action was started, of course, it led to sweeping education reforms.  Enterprise

Galvin now has not one but two challengers From Christian Wade at the Salem News: “Secretary of State William Galvin, who is the longest-serving official elected statewide, has drawn challengers from his own party for the first time in years. Josh Zakim, a Boston city councilor, filed paperwork Monday signaling his plan to run against Galvin in next year’s Democratic primary, becoming the second contender to challenge Galvin’s decades-long hold on the office. Brian Felder of Swampscott filed paperwork in July to run for the office. Zakim, a lawyer who has served on the City Council since 2014, has a background in community activism. He says Galvin hasn’t been vocal enough in opposing the policies and actions of Republican President Donald Trump and the GOP-controlled Congress.” For some reason, we don’t think an anti-Trump plank is going to work in a secretary of state’s race. We could be wrong.  Salem News

The T’s rosy future – after a little more pain CommonWealth magazine’s Bruce Mohl has a good piece about how MBTA officials are becoming increasingly optimistic that riders will soon be seeing major service improvements in coming years, mostly due to the arrival of new Red and Orange line subway cars. SHNS’s Andy Metzger (pay wall) reports that the T is now viewing the Blue Line as the future model for other lines, partly due to its newer cars and a maintenance system known as “reliability centered maintenance” (or RCM). Then again, T riders on the Green Line can expect “greater inconvenience” in coming years as the agency steps up replacement of the line’s aging track system, Mohl reports at CommonWealth. And that MBTA’s switch to a new cashless-fare system? That may be fine for the well-to-do, but many low-income and elderly riders don’t have credit cards or aren’t comfortable with smartphones, reports the Globe’s Kathleen Conti. “There is growing concern that the new system could be inaccessible for them,” she writes.

In Quincy, high hopes for T station project The MBTA appears poised to move forward with a plan to transform the Quincy Center MBTA station into a mixed-use development with as many as 600 apartments, Sean Phillip Cotter of the Patriot Ledger reports. It’s a long-mulled project that city officials hope will be a catalyst to even wider revitalization of the downtown.  Patriot Ledger

Trump serving as both anchor and lifeline for candidates Despite his high popularity ratings, Gov. Charlie Baker’s re-election campaign may be weighed down next year by the unpopularity of fellow Republican Donald Trump, writes the Globe’s Frank Phillips. Then again, Donald Trump’s unpopularity is galvanizing and opening up opportunities for candidates, left and right, like no other political figure in memory, writes the Herald’s Joe Battenfeld. So let us get this straight: Trump is both the yin and yang of American politics?

Article of the Day: Right-wing outfit tries to trick Post into running fake Roy Moore story This is the talker story of the day for news and political junkies left and right. From the Washington Post: “A woman who falsely claimed to The Washington Post that Roy Moore, the Republican U.S. Senate candidate in Alabama, impregnated her as a teenager appears to work with an organization that uses deceptive tactics to secretly record conversations in an effort to embarrass its targets. But on Monday morning, Post reporters saw her walking into the New York offices of Project Veritas, an organization that targets the mainstream news media and left-leaning groups. The organization sets up undercover 'stings' that involve using false cover stories and covert video recordings meant to expose what the group says is media bias.” Score another one for Marty Baron’s team. Washington Post

School committee, mayor want answers on IRS audit The Boston School Committee and Mayor Marty Walsh are demanding answers about an IRS audit that found the school system was improperly paying for teachers out of a student-activity fund, reports the Globe’s James Vaznis and the Herald’s Dan Atkinson. The Globe, which originally broke the audit story, reports that the school department is “still keeping the full audit secret and has refused to say how many schools, how many employees, or how much money is involved.”

Cha ching: Bain Capital – and Deval Patrick – cash out with investment sale Unilever’s announced purchase yesterday of Sundial Brands means a big payout for Boston’s Bain Capital, an investor in the skincare-products company, and for former Gov. Deval Patrick, who joined Bain two years ago and served on Sundial’s board of directors as part of Bain’s stake in the firm, reports Greg Ryan at the BBJ.  BBJ

It’s a gusher: Heating-oil assistance flowing to state despite Trump’s budget threat President Donald Trump may have threatened to eliminate the federal Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program in his initial budget. But like most of his legislative agenda, it never happened, so federal oil-assistance funds are still flowing – and that’s good news for Massachusetts. Gary Tuoti at Wicked Local has the details. Wicked Local

The Royal Wedding: The local angle! It seems Prince Harry’s new bride-to-be has some Nantucket royalty in her, as in Meghan Markle being a descendant of Captain Christopher Hussey, Esquire, a founding father of Nantucket who left England for America in the 1650s, according to the UK’s Telegraph, as reported by Hayley Glatter at Boston Magazine. Then again, the unfortunately named Hussey, in a royal bride-to-be sense, may never have stepped foot on Nantucket. So there goes the local wedding angle, damn it. Glatter explains. Boston Magazine

‘They've already carted off more than 600 thousand tons of dirt’ Six hundred thousand tons of dirt? Where are they putting it? Anyway, Jay Lepiarz at WBUR has a report on how Wynn Casino is now entering the final phase of its environmental clean-up of its Everett casino site. Check out the accompanying photo of ongoing construction. They’re much further along than we thought. WBUR

Court rules firm not to blame for pitching sensation Mark Fidrych's death It was certainly a freak death for ex-Detroit Tigers pitching star Mark Fidrych, who died of strangulation while working on a dump truck at his Northborough farm in 2009. But the Massachusetts Appeals Court yesterday dismissed a wrongful-death lawsuit by Fidrych's widow against Mack Trucks and the maker of a component involved in the Northborough accident. Universal Hub’s Adam Gaffin has the details. Universal Hub Two words: No plastics, Part II From the Globe's Milton Valencia : "After more than a year of debate, the Boston City Council is poised to vote on banning single-use plastic shopping bags at checkout lines across the city, an effort to reduce litter and encourage environmentally friendly alternatives. Under the proposal, shoppers would have to bring reusable bags with them to supermarkets, pharmacies, and corner stores or pay 5 cents each for thicker plastic bags that could be used more than once. " Boston Globe Worcester courthouse developer races Congress for tax credits The developer planning to spend $53 million to transform a long-shuttered courthouse in downtown Worcester into a mixed-income housing project is looking for a quick close on its purchase of the property to lock in $1.3 million in tax credits, Nick Kotsopolous of the Telegram reports. Congress is poised to phase out some of the credits, but the project would qualify for grandfathering if the sale is closed by year’s end.  Telegram Stiffer fines coming for handicapped spot parking — eventually With the signature of Gov. Charlie Baker on Monday, a bill that would boost fines for illegally parking in handicapped spaces became law on Monday, but scofflaws have a 10-month reprieve as the new penalties don’t take effect until September of 2018, Christian Wade reports in the Salem News.  Salem News Question of the day: Can offshore wind farms and commercial fishing co-exist? The University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth’s School for Marine Science and Technology, along with Massachusetts Marine Fisheries Institute, has launched a research project to see if offshore wind farms can coexist with other ocean-based industries, especially commercial fishing, reports Mary Serreze at MassLive. The study is part of a "blue economy" initiative and Deepwater Wind, one of several firms vying to build wind farms off the coast of Massachusetts, has pledged $1 million over five years for the academic research program. MassLive Today's Headlines Metro Boston begins efforts to become carbon neutral by 2050 - WBUR Emerson has big plans for its corner of the Common - Boston Globe Massachusetts Long-time social worker enters Attleboro rep race - Sun Chronicle Northampton resident elected as youngest to Democratic State Committee - Hampshire Gazette Framingham: School board member lobs accusations in profane emails - MetroWest Daily News New Mass. law cracks down on handicapped parking abuse - WBUR Nation Senators race to pass tax bill by sweetening gains for wealthy - New York Times Why Democrats are to blame for consumer agency debacle - Politico To view more events or post an event listing on Beacon Hill Town Square, please visit events.massterlist.com. Beacon Hill Town Square