POLITICO Massachusetts Playbook: BUMP knocks BAKER — Mayor Pete’s BESTIE — How Boston Police use SNAPCHAT

BUMP knocks BAKER — Mayor Pete’s BESTIE — How Boston Police use SNAPCHAT

BY STEPHANIE MURRAY GOOD MORNING, MASSACHUSETTS. Happy Monday! BUMP HITS BAKER ON STATE GOVT WOES — Auditor Suzanne Bump laid some of the blame for recently uncovered dysfunction at state agencies at Gov. Charlie Baker's feet during a television interview Sunday. State government has been under a harsh spotlight in recent months. First there was the summer scandal at the Registry of Motor Vehicles, then a report finding safety is not a top priority at the MBTA, and now Bump's office is releasing a new audit that says the Department of Revenue has lacked the tools to protect sensitive data. Bump said she was not surprised by the slew of shortcomings at state agencies during an interview on WCVB's "On the Record", and pointed to Baker's decisions early in his term as governor as part of the problem. "The first act of his acts as governor, if you recall, was to offer an early retirement incentive plan to reduce the number of employees in state government. That had a significant impact on all of the agencies," Bump said. "They were terribly eroded and they haven't been built back up." "It was easy to predict that when you cut out so many people, and so many basic functions were being under-funded, under-populated with professionals," Bump continued, "that you would end up with results like this." Even as Democrats point to the Republican Baker administration as the reason for problems at state agencies, it doesn't seem to be affecting Baker's job approval in the state. Even after it was revealed that the RMV had failed to suspend thousands of licenses, Baker remained the nation's most popular governor. 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 attend the Human Resources Division Performance Recognition Awards Ceremony. Baker, Polito and Boston Mayor Marty Walsh make a MassWorks announcement in Boston. Walsh signs a home rule petition for a transfer fee on real estate sales over $2 million with Boston City Councilors Lydia Edwards and Kim Janey. Walsh attends a "Shop with a Cop" event in Dorchester. Former Gov. Deval Patrick speaks at St. Anselm College in Manchester, N.H. POLITICO TECH AT CES - We are bringing a special edition of the POLITICO Tech newsletter to CES 2020 . Written by Nancy Scola and Cristiano Lima, the newsletter will take you inside the largest and most influential technology event on the planet, featuring every major and emerging industry in the technology ecosystem gathered together in one place. The newsletter runs from Jan. 6 - 10 and will focus on the public policy related aspects of the gathering. Sign up today to receive exclusive coverage of the Summit. DATELINE BEACON HILL — "Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker signs $542 million closeout budget bill," by Shira Schoenberg, Springfield Republican: "Late Friday afternoon, Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker signed a supplemental budget bill that spends $542 million and ends a months-long legislative stalemate that had prevented the state from closing the books on the fiscal year that ended June 30, 2019. "A developing pattern of late appropriation bills bodes poorly for the future fiscal health of the Commonwealth, particularly if we encounter more challenging budgetary times," Baker wrote in a signing letter." — "Safety issues at MBTA, RMV show similar problems at each agency," by Mary Markos, Boston Herald: "Similar troubles with potentially fatal safety impacts are dogging both the MBTA and the Registry of Motor Vehicles, revealing what critics say is a "cultural problem" with the administration of Gov. Charlie Baker. An emphasis on bringing the T to a state of good repair faster was "detrimental" to operations, according to a report produced last week by a panel of transportation experts, who found the "T's approach to safety is questionable, which results in safety culture concerns." The safety review panel was hired by the Fiscal and Management Control Board, which oversees the MBTA, to conduct a comprehensive review of operations after the Red Line derailment disaster in June." — "State regulators issue new standards for toxins," The Associated Press: "Massachusetts state regulators have issued new standards for toxic compounds in drinking water. Perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, collectively called PFAS, have turned up in public water supplies and private wells around the country, and there is growing evidence that long-term exposure can lead to cancer and low infant birth weights." — "For Berkshire legislative delegation, some hits, some misses on bills," by Carolyn Komatsoulis, Berkshire Eagle: "Everyone remembers the "Schoolhouse Rock!" song about a bill becoming a law and its happy ending: "He signed you, bill! Now you're a law!" So far this session, the Berkshire County delegation in the Statehouse has filed slightly fewer than 200 bills individually, according to an analysis of the Massachusetts Legislature website. Of those, 11 bills where one or both of the lead sponsors was a member of the Berkshire delegation have been signed by Gov. Charlie Baker and one has been vetoed — a sick leave bank for a government employee who died by the time it got to Baker ." — "Legislators seek to stop Charlie Baker from passing Transportation Climate Initiative," by Lisa Kashinsky, Boston Herald: "Opponents of the hotly debated Transportation Climate Initiative are pushing a bill this week that would force Gov. Charlie Baker to seek approval from the Legislature before enacting the multi-state compact that will hike the cost of gas. "The bottom line is we're filing something that will at least require the Legislature to approve and maybe direct it if it's passed," state Rep. David DeCoste, a Norwell Republican, told the Herald. Baker has been keen on the TCI deal — a collaboration between 12 states from New England to the Mid-Atlantic, as well as the District of Columbia — as a method of reducing carbon emissions and moving toward renewable energy for transportation." — "Income tax rate returning to 1985 level," by Sarah Betancourt, CommonWealth Magazine: "GOV. CHARLIE BAKER says the state's individual income tax rate will drop to 5 percent at the beginning of next year, ending a two-decades-long march back to the level it was at in 1985. The income tax rate was increased in 1985 and again in 1990, with politicians promising to lower it again when the economy improved. There was a small decrease in 1992 and another in 2000 before 59 percent of the state's voters approved a ballot question directing that the rate be lowered to 5 percent in three years. That schedule was put on hold in 2002 by the Legislature, which authorized incremental drops in the rate as long as economic conditions permitted." WHAT CITY HALL IS READING — "Mejia, St. Guillen look back on the closest Boston City Council race in history," by Adrian Walker, Boston Globe: "One vote. One lousy vote. Days after the conclusion of the closest Boston City Council election imaginable, both Julia Mejia and Alejandra St. Guillen were still in a bit of a state of shock over the outcome, which Mejia won by one vote after a recount. "It's still sinking in for me," Mejia said last week. "I feel like any moment, someone will say 'Psych! I was just joking!' It doesn't feel real yet." It's no less jarring for St. Guillen, who made the surprising decision not to challenge the result in court." FROM THE HUB — "Scores of sex offenders have state licenses to be electricians, manicurists, and more. The official who found out got fired," by Andrea Estes, Boston Globe: "It was pure chance that Ada Alfonso discovered a high-risk registered sex offender among the licensed electricians that her office oversees. Benjamin B. Brause had renewed his license online in June 2016 — even though at the time he was locked up for sexually assaulting a boy he coached in youth football. Even one such lapse is problematic; people licensed in the trades are trusted to work unsupervised in private homes. But a review of licensed professionals conducted by the state in May after Alfonso's questions revealed a much bigger problem." — "This Decade, Boston Voters Crushed the Old Guard," by David Bernstein, Boston Magazine: "A mere ten years ago, Boston politics didn't seem all that different from a century earlier. Men—primarily white, Catholic men—led the city's transactional, tribal political machinery, where what you get is about who you know, and who you owe. Cracks in that system were beginning to show ten years ago. Today, the dam has burst. A more anarchic and progressive politics has rushed in, with a wave of younger, more progressive, and more diverse candidates bulldozing past the remnants of the old guard, as it tried in vain to hold back the deluge." — "Protesters call for more affordable housing in Suffolk Downs redevelopment," by Jeremy C. Fox, Boston Globe: ""More than 100 community members and affordable housing advocates rallied Saturday afternoon in East Boston's Central Square to call for greater transparency, more community input, and an increase in the number of affordable units for a proposed development at Suffolk Downs. Neighborhood residents feel their voices are not being heard by the 161-acre site's proposed developers, HYM Investment Group, or by the Boston Planning & Development Agency, said Andres Del Castillo, an organizer from the affordable housing group City Life/Vida Urbana who planned the protest." — "Amid reforms and staffing dips, overtime for prison officers soars," by Gal Tziperman Lotan, Boston Globe: "Massachusetts has the lowest incarceration rate in the country, and its state prison population has dropped by 19 percent since 2015. But hopes for increased cost savings have not been realized. Payroll for correctional officers has increased slightly over that span, as overtime costs have nearly tripled, a Globe review has found. Last year, correctional officers received $44.68 million in overtime, up from $16.3 million in 2015. This year, overtime pay is on pace to rise again, having reached $40 million by early November." DEBATE PREP: Seven candidates have qualified for the final Democratic Presidential debate, hosted by PBS Newshour and POLITICO, in Los Angeles on Dec. 19. Check out POLITICO's debate hub featuring election forecasts, a breakdown of the candidates' policy positions, and everything you need to know to get ready for the big night. FROM THE DELEGATION — "Ayanna Pressley's prison plan slammed by law enforcement officials," by Rick Sobey and Erin Tiernan, Boston Herald: "U.S. Rep. Ayanna Pressley's sweeping plan to significantly cut jail and prison populations, in part by declining to prosecute numerous offenses, is drawing heat from law enforcement officials who say it would trigger more crime and is "only exacerbating problems." Pressley's resolution — called "The People's Justice Guarantee" — includes proposals that would dramatically reduce the number of people incarcerated across the country, and would encourage diversion programs. The plan also calls for declining to criminally prosecute low-level offenses associated with poverty and addiction, and ending mandatory minimum sentencing." ALL ABOARD — "Get ready: Keolis says fare gates are coming to the commuter rail next year," by Adam Vaccaro, Boston Globe: "The mad dash to catch a rush-hour commuter train is about to get more complicated for tens of thousands of riders, as the MBTA prepares to install turnstiles similar to those in the subways at its three busiest stations in order to improve fare collections. They're probably coming to North Station first, sometime in the first half of 2020, before rolling into the Back Bay and South Station later in the year, according to rail operator Keolis Commuter Services, which will install the gates for the MBTA." DAY IN COURT — "Boston law enforcement has been fighting a court order to release data on who police target on Snapchat," by Elizabeth Weill-Greenberg, The Appeal: "For almost a year, Boston prosecutors and police have been fighting a court order to disclose police reports that advocates say could expose a pattern of racially discriminatory policing practices. In January, Superior Court Judge Robert Ullmann ruled that the police department must provide Boston defense attorney Josh Raisler Cohn with reports from Aug. 1, 2017 to July 31, 2018, for any case in which a charge was filed as a result of law enforcement surveillance of Snapchat accounts. Ullmann excluded sexual assault, murder, and human trafficking cases." WARREN REPORT — "Mayor Pete's bestie is also helping craft the Warren agenda," by Alex Thompson and Elena Schneider, POLITICO: "Ganesh Sitaraman is one of Elizabeth Warren's closest advisors. He's also one of Pete Buttigieg's best friends. How's that for awkward? The 37-year-old Vanderbilt Law School professor, who's been with Warren since before the start of her political career, has been a key architect of the sweeping policy agenda that powered her surge to the top of the Democratic field. But in his new book, The Great Democracy, the first person Sitaraman acknowledges isn't Warren. It's the man she's been battling fiercely for bragging rights in Iowa." — "Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders Have a Problem: Each Other," by Jonathan Martin, The New York Times: "Diane Chojnowski and Denyce Rusch were among the Iowans who braved light snowfall and temperatures in the teens to see Senator Bernie Sanders on Sunday afternoon, a few hours before Senator Elizabeth Warren was also due in this liberal pillar of eastern Iowa. But after Ms. Chojnowski and Ms. Rusch praised Ms. Sanders, they turned to a predicament far more bothersome than the winter weather: choosing between the two progressive candidates." — "A new Warren surrogate gingerly takes the stage: 'Hi, I'm Elizabeth's husband,'" by Jess Bidgood, Boston Globe: "He wryly admitted to being a poor substitute for his wife. He warned that his golden retriever, Bailey, might jump on the assembled volunteers. And he seemed almost embarrassed by the lengthy introduction that preceded his own remarks. This week, Senator Elizabeth Warren's presidential campaign rolled out a new and exceedingly low-key surrogate: her husband, Bruce Mann, who up until now has been more likely to be folding chairs after a Warren event than taking the microphone to kick one off." ABOVE THE FOLD — Herald: "PATS CLINCH," "CRIME ALERT," — Globe: "A quiet morning, then chaos," "3 busiest rail hubs to get fare gates soon." EYE ON 2020 — MEANWHILE IN NEW HAMPSHIRE: "Lower-tier candidates stand firm in NH primary field," by Christian M. Wade, Eagle-Tribune: "Dennis Ryan is a Democrat who has voted in every presidential election since the early 1970s, but he doesn't consider himself beholden to the party's nominee. The Manchester man is among the politically active residents of the Granite State who have been squeezing into town hall meetings, watching televised debates and combing over policy statements in search of a candidate to support in New Hampshire's Democratic presidential primary. He said the crowded field makes it difficult." — MEANWHILE IN OHIO: "Amherst's Nakajima campaigns for Patrick in Ohio," by Scott Merzbach, Daily Hampshire Gazette: "An Amherst School Committee member who served in state government during Deval Patrick's tenure is in Ohio this week working on the former Massachusetts governor's fledgling presidential campaign. "I'm organizing volunteers and helping us to get set up across the state of Ohio, and to build support," Eric Nakajima said on Friday as he was driving near Cleveland. But Nakajima, chairman of the Amherst Regional School Committee, said his immediate focus is on collecting enough signatures so Patrick's name can appear on the primary ballot alongside other Democrats running for president." FROM THE 413 — "His struggle with heroin landed him behind bars; Here's how he got clean in a Western Massachusetts jail," by Douglas Hook, MassLive.com: "Allan J. Ryan has spent the past decade in-and-out of trouble with the authorities. His longtime struggles with drug addiction led him to present-day life inside the Franklin County House of Correction in Greenfield serving time for larceny. In the library of the jail, he sits. A tall, slender man in an orange jumpsuit, he waits for his dose of methadone daily. He looks over the top of his oval glasses waiting for the nurse to call his name so he can walk over and relieve his craving for the heroin addiction he has developed over the years." — "The Richie Neal Moment in the House of Representatives," by Matt Szafranski, Western Mass Politics & Insight: "One day in October, the House Ways & Means Committee chairman, Springfield Congressman Richard Neal, exited the stately conference room in the Capitol. A swarm of Capitol Hill scribes were waiting, buzzing him with questions about impeachment, Donald Trump's tax returns and pending legislation. A staffer walked ahead, recording exchanges for quote accuracy. Aside from Ireland matters or a hit on CNBC to nerd out on tax policy, such a sudden scrum around Neal would be unthinkable a few years ago." THE LOCAL ANGLE — "Worcester vape shop owners report big losses as Mass. ban expires," by George Barnes, Telegram & Gazette: "Adrian Pelkey has vape pens on display in his counters at Rize+ store, tobacco flavored products on the shelves, but stored away is $100,000 worth of flavored vaping products the state has prohibited him from selling. The state ban on unflavored vaping products expired Wednesday, but Pelkey's flavored products sold at the Park Avenue store before the ban remain off the shelves. Since the vaping products ban went into effect in September, Rize+ has been focused more on CDB products, smoking glassware items such as bongs and other products to stay in business." — "Officials: Amazon eyeing West Quincy property," by Mary Whitfill, The Patriot Ledger: "Online retail giant Amazon has its eye on West Quincy as the potential site of a new distribution center, officials say. The online retailer, which recently dropped plans for a facility on Campanelli Drive in Braintree, is considering building at the site of a former Lowe's hardware store on Burgin Parkway. The MBTA has also expressed interest in the site for a new bus maintenance center to replace the aging facility on Hancock Street. Palmucci said an engineer for Amazon met with city officials to express interest in the 13-acre parcel at 599 Burgin Parkway." MEDIA MATTERS — "The Short List Mourns The Demise Of Small-Town Newspapers," by Jill Kaufman, NEPR: "In western Massachusetts this week, the Athol Daily News shut its office in town. The paper will still be published, but will be based some 25 miles away in Greenfield. Staff were cut in what the paper's parent company said is a cost-cutting move. Susannah Whipps, Athol's state representative, said she understands the expense of running a daily paper. "The Athol Daily News has been a staple in the community for decades, for as long as I can remember," she said." TRANSITIONS - Cassie Moreno joins Suraj Patel's congressional campaign in New York's 12th District as communications director. Moreno previously served as communications director for Boston City Councilor Michelle Wu, and is a Rep. Seth Moulton alum. MAZEL! to the State House News Service's Colin Young, who got engaged and turned 30 in the same weekend. Tweet. HAPPY BIRTHDAY — to Boston Globe's Liz Goodwin, Charlotte DuHamel, Ryan McCollum and Beth Fairservis DID THE HOME TEAM WIN? Yes! The Patriots beat the Bengals 34-13. FOR YOUR COMMUTE: THE POLL-AR EXPRESS — On this week's Horse Race podcast, hosts Jennifer Smith and Steve Koczela discuss new polling on the New Hampshire primary. Boston Globe reporter Adam Vaccaro runs through the safety report on the MBTA conducted by an independent panel of experts. MassINC Polling Group Research Director Rich Parr rounds out the show with a look at a regional poll focused on the Transportation Climate Initiative. 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. 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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POLITICO Massachusetts Playbook: MARKEY’s staff shuffle — Mejia wins recount by ONE VOTE — Report SCORCHES safety at MBTA

MARKEY’s staff shuffle — Mejia wins recount by ONE VOTE — Report SCORCHES safety at MBTA  

BY STEPHANIE MURRAY GOOD MORNING, MASSACHUSETTS. Have a tip, story, suggestion, birthday, anniversary, new job, or any other nugget for the Playbook? Get in touch: smurray@politico.com. SCOOP: MARKEY'S CAMPAIGN SHAKE UP — Sen. Ed Markey is reshuffling the staff on his reelection campaign. Two aides have left the campaign, and Markey is announcing two new hires. The moves come at the end of the year, just before the competition to defend his seat from two Democratic challengers becomes more intense. Cristina Aguilera, who was Markey's statewide organizing director, is taking a new gig as partnerships director at the digital fundraising platform ActBlue. And Mara Dolan , who served as Markey campaign as senior communications adviser, is stepping back to focus on other projects. Dolan had joined to help establish the campaign's communications operation, Markey campaign manager John Walsh said. Additionally, Chelsie Ouellette, who had been partially involved with the Markey campaign as part of her role at the progressive consulting firm Field First, is now national organizing director on former Gov. Deval Patrick's presidential campaign. Stepping in as Markey's organizing director is Rory Clark, who worked on Markey's 2013 campaign for Senate and as a regional director his Boston office. Clark has also worked on former Patrick's gubernatorial campaign. And Joe Thibodeau is also joining the Markey campaign as deputy organizing director. Thibodeau is a veteran of the crowded primary to replace Rep. Niki Tsongas in 2018. He served as director of community development for Rep. Lori Trahan, and was Trahan's field director during the 2018 general election. Prior to that, Thibodeau was district director for former state Sen. Barbara L'Italien. FOR YOUR RADAR — I'm moderating a talk with 2020 presidential candidate Sen. Michael Bennet at the Kennedy Institute on Wednesday morning. I hope you'll join us or tune into the livestream. Find details here. TODAY — Gov. Charlie Baker, Holyoke Mayor Alex Morse and state Rep. Aaron Vega make a MassWorks announcement in Holyoke. Baker, Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito, Marlborough Mayor Arthur Vigeant and state Sen. Paul Feeney make a grant announcement in Marlborough. Boston Mayor Marty Walsh speaks at the 41st annual golden wedding anniversary celebration in the Back Bay. Rep. Katherine Clark is a guest on CNN's "New Day" to discuss the articles of impeachment being announced later in the morning. DATELINE BEACON HILL - "Safety 'is not the priority' at the MBTA, panel finds," by Matt Stout and Adam Vaccaro, Boston Globe: "The MBTA's intense focus on tightening its day-to-day budget while speeding the pace of long-needed projects under Governor Charlie Baker has been detrimental to the operations of the agency and has helped foster a culture in which "safety is not the priority," according to a withering report released Monday. The findings, delivered by a panel of experts hired by the Fiscal and Management Control Board, which oversees the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority, describe an agency struggling with generational problems, such as constant turnover in its upper ranks, and hamstrung by its own decisions." - "T changes course on fare system upgrade," by Andy Metzger, CommonWealth Magazine: "HAVING MISCALCULATED THE needs of its riders and the capabilities of its vendor, the MBTA has adopted a new approach to overhauling its fare collection system that will take longer to complete, cost more, but result in a better and more reliable product, officials say. Rather than the all-at-once, make-or-break transition dubbed a "big bang" under the old schedule, the T will instead gradually phase-in a series of upgrades to ultimately achieve the goal of a smoother, more flexible fare-collection operation that eliminates on-board cash. The launch had been slated for next year with the implementation to be completed by 2022, but under the new plan, the phase-in will stretch into 2024." - "A Salem city councilor is calling out Charlie Baker over the state of the MBTA," by Nik DeCosta-Klipa Boston.com: "Christine Madore wants Gov. Charlie Baker to experience what her commute was like this week. Madore, a Salem city councilor, says she takes public transit on a daily basis, taking the commuter rail and Orange Line to her urban planning job in downtown Boston. But after delays and crowded trains made her and coworkers an hour late to a meeting Wednesday morning, Madore felt compelled to use her "small soapbox" to vent — and issue a challenge to Baker." - "Lawmakers want to toughen HIV testing rules," by Christian M. Wade, The Salem News: "Lawmakers want to mandate HIV tests in cases where first responders might have been infected, but the effort faces pushback from those who say the changes are based on fear and misinformation about how the disease is spread. Several proposals scheduled to be heard by the Legislature's Joint Committee on Public Health on Tuesday would require HIV antibody or antigen tests for anyone — even against their will — suspected of infecting someone else by exposing them to blood, semen or other bodily fluids." - "Supp Still Hung Up as New Deadline Nears," by Michael P. Norton, State House News Service: "There was no apparent breakthrough over the weekend on prolonged state budget talks and the branches remain apart with just over 48 hours remaining before Comptroller Andrew Maylor takes matters into his own hands. Legislative leaders have not settled differences that have caused Maylor to warn he'll just sweep more than $1 billion in surplus revenues into the rainy day account at 3 p.m. Wednesday unless legislators agree to a closeout budget before then." - "$1.8M granted to 20 Massachusetts school districts for 'teacher diversification,'" by Jim Russell, Springfield Republican: "Gov. Charlie Baker on Thursday announced $1.8 million in grants for 20 school districts, including Amherst, Holyoke and Springfield, to support the administration's Teacher Diversification Pilot Program. Holyoke received the largest share of the funds, $367,283. The program "is designed to support local school district efforts to strengthen and diversify existing teacher recruitment and retention programs," according to the state." - "MADD names Whelan legislator of the year," by Geoff Spillane, Cape Cod Times: "State Rep. Timothy Whelan, R-Brewster, has been named a 2019 legislator of the year by the group Mothers Against Drunk Driving. Whelan has collaborated with MADD to advance several pieces of roadway safety legislation, including H.1580 — "An Act further strengthening public safety through interlock devices." The legislation would permit a driver charged with OUI to install an interlock device so they can drive again." FROM THE HUB - "Boston activist wins City Council race by a single vote after recount," by Milton J. Valencia, Boston Globe: "That cliche that every vote counts, it's true. In a city of nearly 700,000 residents, last month's at-large Boston City Council race was decided by a single vote Monday night in a nail-biting recount that is likely to be challenged in court. Julia Mejia, a first-time candidate for office, won the city's fourth and final at-large seat, beating Alejandra St. Guillen 22,492 votes to 22,491 votes. Mejia welled up with tears as the Boston Election Commission announced the result, narrowing her initial eight-vote win down to one. St. Guillen had left just before the vote tally was announced to pick up her young child, after several hours of legal wrangling over disputed ballots. Her team said she is reviewing the tally and her options, including whether to challenge the outcome in state court." - "Walsh, Zakim submit changes to immigrant Trust Act," by Sarah Betancourt, CommonWealth Magazine: "BOSTON MAYOR MARTY WALSH and City Councilor Josh Zakim submitted legislation on Monday to strengthen a city ordinance that bars city police from cooperating in most cases with federal immigration authorities to detain immigrants who are in the country illegally. The amendments to the city's Trust Act would make clear that police are not to cooperate with Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials in civil matters, though they can work with immigration agencies in cases involving serious crimes." - "Compromise plan may give Boston a 2 percent tax on larger real estate sales," by Tim Logan, Boston Globe: "Big-dollar real estate sales in Boston could face a tax that would raise hundreds of millions of dollars for city housing programs, under a plan set to get its first vote this week. The City Council on Wednesday will consider a measure to allow a tax of up to 2 percent on real estate transactions of $2 million or more — including homes and apartment and office buildings. It has the support of Mayor Martin J. Walsh, and with his signature would head to the state Legislature for a vote." - "Hundreds of scholars protest Harvard's decision to deny tenure to Latinx studies professor," by Deirdre Fernandes, Boston Globe: "Harvard professor Lorgia García Peña has been described as a brilliant ethnic studies scholar and an excellent teacher by her colleagues and her students. But she was relatively unknown until a week ago, when Harvard's administrators denied her tenure. Now, the once obscure professor of romance languages and literatures has become a cause celebre, inspiring student protests, letters of support from hundreds of academics across the country, and a petition urging the university to reverse course signed by thousands of students, professors, and alumni. García Peña's case has become a rallying cry for Harvard students and alumni who have been pushing the university to establish an ethnic studies department for nearly 50 years and are frustrated by the slow progress." - "Report: Tech Is A Boon For Boston, But Not For Everyone," by Adrian Ma, WBUR: "Boston and a handful of other cities are sucking up a disproportionate share of jobs in the nation's "innovation industries," and that trend is not good for the country, according to the authors of a new report. The Brookings Institution report defines innovation industries as those with an intense focus on research and development, and a significant need for science, technology, math and engineering talent. The report's authors estimate that between 2005 to 2017, over 90% of new innovation industry jobs came from just five "superstar metro areas": San Francisco, San Jose, Seattle, San Diego and Boston." - "Mass. biotech and technology companies are scrambling to fill open jobs," by Scott Kirsner, Boston Globe: "A state unemployment rate of 2.9 percent doesn't quite capture how tight the job market is in Massachusetts. "I've never seen anything like it — and I was in the tech industry during the boom of the late 1990s," says Chris Robinson, the chief talent officer at Third Rock Ventures, a Boston firm that provides capital to biotech companies. "And this is much greater than that one, as far as companies' need and the lack of people with the right skills." So what are fast-growing tech and biotech companies doing to fill open jobs in the waning days of 2019?" PRIMARY SOURCES - "Deval Patrick Said His Record Of Fixing Problems Other Candidates Only "Have Plans For" Is Resonating In New Hampshire," by Darren Sands, BuzzFeed News: "Deval Patrick is offering a blunt defense of his record as his rationale for entering the race for president, saying that as a two-term governor, he's already proved his ability to deliver on "a lot of the stuff" that other candidates in the race only "have plans for." "A lot of the stuff that voters say they're interested in, and that candidates have plans for, I've already done. So for me it's not about having a plan or ambition — it's about having results. In New Hampshire, folks know what I'm talking about. Those proof points are familiar to them and people are open to it," Patrick told BuzzFeed News in an interview in Washington, DC. "It is something I bring to the race that the other very capable candidates don't." Patrick has said that he doesn't see any part of his campaign's approach or its message as a "critique" of other candidates." WARREN REPORT - "Buttigieg and Warren come clean in tangle over transparency," by Elena Schneider and Daniel Strauss, POLITICO: "McKinsey and Company will allow Pete Buttigieg to disclose the clients he served at the management consulting firm a decade ago, the latest development in a week-long battle over transparency as Buttigieg and Elizabeth Warren scrap for position in the Democratic presidential primary. Buttigieg has faced weeks of criticism from rival campaigns and Democratic activists over his employment at McKinsey and his closed-door fundraisers with wealthy donors, particularly from Warren, who has banned in-person fundraisers on her campaign as part of an anti-corruption platform. But Buttigieg has fired back by criticizing Warren for not releasing her tax returns during years that covered her corporate legal work." - "Elizabeth Warren's New Ad Reminds Voters Of Her Alliance With Obama," by Kevin Robillard, HuffPost: "Former Vice President Joe Biden isn't the only Democratic presidential candidate who can put former President Barack Obama in his ads. One of Sen. Elizabeth Warren's newest ads in Iowa features footage of Obama announcing that she would help lead the creation of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau in the wake of the Great Recession. Images from the Sept. 17, 2010, event appear as Warren describes her role in launching that agency." - "Memo from 1990s pollution case shows Elizabeth Warren in action as corporate consultant," by Annie Linskey and Matt Viser, The Washington Post: "The memo from then-Professor Elizabeth Warren was written on Harvard Law School letterhead, a symbol of gravitas for a scholar renowned as a champion for consumers victimized by predatory banks and other big businesses. But on this occasion, Warren was not arguing on behalf of vulnerable families, nor was she offering the sort of stinging rebuke of corporate greed that would later define her political career. Rather, Warren was representing a large development company that was trying to avoid having to clean up a toxic waste site." - "Elizabeth Warren, Ed Markey join the fight to save Minor League Baseball," by Michael Silverman, Boston Globe: " Massachusetts Senators Elizabeth Warren and Ed Markey have entered the escalating fray over Major League Baseball's proposal to strip the Lowell Spinners and 41 other minor-league teams of their major-league affiliation. In a sharply worded letter delivered to MLB commissioner Rob Manfred late last week, Warren and Markey depicted the contraction plan as "a slap in the face to Lowell, and to communities across the country." Warren, who is running for president, and Markey minced few words on the harmful impact the overhaul would have not only in Lowell but also in the Merrimack Valley, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and even Southern New Hampshire." TRUMPACHUSETTS - "Weld: Trump Has Committed Impeachable Offenses 'Way Worse Than Nixon,'" WGBH News: "Former Massachusetts Governor and Republican presidential candidate Bill Weld told WGBH News Morning Edition Host Joe Mathieu Monday that Trump has committed impeachable offenses "way worse than Nixon" and should be removed from office. "I'm a longtime federal prosecutor. ... I've never seen such evidence in an obstruction case," Weld said." KENNEDY COMPOUND - "Joe Kennedy calls on Medicare chief to resign after reports of jewelry claim, PR contracts," by Dan Diamond, POLITICO: "Rep. Joe Kennedy (D-Mass.) Monday became the first lawmaker to call on the official overseeing Medicare, Medicaid and Obamacare to resign over POLITICO reports he said reveal "a gross misuse of public funds." Kennedy called on Seema Verma, the administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, to step down after POLITICO this weekend reported she had asked taxpayers to cover the cost of $47,000 in stolen jewelry and other goods that were swiped during a work trip. Kennedy had also clashed with Verma during a congressional hearing this fall over her steering of more than $2 million toward public relations contractors, some of whom worked to burnish Verma's personal brand." MARIJUANA IN MASSACHUSETTS - "Massachusetts medical marijuana customers are buying cheap, good weed — in Maine," by Shira Schoenberg, Springfield Republican: "Ingrid Martinez is terminally ill and undergoing chemotherapy. Medical marijuana helps her alleviate her nausea and pain. Martinez, 50, a Lowell resident who worked in medical coding before she got sick, travels to Maine every three weeks or so to buy marijuana. Although she has a Massachusetts medical marijuana card, she said marijuana costs too much in the Bay State. Martinez had to stop using marijuana at one point because she could not afford it." ABOVE THE FOLD — Herald: "ICE BUCKET HERO," — Globe: "From challenged to challenger, he raised hopes on ALS," "Harvard faces fire on tenure process."" THE LOCAL ANGLE - "'There's no question at all that Christopher Roy is a hero;' fallen Worcester firefighter remembered 1 year after Lowell Street blaze," by Melissa Hanson, MassLive.com: "Perseverance. That's the word emblazoned on a memorial that will stand outside the Webster Square Fire Station in Worcester. That word represents a lesson, something the fire department can learn from the life and legacy of Firefighter Christopher Roy, Chief Michael Lavoie said Monday night at a ceremony marking the one-year anniversary of Roy's ultimate sacrifice. Roy was killed a year ago fighting a blaze that broke out at 5-7 Lowell St." - "Neighbors want more asbestos testing at compressor site," by Jessica Trufant, The Patriot Ledger: "Residents fighting the construction of a natural-gas compressor station on the banks of the Fore River want excavation of contaminated fill at the site halted until regulators order more testing for asbestos, a microscopic mineral fiber known to cause cancer. Weymouth resident, Margaret Bellafiore, says a firm hired to evaluate contamination on the site did not adequately test bricks that were dumped on the property years ago after being removed from an incinerator across the street. She recently called on state Department of Environmental Protection regulators to block the excavation of fill at the compressor station site until more testing is complete." REMEMBERING PETE FRATES ... from the AP: "Pete Frates, a former college baseball player whose determined battle with Lou Gehrig's disease helped inspire the ALS ice bucket challenge that has raised more than $200 million worldwide, died Monday. He was 34. Frates died peacefully, surrounded by his family, they said in a statement." Link. WELCOME TO THE WORLD - Boston City Council President Andrea Campbell welcomed her son, Aiden Ronald Scheier, on Sunday. Tweet. TRANSITIONS - Dave Garriepy has joined Tremont Strategies Group as vice president of government relations. He previously was director of state-federal relations for Gov. Charlie Baker. HAPPY BIRTHDAY - to David Todisco, digital press assistant to Rep. Lori Trahan; and Jasper Craven. DID THE HOME TEAM WIN? Yes and no! The Celtics beat the Cavaliers 110-88. The Senators beat the Bruins 5-2. FOR YOUR COMMUTE: THE FOURTH AWAKENS - On this week's Horse Race podcast, hosts Steve Koczela and Stephanie Murray discuss the ongoing spat between Senate candidates Sen. Ed Markey, Rep. Joe Kennedy III and Shannon Liss Rior-dan over taking a People's Pledge. Candidate for congress Jesse Mermell talks about why she is running to replace Kennedy, her time as president of the Alliance for Business Leadership and her role in former Gov. Deval Patrick's administration. Another congressional candidate, Ihssane Leckey, talks about her vision for the 4th Congressional District, her time as a Wall Street regulator and whether the district is ready for a Democratic socialist as a representative. 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.   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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