| | |  | BY LISA KASHINSKY | ‘NO COMMUNITY IS A MONOLITH’ — Michelle Wu could become Boston’s first Asian-American mayor next month, breaking yet another glass ceiling for AAPI representation here. But the city’s growing AAPI community isn’t necessarily united behind her campaign. Betty Lim King of the AAPI Action Group, a coalition of prominent local Asian Americans, wants to see an Asian mayor in Boston. But she said Wu is “not the right one.” “We need to have grassroots people, real people, not people who are so polished,” King said of Wu, adding that the Harvard-educated city councilor “doesn’t really understand our concerns.” King and her group believe Annissa Essaibi George does. King stood behind Essaibi George in Roxbury earlier this week when the mayoral hopeful rolled out her equity, justice and inclusion agenda. “She doesn’t look like us,” King told me. “But she shares our core values of responsible citizenship, grit, hard work, reason.” Chinese Progressive Political Action endorsed Kim Janey in the city’s preliminary election and spent money on canvassing in support of the acting mayor. “The whole pandemic year, the increased attention to police violence, how all of those things came together to increase public awareness and attention to racial equity issues — it just seemed to us like it was really a moment,” said Lydia Lowe of CPPA. “It is a very historic thing to have a progressive Black woman mayor, and it was a really important moment to make a stand for the first Black woman mayor.” But Janey didn’t make it through the preliminary. Now Chinese Progressive Political Action plans to endorse Wu. “We’re very happy to support Michelle Wu,” Lowe told me. “We think she’s taken a lot of important stands on issues around rent control and changing the [often-beleagured Boston Planning and Development Agency].” AAPI leaders cited generational and cultural differences as factors in why their political views and endorsements differ — just as they can and do in other communities of color. Asked about AAPI groups and leaders endorsing other candidates, Wu said “no community is a monolith” and urged people to vote “no matter where you end up in the election.” Wu handily won Chinatown in the preliminary, where her purple signs proliferate and where she held her big pre-preliminary rally with Sen. Elizabeth Warren. She continues to be a frequent campaigner in Boston’s predominantly AAPI neighborhoods, and is doing outreach in Mandarin (which she speaks) in her campaign videos and literature. “In Chinatown, in Little Saigon, we see the excitement,” Wu said. GOOD THURSDAY MORNING, MASSACHUSETTS. Massachusetts Playbook will not publish Friday, Oct. 8 and Monday, Oct. 11. I'll be back in your inbox Tuesday, Oct. 12. Have a tip, story, suggestion, birthday, anniversary, new job, or any other nugget for the Playbook? Get in touch: lkashinsky@politico.com. TODAY — Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito visits Barnstable High School at 11 a.m. and the Chatham Municipal Fish Pier at 1:30 p.m. Essaibi George greets people at Silver Slipper Restaurant in Roxbury at 7 a.m. and visits a Haitian Senior Home in Hyde Park at 9:30 a.m. Wu visits Cape Verdean Adult Day Health with state Rep. Liz Miranda at 11 a.m., hosts a press conference with her new union endorser in Dorchester at 4 p.m. and hosts a virtual phone bank kickoff with Sen. Ed Markey at 5 p.m. Markey and colleagues host a “No Climate, No Deal” press conference at 11 a.m. Janey gives remarks at the groundbreaking for the Justice Edward O. Gourdin Veterans Memorial Park in Nubian Square at 2 p.m. and hosts a Boston Marathon-related press conference at City Hall at 4 p.m. Rep. Richard Neal announces federal funding for Springfield Museums at 3 p.m. Rep. Seth Moulton presents the annual Peter J. Gomes Service Award at 5:30 p.m. on Facebook Live. THIS WEEKEND — WBZ medical expert Dr. Mallika Marshall discusses local vaccination efforts and other pandemic issues at 8:30 a.m. Sunday on “Keller at Large.” Senate President Karen Spilka is this week's guest on WCVB's "On the Record" at 11 a.m. Sunday. | |
| | THE MILKEN INSTITUTE GLOBAL CONFERENCE 2021 IS HERE: POLITICO is excited to partner with the Milken Institute to produce a special edition "Global Insider” newsletter featuring exclusive coverage and insights from one of the largest and most influential gatherings of experts reinventing finance, health, technology, philanthropy, industry and media. Don’t miss a thing from the 24th annual Milken Institute Global Conference in Los Angeles, from Oct. 17 to 20. Can't make it? We've got you covered. Planning to attend? Enhance your #MIGlobal experience and subscribe today. | | | | | |  | THE LATEST NUMBERS |
| – “Massachusetts coronavirus cases up 1,492, positive test rate stays lower,” by Rick Sobey, Boston Herald: “The single-day average of COVID-19 cases is now 970, compared to 1,895 cases three weeks ago. The average percent positivity is now 1.83%. The rate has been coming down from 2.98% last month.” – “COVID booster shots in Massachusetts up to 152,477 as average age of virus deaths decreases to 72,” by Noah R. Bombard, MassLive: “With more than 4.6 million Bay Staters now fully vaccinated against the virus, booster shots are continuing to roll out to eligible people. According to data from the state, a total of 152,477 COVID booster shots have now been administered in Massachusetts. Another 7,122 were reported on Wednesday.” | | DATELINE D.C. |
| – “Massachusetts Senate passes ‘groundbreaking’ voting reforms,” by Erin Tiernan, Boston Herald: “State senators passed a ‘groundbreaking’ package of voting reforms — including making mail-in voting permanent, expanding early voting access and introducing same-day registration — bringing the state one step closer to enshrining pandemic-era expansions in voter access into state law.” – “App-based companies say drivers want to be contractors. Opponents say that strips workers' rights,” by Laney Ruckstuhl, WBUR: “Marcus Cole was among those who signed the letter [supporting app-based drivers as independent contractors]. He has been driving for Lyft for six years, and said during a webinar held by the coalition Wednesday that legislators should listen to the needs of drivers directly. … But not all drivers agree, and many were joined by legislators and labor advocates who rallied outside of the State House ahead of the hearing Wednesday morning, painting a very different picture of the bill's impacts.” – “Fearing egg shortages, Legislature updates ballot question,” by Shira Schoenberg, CommonWealth Magazine: “A high-stakes game of chicken between national interests may threaten Massachusetts’s supply of eggs and pork. The Legislature is attempting to resolve the dilemma through some Beacon Hill sausage-making, by updating a 2016 ballot question regulating the treatment of hens, calves, and pigs.” – "Baker Plugs UI Rate Relief For Small Biz," by Matt Murphy, State House News Service (paywall): "With tax collections continuing to exceed expectations, Gov. Charlie Baker on Wednesday pushed lawmakers to act on his plan to use part of the surplus from last year to deliver unemployment insurance relief to small businesses." | | VAX-ACHUSETTS |
| – “Mass. hospitals prepare to fire hundreds of employees who refuse COVID vaccine,” by Priyanka Dayal McCluskey, Boston Globe: “Hospitals across Massachusetts are preparing to fire hundreds of employees who refuse to be vaccinated for COVID as the institutions seek to balance patient safety and ongoing workforce shortages.” – ICYMI: “As vaccination deadlines loom, Mass. hospitals brace to lose hundreds of workers,” by Jessica Bartlett, Boston Business Journal: “Mass General Brigham is preparing to replace those who don't get their shots in time, particularly those with critical roles as nurses or nursing supports. Those replacement plans are complicated by staffing shortages, however, as well as the state's family medical leave laws, which have increased the number of employees out on leave and the amount of time they can take.” | | FROM THE HUB |
| – “Kim Janey signs executive order to replace Columbus Day with Indigenous Peoples Day in Boston,” by Nik DeCosta-Klipa, Boston.com: “The city of Boston has seen its last Columbus Day. Acting Mayor Kim Janey signed an executive order Wednesday afternoon to recognize the second Monday in October as Indigenous Peoples Day — beginning this upcoming Monday, Oct. 11.” – More from the Boston Herald’s Sean Philip Cotter: “Diane Modica, a former city councilor now with the Sons and Daughters of Italy in America, put out a statement decrying ‘Acting Mayor Janey’s erasure of Italian Americans,’ and saying that while the suffering of Natives should be acknowledged, doing so shouldn’t involve taking away a source of pride for the Italians.” – “Boston Superintendent Cassellius announces group to tackle busing woes, school assignment, start times,” by Naomi Martin and James Vaznis, Boston Globe: “Boston Public Schools Superintendent Brenda Cassellius announced Wednesday a new working group to tackle longstanding transportation issues plaguing the district, including late or no-show buses, student assignments to schools, and school start times.” – “Cautious optimism following Charlie Baker-organized Mass and Cass meeting,” by Sean Philip Cotter, Boston Herald: “Area officials are expressing some cautious optimism after Gov. Charlie Baker convened the powers that be for the first of what are believed to be multiple meetings about the situation at Mass and Cass. … ‘For the first time in the last three years, I really feel that there is a concerted effort to get something done,’ [Suffolk County Sheriff Steve Tompkins said].” | | THE RACE FOR CITY HALL |
| – “WAKANDA II, other leaders of color come out for Michelle Wu in slew of endorsements reminiscent of 2013 mayoral race,” by Meghan E. Irons, Boston Globe: “State Representative Martin J. Walsh, barely known outside his Dorchester community, emerged from the 2013 preliminary election in a tight battle with City Councilor John Connolly from West Roxbury. Walsh had to break free. He did so by quickly and steadily rolling out endorsements from a diverse array of politicos — all aimed at illustrating that he would be a leader for the whole, changing city. … Walsh, of course, won that race. Now, eight years later, a similar situation is playing out as leaders of the city’s Black and Latino communities put their weight behind mayoral candidate Michelle Wu in her race against Annissa Essaibi George.” – Wu was also endorsed yesterday by state Rep. Nika Elugardo. WAKANDA II backed Janey in the preliminary. So did Elugardo, who’s also the latest progressive politician to line up behind Wu. – And FIRST IN PLAYBOOK: The Planned Parenthood Advocacy Fund of Massachusetts is endorsing Wu as well. – Essaibi George told Bloomberg Baystate Business that she’s “not super thrilled about” Sen. Ed Markey endorsing her rival after she cut an endorsement video for him early on in his Senate primary battle against former Rep. Joe Kennedy III. “I was disappointed when I received word from him that he was not going to be endorsing me, for sure, and I let him know that I was very disappointed to not have that support. And then I was done with the phone call and got back to work,” she said. “I don’t have and didn’t have much time to waste on a conversation that wasn’t working in my favor.” – Essaibi George expanded on that to my POLITICO colleague Brakkton Booker, saying that her opponent “did not have the courage to stand and endorse” Markey. “I don’t know whether she was afraid of the Kennedy factor, or something like that, in that race. I’m not afraid.” – Essaibi George also talks to Booker for Friday’s edition of The Recast about being Arab American and having to defend questions about being a person of color, closing the racial wealth gap in Boston and more. Sign up now . – "Worrell, Carvalho push messages in District 4 council contest," by Seth Daniel, Dorchester Reporter: "Two finalists for the District 4 seat on the Boston City Council — Brian Worrell and former state Rep. Evandro Carvalho — are busy on the campaign trail this month as they seek to replace Andrea Campbell..." More on this race from the Boston Globe's Tiana Woodard. | | THE LOCAL ELECTIONS ROUNDUP |
| – “Easthampton sued mayoral candidate Eric Berzins over unpermitted work,” by Brian Steele, Daily Hampshire Gazette: “Mayoral candidate Eric Berzins, owner of Fort Hill Brewery, is in talks to settle a lawsuit filed by the city against his businesses over the unpermitted construction of a private BMX bicycle track and the addition of dozens of parking spaces at two adjacent sites on Fort Hill Road.” | | DAY IN COURT |
| – “Judge denies motion for new trial in state drug lab case that could have led to thousands of dismissals,” by Andrea Estes, Boston Globe: “A superior court judge Wednesday rejected the motion for a new trial brought in a case that Suffolk County District Attorney Rachael Rollins believed could set the stage for the dismissal of tens of thousands of criminal cases where drugs had been tested at the now closed William Hinton state drug lab.” – “College Admissions Cheating Case Heads to Jury,” by Jennifer Levitz and Melissa Korn, Wall Street Journal: “A federal jury is set to begin deliberations Thursday in the Varsity Blues college-admissions case, following a nearly four-week criminal trial for two parents accused of committing fraud and bribery to get their children admitted to the University of Southern California as recruited athletes.” – “Green Line driver involved in July crash pleads not guilty, is ordered not to drive personal vehicle except for family errands,” by Andrew Brinker, Boston Globe: “The Green Line driver blamed for a trolley crash in Boston in July that injured dozens of passengers pleaded not guilty Wednesday to two criminal charges and was banned from driving his personal vehicle except to run family errands.” | | TRUMPACHUSETTS |
| – “Trump endorsed his GOP primary rival. Charlie Baker yawned,” by Lisa Kashinsky and Stephanie Murray, POLITICO: “Former President Donald Trump took his score-settling tour to Massachusetts this week in the hope of sticking it to Republican Gov. Charlie Baker. He might have done Baker a wicked huge favor. … ‘Sometimes it is good to have a foe,’ said former GOP Gov. Jane Swift. ‘Trump does not appeal to Massachusetts independents, so it will not help [defeat Baker]. It will actually likely help to define [the Baker ticket] as ‘not that type of Republican.’’” | | MOULTON MATTERS |
| – “Moulton facing ethics complaint,” by Christian M. Wade, CNHI/Eagle-Tribune: “U.S. Rep. Seth Moulton is among several lawmakers hit with an ethics complaint by a watchdog group, which is calling for an investigation into whether they violated House rules by spending campaign funds on travel, lavish hotels and sporting events. The complaint filed Wednesday by the Washington, D.C.-based Campaign Legal Center alleges that Moulton, D-Salem, may have broken ethics rules by improperly spending a majority of the money collected by his leadership political action committee, Serve America PAC, for personal use.” | | DATELINE D.C. |
| – A bipartisan group of 66 elected prosecutors is calling on the Senate to confirm Suffolk District Attorney Rachael Rollins as the next U.S. attorney for Massachusetts. She currently awaits more votes after the Senate Judiciary Committee deadlocked on her nomination. “[Rollins] has worked tirelessly to counter racial discrimination, end the criminalization of poverty and promote fairness in Boston’s justice system. The misguided opposition to her confirmation is nothing but fear-mongering by some still wedded to failed ‘tough-on-crime’ policies of the past,” said Miriam Krinsky, executive director of Fair and Just Prosecution, which organized the joint statement sent to lawmakers this week from district and county attorneys across the country, and the attorney generals of Vermont, Delaware, Illinois, Minnesota, D.C. and Guam. – “Biden closes in on pick to lead Food and Drug Administration,” by Adam Cancryn, Sarah Owermohle, David Lim and Lauren Gardner: “Among the names being floated is that of Laurie Glimcher, the president and CEO of the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. … Her son, Rep. Jake Auchincloss (D-Mass.), last year won the general election for Rep. Joe Kennedy’s vacated seat.” | | THE LOCAL ANGLE |
| – “Striking Saint Vincent Hospital nurses no longer entitled to unemployment, some may have to repay benefits, state rules,” by Michael Bonner, MassLive: “The Department of Unemployment Assistance sided with Saint Vincent Hospital meaning the striking nurses in Worcester are no longer entitled to unemployment benefits, according to the Massachusetts Nurses Association and the hospital. The ruling stated that benefits should be discontinued effective the week ending Aug. 7. Any striking nurse who has collected unemployment since then must refund the full amount to the state.” – “Mass. elected officials praise federal judge who ruled against Texas abortion law,” by Jeremy C. Fox, Boston Globe. State Attorney General Maura Healey, Sen. Elizabeth Warren and Rep. Ayanna Pressley weighed in. – “Boston Marathon for the 1st time will take place in the fall: Here’s what will be different this year,” by Rick Sobey, Boston Herald. – “Herd of Cattle Wanders Through Mass. Neighborhood, ‘Mooing' and ‘Pooing',” by Alysha Palumbo, NBC10 Boston. SPOTTED – at the UMass Club Wednesday, Gov. Charlie Baker and Rep. Richard Neal (separately), and state Rep. Josh Cutler meeting with BECMA Director of Policy and Public Affairs Samuel Gebru, per a Playbook tipster. ALSO SPOTTED – at state Rep. Jake Oliveira’s fundraiser at the Iron Duke: state Reps. Orlando Ramos, Pat Duffy, Brian Ashe, Jessica Giannino, Jeff Turco, Mike Kushmerek, Ted Philips and Meg Kilcoyne (h/t Matt Szafranski). Tweet. TRANSITIONS – Symone Crawford has been appointed as the next executive director of the Massachusetts Affordable Housing Alliance. HAPPY BIRTHDAY – to GBH’s Peter Kadzis, Joe Kriesberg and Mark Orlowski. HAPPY EARLY BIRTHDAY – to Samantha Riemer, finance director and senior adviser to Rep. Ayanna Pressley ; Ryan Markham and Don Seiffert, managing editor of the Boston Business Journal, who celebrate Friday; Paolo DiFabio, Pon Hunter, Peter Billerbeck, Kristin Palpini Hale, Olivia Paulo, Victoria Danberg and Amy Dacey, who celebrate Saturday; Sunday birthday-ers state Rep. Jim Hawkins, former state Rep. Jen Benson, president of the Alliance for Business Leadership; Brilee Weaver, Algirde Pipikaite, Tanveer Kathawalla and Megan McCafferty; and Monday birthday-ers David Halbert and Conor Yunits. THIS WEEK ON THE HORSE RACE: CAN THE T EVER BE FREE? – Hosts Jennifer Smith and Steve Koczela talk with Lizzi Weyant of the Metropolitan Area Planning Council and Marie-Frances Rivera of the Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center about the push for a fare-free MBTA. 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. | |
| | HAPPENING TODAY – POLITICO’S FIRST EVER DEFENSE FORUM : President Joe Biden is making critical shifts in the Pentagon’s priorities, including fully withdrawing all U.S. troops from Afghanistan, scaling back U.S. military presence across the Middle East and rethinking the positioning of military forces around the world to focus more on China. Join POLITICO for our inaugural defense forum to talk to the decision makers in the White House, Congress, military, and defense industry who are reshaping American power abroad and redefining military readiness for the future of warfare. REGISTER HERE. | | | | |
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