POLITICO Massachusetts Playbook: Baker's VAX MANDATE — Parsing the Boston mayor's race PACs — LONG LINES for COVID TESTS return

 

BY LISA KASHINSKY VAX, BUT NO MASK MANDATE — Gov. Charlie Baker issued one of the strictest vaccine mandates for state government workers in the country yesterday, going beyond the rules set out by Democratic leaders in Boston and New York and California. Baker told roughly 42,000 executive department employees and 2,000 contractors to show proof of vaccination by Oct. 17 or face disciplinary action, potentially up through termination. That’s a step further than the mandate Acting Mayor Kim Janey issued for the roughly 18,000 Boston workers under her purview, which calls for them to show proof of vaccination or submit to weekly Covid-19 testing. The vaccine mandate may have relieved some of the pressure that’s been building on Baker, but it quickly brought the threat of legal action from the Massachusetts Correction Officers Federated Union. Some Republicans regard the growing number of vaccine mandates from local and state officials as a slippery slope. Eight GOP lawmakers have signed onto Spencer state Rep. Peter Durant’s bill to prohibit requiring proof of vaccination to enter the state, schools, public buildings and businesses — a small minority of House legislators, but a signal of potentially messy times to come after House Speaker Ron Mariano and Senate President Karen Spilka both indicated yesterday they’re pursuing vaccine requirements as they plan a return to working at the State House. Durant told me he’s vaccinated, but that “we all need to make personal choices that are right for us.” And for Durant, that means not providing proof of that vaccination to enter the State House. Baker’s also still being deluged with calls to issue a statewide school mask mandate like Democratic Rhode Island Gov. Dan McKee did yesterday, reversing course under pressure after weeks of saying he wanted local school districts to decide for themselves. GOOD FRIDAY MORNING, MASSACHUSETTS. The five major Boston mayoral candidates each have independent expenditure PACs supporting them now, creating the potential for a massive spending blitz in the final weeks before the Sept. 14 preliminary election. Some of the PACs — which can raise and spend unlimited sums but can’t coordinate with the campaigns — have been more active than others and so far have each focused on different goals. Among those making moves: The “Better Boston” IEPAC supporting City Councilor Andrea Campbell has drawn big bucks from wealthy executives and charter-school supporters and shelled out more than $900,000 on production and largely television ad buys, according to campaign finance records and new analysis from Rivera Consulting. The Environmental League of Massachusetts Action Fund IEPAC supporting City Councilor Michelle Wu is focusing on digital ads and plans to spend up to $100,000. Because the IEPAC is being funded by ELM’s 501(c)(4), a classification with less stringent reporting requirements, it’s “difficult” to tell where the money originated, Rivera Consulting said. Janey’s bid is being backed by the Hospitality Workers IEPAC, which is pulling funds associated with UNITE HERE and its Local 26. So far the IEPAC’s put more than $9,000 toward fliers for canvassers, working the ground game for the candidate who was the last major entrant to the race. The IEPAC has hundreds of thousands more dollars saved up to spend, and the funds set up to back City Councilor Annissa Essaibi George and former city economic development chief John Barros could spring into action, setting the stage for saturated airwaves and flurries of fliers as the preliminary hurtles toward the finish line. TODAY — Barros announces the final installment of his education policy platform at 9:45 a.m. at Bunker Hill Community College. Janey holds a press conference to share updates on Boston’s coronavirus response at 10 a.m. at City Hall, hosts a Neighborhood Coffee Hour series at the James P. Kelleher Rose Garden at 10:30 a.m. and gives remarks at a landmark designation for Shirley-Eustis Place grounds in Roxbury at 1:30 p.m. Sen. Ed Markey and Boston City Council at-large candidate Ruthzee Louijeune visit the Gourmet Kreyòl food truck fundraiser for Haiti at Boston City Hall. Markey holds a media availability there at 10 a.m. and hosts a press conference at Union Station in Springfield to discuss the bipartisan infrastructure bill and budget resolution at 1 p.m. Campbell is a guest on Boston Black News on Boston Praise Radio at 11 a.m. and attends the Turn It Around Charlestown Meeting at 4 p.m. The Legislature’s Special Commission on Qualified Immunity will be hosting a virtual public comment meeting at 11 a.m. THIS WEEKEND — Rep. Jake Auchincloss makes his Sunday show debut on “Full Court Press with Greta Van Susteren.” Former Weekly Dig editor and Boston magazine columnist Joe Keohane, author of "The Power of Strangers: The Benefits of Connecting in a Suspicious World," discusses approaches to bridging the country’s political divide on “Keller At Large,” 8:30 a.m. Sunday, WBZ. Essaibi George is this week's guest on WCVB's "On the Record" at 11 a.m. Sunday.   INTRODUCING OTTAWA PLAYBOOK : Join the growing community of Politicos — from lawmakers and leaders to pollsters, staffers, strategists and lobbyists — working to shape Canada’s future. Every day, our reporting team pulls back the curtain to shed light on what’s really driving the agenda on Parliament Hill, the true players who are shaping politics and policy across Canada, and the impact it all has on the world. Don’t miss out on your daily look inside Canadian politics and power. Subscribe to Ottawa Playbook today.     THE LATEST NUMBERS – “Massachusetts coronavirus cases rise 1,373, hospitalizations keep increasing amid delta variant,” by Rick Sobey, Boston Herald: “Massachusetts health officials on Thursday reported a spike of 1,373 coronavirus cases, as COVID-19 hospitalizations also continued to increase amid the delta variant.” – "Town-by-town COVID-19 data in Massachusetts," by Ryan Huddle and Peter Bailey-Wells, Boston Globe. DATELINE BEACON HILL – "Report Warns School Funding System Still Inequitable," by Katie Lannan, State House News Service: "The Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce and Massachusetts Business Alliance for Education renewed their calls Thursday for the state to phase out some elements of its school funding formula that they say perpetuate inequities. ... In a new brief released Thursday, they said that this fiscal year, the state's 'least wealthy districts will receive the smallest portion of this needs-blind aid, both in aggregate and on a per-pupil basis.'" VAX-ACHUSETTS – “Baker Reverses Course, Orders State Employees To Get Vaccines,” by Sarah Betancourt, GBH News: “Governor Charlie Baker is ordering the state’s 42,000 executive branch employees to be vaccinated, or face potential termination. All employees will be required to provide proof of having been vaccinated by October 17. The new mandate applies to employees working remotely and those in-person. … Baker earlier this year had resisted calls to mandate vaccines for state workers.” – “Long coronavirus testing lines and appointment backlogs return in Massachusetts,” by Erin Tiernan, Boston Herald: “The long lines and appointment backlogs that defined coronavirus testing at the peak of the pandemic are creeping back as the delta variant outbreak overtakes Massachusetts, driving cases up. More than 150 people lined up in the second-floor parking garage at the CambridgeSide mall in Cambridge on Thursday morning, some waiting as long as 40 minutes to take a self-administered nasal swab test.” – “COVID-19 Cases Jump In Massachusetts Prisons And Jails,” by Deborah Becker, WBUR: “In its most recent report to the State Supreme Judicial Court, the Department of Correction says there are now 41 active coronavirus cases among those incarcerated at the Souza-Baranowski Correctional Center. That's up from 29 cases reported there last week. A separate report says a dozen correction officers at Souza also have tested positive.” – “Archdiocese of Boston schools faces backlash after issuing restrictions on mandating masks for vaccinated people,” by Felicia Gans, Boston Globe: “Parents are pushing back against an Archdiocese of Boston mandate that restricts local Catholic schools from requiring vaccinated students or staff members to wear masks.” – "DPH Stepping In To Help Vaccinate Casino Workers," by Colin A. Young, State House News Service (paywall): "After hearing concerns that members of the Gaming Commission expressed over the vaccination rates among gaming center employees, the Department of Public Health launched conversations with the state's casinos and slots parlor about ways to promote vaccination." – "She Lost Her Husband To COVID. His Death Could Help Other Families Sue Nursing Homes," by Paige Sutherland, WBUR: "David Hoey is known as the guy to call if you have a problem with a nursing home in Massachusetts. So, as you might imagine, his law office has been busy over the past year." – “VaxMillions fourth round winners: Lilly Guttenplan of Lowell nabs $1M prize and Nadia Dutton of Rockland wins $300K scholarship,” by Benjamin Kail, MassLive.com. FROM THE HUB – “A look inside a Boston phenomenon: Storrowing,” by Julia Taliesin, Boston.com: “A box truck innocently enters Storrow Drive — maybe students renting a U-Haul or a delivery from out of town — and doesn’t take heed of the signs noting a 10-foot height limit. Before they know it, the top is shorn off the truck or they’re stuck under a bridge with traffic backing up behind them.” – “Boston Police, Rachael Rollins criticize sentence for would-be cop killer,” Sean Philip Cotter, Boston Herald: “District Attorney Rachael Rollins, the Boston Police Department brass and the cop unions have had their disagreements, but all were firmly on the same page against the decision by a judge to sentence an admitted would-be cop-killer to as little as five years behind bars.” – “Bar Manager At Popular Boston Spots Fired Over Sexual Misconduct Allegations,” by Tori Bedford, GBH News: “The bar manager of a popular restaurant and speakeasy in Boston's Leather District has been fired following allegations of sexual abuse and harassment, according to the owner. Chris Campbell, the owner-manager of Troquet on South restaurant and nearby OFFSUIT speakeasy, said Matt Marini, 31, was dismissed Tuesday evening after an investigation by outside lawyers. ” – “This Boston woman wants to break the Guinness world record for fastest time traveled to every MBTA station,” by Steve Annear, Boston Globe: “In a few weeks, [Maya Jonas-Silver] is moving to New York City with her fiance, Jack, to start a new chapter in their lives. But before she leaves her hometown, she’ll attempt to win the Guinness World Records title for stopping at every MBTA station in the quickest time possible.” – “Tenants to start occupying The BEAT in spring 2022,” by Katie Trojano, Dorchester Reporter: “Work to repurpose the former Boston Globe headquarters hit a key milestone on Thursday as the developers behind the BEAT announced that life science, medical and high-tech companies will start occupying the building this coming spring. The opening comes amid high demand for lab space in the Boston area.” THE RACE FOR CITY HALL – “John Barros’s mayoral campaign pushes TV station to include him on popular political show,” by Meghan E. Irons, Boston Globe: “The campaign of Boston mayoral candidate John Barros is pressing WCVB-TV to reconsider its decision to exclude Barros from appearing on the Sunday morning program ‘On The Record’ in the run-up to the preliminary election on Sept. 14. ” – FIRST IN PLAYBOOK: State Rep. Liz Miranda has endorsed Carla B. Monteiro for Boston City Council at-large, per her campaign. “Carla Monteiro is a friend, colleague, and leader,” Miranda said in a statement: “As we navigate from the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s critical to elect leaders who deeply understand the systematic inequities that caused such disparate impact in our communities. She has leveraged the power of her own lived experience to serve others and step into leadership. Carla’s background as an expert in social work uniquely prepares her to serve on the city council with an equity-lens, centered in dignity and justice for all Bostonians.” – FIRST IN PLAYBOOK: United Auto Workers Region 9A has endorsed City Councilor Michelle Wu for mayor of Boston, per her campaign. “She has a proven track record of fighting for working people and so many of the issues our members care most about, from affordable housing in our city, to workers' rights and safety, to the environment and climate justice. We are ready to mobilize behind Michelle's candidacy so that we can ensure we have a fighter for the rights of workers and all Bostonians in City Hall," Beverley Brakeman, Regional Director of United Auto Workers Region 9A, said in a statement. DATELINE D.C. – "‘It’s a tragedy and it was completely avoidable’: Immigration advocates blame Biden for Afghan refugee mess," by Jess Bidgood, Boston Globe: "Refugee advocacy organizations and some of [President Joe] Biden’s fellow Democrats say the chaos was preventable, that they have been warning the administration for months to move faster on visa processing and evacuations. It further deepens their distrust after Biden’s decision in May to keep overall refugee admissions at the historic lows favored by Trump, a decision Biden reversed following an outcry. ... 'In the last few months I’ve been extremely direct with the administration that they need to conduct an evacuation...' said Representative Seth Moulton, a Salem Democrat, in an interview earlier this week." DAY IN COURT – “AG sues fire exam prep company, worrying civil service testing process ‘has been compromised’,” by Sean Philip Cotter, Boston Herald: “State authorities say they fear the civil-service promotional testing process ‘has been compromised’ as the AG’s office files suit against an exam-prep company whose ‘practice’ exams they say ‘bear a troublingly close resemblance’ to the real tests, which are supposed to be sealed to the public.” FROM THE 413 – “Lawyers group, local NAACP branch seek termination of Williamstown police officer over Hitler photo,” by Scott Stafford, Berkshire Eagle: "A growing list of groups is calling on town officials to terminate the employment of a police officer over the fact that he had a photograph of Adolf Hitler hanging in his locker at the station for years. But the officer claims it was hung as a practical joke over a fellow officer who looked a bit like him." – “MGM Springfield set to bring back poker by the end of the year,” by Amy Sokolow, Boston Herald: “Bay Staters will soon be able to play poker in-state again, when MGM Springfield opens its doors to poker players by the end of the year. … The [Massachusetts Gaming Commission] noted last month that it had seen a tenfold increase in complaints, many of them over the lack of poker options in the state, which had been taken away during the pandemic to prevent the spread of the virus.” THE LOCAL ANGLE – "Tornado Touched Down In Clinton, NWS Confirms," by Christina Hager, WBZ: "The National Weather Service confirmed a tornado touched down in Clinton on Thursday, causing extensive damage. 'We did see a funnel cloud with stuff going up – shingles or something. We really don’t know because it was about 200 yards away,' said David Trinque, who was at work in Clinton at the time. That’s when his wife, Diane, called, frantic." – “Deal between nurses, Saint Vincent Hospital falls apart after Tenet Healthcare refuses to allow employees to return to their previous positions,” by Michael Bonner, MassLive.com: “A deal that appeared to be on the verge of ending a more than 165-day nurses strike fell apart after Tenet Healthcare said it wouldn’t allow nurses to return to their previous positions, the Massachusetts Nurses Association said.” – ICYMI: “Dracut School Committee meeting turns chaotic over masks,” by Prudence Brighton, Lowell Sun: “At a turbulent School Committee meeting marked by angry shouts and emotional pleas from more than 20 parents, the School Committee voted to open schools under a universal mask mandate with the intent of lifting it as soon as COVID-19 numbers permit. The meeting was so raucous that at one point a parent was warned he would be removed by the police if he didn’t stop shouting. And as the meeting ended, a group of parents started chanting ‘Vote them out. Vote them out.’” MEDIA MATTERS – “Boston 25 morning anchor Sara Underwood will step away from full-time role,” by Travis Andersen, Boston Globe. IN MEMORIUM – "A tribute to Nonnie S. Burnes," by Ian Thomsen, Northeastern; "Harry Spence, trusted official who repaired flawed state institutions, dies at 74," by Bryan Marquard, Boston Globe. SPOTTED – At public-relations guru George Regan’s engagement party to Elizabeth Akeley Miller in Mashpee: Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito, UMass President Marty Meehan, former Boston police commissioner William Gross; former Boston, NYC and LA PD chief Bill Bratton; former ambassador and Boston mayor Ray Flynn, City Councilor Ed Flynn, restaurateurs Steve DiFillippo and Roger Berkowitz, Cape and Islands DA Michael O’Keefe, Mashpee Police Chief Scott Carline, former Boston Celtic Walter McCarty and Boston Herald executive editor Joe Dwinell. Former ambassador and senator Scott Brown performed with the James Montgomery Band. ALSO SPOTTED – at Hampden County Sheriff Nick Cocchi’s annual cookout Wednesday: GOP gubernatorial candidate and former state Rep. Geoff Diehl, state Rep. Brian Ashe and state Sen. Adam Hinds. HAPPY BIRTHDAY – to the Boston Herald’s Erin Tiernan, Boston.com’s Nik DeCosta-Klipa, Daily Hampshire Gazette photog Carol Lollis, Targeted Victory CEO Zac Moffatt and Rachel Lea Fish. Happy belated to Trey McNinch, Rep. Smitty Pignatelli’s district director. HAPPY BIRTHWEEKEND – to Brendan Kennedy, Sara Seinberg, Cheryl Chen, GBH alum and Bloomberg Washington correspondent Joe Mathieu; Jana Winter, 2018-2019 Boston Globe Spotlight fellow and Yahoo contributor; Kelley Vickery, Amy Dow, director of public relations and government affairs at New Balance; and David A. Heifetz, who celebrate Saturday; and to Sunday birthday-ers Alvin Buyinza, Greg Shanahan and Margie Berkowitz. NEW POD ALERT – Catch me on “The Cod Cabin” podcast chatting about the Boston mayor’s race and the state of journalism with hosts Adam Bass, Jessy Han and Logan Rabe. Link. REWIND – I joined MassINC Polling Group President Steve Koczela and GBH News’ Adam Reilly on “Greater Boston” to talk about MassINC’s poll showing support for a statewide school mask mandate. Link. [And belated congrats to Reilly on his national Murrow Award.] 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.   SUBSCRIBE TO "THE RECAST" TODAY: Power is shifting in Washington and in communities across the country. More people are demanding a seat at the table, insisting that politics is personal and not all policy is equitable. The Recast is a twice-weekly newsletter that explores the changing power dynamics in Washington and breaks down how race and identity are recasting politics and policy in America. Get fresh insights, scoops and dispatches on this crucial intersection from across the country and hear critical new voices that challenge business as usual. Don't miss out, SUBSCRIBE . Thank you to our sponsor, Intel.       Follow us on Twitter Lisa Kashinsky @lisakashinsky   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: Auchincloss’s PRIMARY PROTECTION — GRADING Walsh and Janey — Lawmakers flex MUSCLE over Baker

 

BY LISA KASHINSKY FIRST IN PLAYBOOK: PRIMARY PROTECTION PROGRAM — U.S. Rep. Jake Auchincloss is raking in cash and padding his war chest as he looks to ward off potential primary challengers next year. Auchincloss is expected to report raising more than $700,000 in the second quarter, according to a campaign spokesman, building on the $469,000 he brought in during the first quarter of the year. He’s also expected to report more than $1.4 million in cash on hand. Second-quarter campaign finance reports are due to the Federal Election Commission by Thursday. The first-term congressman is hoarding cash amid rumblings that Democrats he defeated in last year’s 4th Congressional District primary may step up to challenge him again. Auchincloss won the hotly contested primary to replace then-Rep. Joe Kennedy III by a razor-thin margin over second-place finisher Jesse Mermell and other Democrats who were largely perceived as more progressive than him. Auchincloss has since voted with his caucus 100% of the time in Washington — and that party fealty likely helped him land a plum perch as vice chair of the House Financial Services Committee. He's not as outspoken on progressive issues as some of his first-year counterparts, like Reps. Cori Bush (D-Mo.) and Jamaal Bowman (D-N.Y.) — and has even been at odds with “Squad” members, including fellow Massachusetts Rep. Ayanna Pressley, over the recent Israeli-Palestinian conflict and whether the Justice Department should push to reinstate the death penalty against Boston Marathon bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev. Auchincloss’s more establishment-aligned politics aren’t currying him much favor with progressives in his district who might rise to challenge him — or back a primary opponent against him — in 2022. But his continued fundraising prowess is making it harder for them to organize a bid against him. Plus, Auchincloss is drumming up name recognition through a slew of national media appearances, which have ranged from calls to expel fellow first-year Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) from Congress to the U.S. Marine Corps veteran’s more recent push to ensure Afghan translators and others who worked with the U.S. military are evacuated as troops proceed with their withdrawal. By not making waves in Washington and working to replenish his coffers, Auchincloss is taking a similar tack to Rep. Lori Trahan. Trahan narrowly defeated Dan Koh — now Labor secretary Marty Walsh’s chief of staff in D.C. — in the open-seat 3rd Congressional District primary in 2018. He almost challenged her again in 2020, citing campaign finance issues she was ultimately cleared of, before backing down. GOOD MORNING, MASSACHUSETTS. Happy Monday! More Covid-19 restrictions are lifting today for courts and in city halls from Boston to Somerville. TODAY — Rep. Ayanna Pressley testifies during the state legislative redistricting committee’s hearing regarding the 7th Congressional District at 10 a.m. Boston Acting Mayor Kim Janey offers remarks alongside Boston Housing Authority Administrator Kate Bennett at a ribbon cutting ceremony for Harbor125 Apartments at 10:30 a.m. and at a ground-breaking ceremony for new land at Eastie Farm at 6 p.m. Rep. Lori Trahan joins UMass President Marty Meehan and UMass Lowell officials to discuss Covid-19 relief funding at 11 a.m. at University Crossing in Lowell. Sen. Adam Hinds leads a legislative “Reimagining Committee” hearing on post-pandemic transportation needs at 1 p.m.   STEP INSIDE THE WEST WING: What's really happening in West Wing offices? Find out who's up, who's down, and who really has the president’s ear in our West Wing Playbook newsletter, the insider's guide to the Biden White House and Cabinet. For buzzy nuggets and details that you won't find anywhere else, subscribe today.     DATELINE BEACON HILL – “Lawmakers approve $48B late budget,” by Christian M. Wade, CNHI/Eagle-Tribune: “Lawmakers on Friday signed off on a $48.1 billion late budget buoyed by an unexpected surge in revenue. … The budget doesn't raise taxes and scraps a planned $1.5 billion drawdown from the state's 'rainy day' fund. Instead it calls for another $1.1 billion in capital gains taxes to be pumped into the reserves, bringing the fund to a record $5.8 billion by next year. The state's pension system would get a $250 million supplemental deposit under the spending plan. Chapter 70 school aid would increase by $219.6 million to $5.5 billion. The plan also sets up a $350 million trust fund for the Student Opportunity Act, a law that requires the state to spend an additional $1.5 billion in K-12 education over the next seven years.” – “Massachusetts Teachers Association says lack of funding in fiscal 2022 budget creates disproportionate negative effect on students of color,” by Melissa Hanson, MassLive.com: “The Massachusetts Teachers Association has said the Legislature passed a ‘status quo’ budget for fiscal 2022 and that the lack of funding creates a disproportionate negative effect on working-class students and students of color. … ‘While maintaining the provisions of the Student Opportunity Act and establishing a special fund for school spending are positive steps, we must remember that our public schools — and our public colleges and universities — have been grossly underfunded for decades,’ [MTA President Merrie] Najimy said.” – "Massachusetts lawmakers take action to close rape kit testing loophole," by Karen Anderson and Kevin Rothstein, WCVB: "The Massachusetts state budget now sitting on Gov. Charlie Baker's desk includes language with a strong message from House Speaker Ron Mariano to the State Police Crime Lab and the Baker Administration: Test all rape kits in Massachusetts once and for all." – "Under Mass. law, 1.2 million women qualified for free birth control; So, why did only about 300 take advantage of it?" by Sarah Betancourt for MassLive.com: "As Beacon Hill considers approving $500,000 of state funds for an educational campaign to inform the public they might have access to a year of free birth control all at once, the state’s Department of Insurance has been making moves to clarify the so-called Access Law to insurers. The move comes after an investigation revealed that only about 300 women obtained a 12-month supply of birth control in 2020 through the state’s largest insurers under a 2017 law that permits them to do so, although at least 1.2 million qualified." – "As Pandemic Fades, Massachusetts Lawmakers Take More Active Role," by Steve Brown, WBUR: "[Gov. Charlie Baker] spent billions of dollars in federal aid with little oversight from the state Legislature. But as the pandemic recedes, lawmakers are reasserting their control. ... The shift has been on full display in recent weeks as the governor pressed the Legislature to give him permission to swiftly spend more than $2 billion dollars in new federal aid on everything from more affordable housing to job training to environmental projects." VAX-ACHUSETTS – “Slowly, Mass. Is Closing The Racial Gap In Vaccination Rates,” by Angus Chen, WBUR: “Back in May, only 37% of Black residents and 33% of Hispanic residents had at least one shot compared to 55% of white residents. Today, that near 20-point chasm has shrunk to 14 percentage points. As of Thursday, roughly 50% of both Hispanic and Black residents have received at least one dose, whereas 64% of white residents shared the same security.” – “'In the dark' Local COVID variant data no longer available to Cape Cod health officials, by Cynthia McCormick, Cape Cod Times: “Even as federal funds have poured into efforts to genomically sequence positive cases of coronavirus to identify variants, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has taken to releasing the information only on a state and regional level, which in this geographic area is New England. ... Some COVID-19 experts say regional reporting waters down data and robs communities of the opportunity to quickly react to situations like the P.1 variant showing up on Cape Cod.” FROM THE HUB – “Acting mayor offers reprieve to some city employees on return to work,” by Stephanie Ebbert, Boston Globe: “Acting Mayor Kim Janey offered a last-minute reprieve to city employees whose union filed an unfair labor practice over her order to return to work immediately following the July Fourth weekend. Janey’s administration has agreed to let some SEIU Local 888 employees delay their return to work, if a review of their individual circumstances warrants it. The union then agreed to drop the complaint it filed last month with the state’s Division of Labor Relations. … But it’s unclear exactly what that means for the rest of the city’s work force.” – “Boston School Committee unanimously approved 95 of 99 agenda items in last year and a half,” by Alexi Cohan, Boston Herald: “Members of the Boston School Committee have unanimously approved 95 of 99 action items in the last year and a half, raising concerns of ‘rubber stamping’ among the community, which one [school committee] member called ‘insulting.’” – “Boston Pride announces closing amid controversy over inclusion,” by Jeremy C. Fox, Boston Globe: “Boston Pride, which for a half-century advocated for the rights of the LGBTQ community, is dissolving amid a controversy over inclusion, the group’s board of directors announced Friday, threatening the future of New England’s largest Pride parade.” THE RACE FOR CITY HALL – “How do Boston mayoral candidates grade Walsh, Janey?” by Sean Philip Cotter, Boston Herald: “The Herald asked the six major mayoral candidates to give letter grades for both former Mayor Martin Walsh and Acting Mayor Kim Janey, and then to briefly explain their reasoning for each.” – “Mayoral candidates press the flesh as in-person campaigning makes a return,” by Jack Lyons and Ivy Scott, Boston Globe: “Boston’s mayoral candidates took to the streets Saturday to give hugs, pet dogs, and knock on doors, signaling a return to traditional, in-person campaigning in the waning days of the coronavirus pandemic, as the six face off in the hotly contested race.” – FIRST IN PLAYBOOK: Bridget Nee-Walsh has been endorsed by the Laborers Local 151 in her campaign for Boston City Council at-large, per her campaign. “Bridget will be a champion for working families on the City Council, and will fight every day for fair wages, benefits, and workplace protections,” Allen Boyer, Business Manager of Local 151, said in a statement through the campaign. PARTY POLITICS – Republican state Sen. Ryan Fattman has a new legal defense fund. The fund, filed with the state Office of Campaign and Political Finance at the start of the month, is meant to help pay for outstanding legal fees associated with the lawsuit Fattman, his wife and others filed in March in hopes of blocking OCPF from potentially forwarding an investigation into their campaign finances to the state attorney general’s office. A judge denied their request for a preliminary injunction, and outgoing OCPF head Michael Sullivan referred the investigation to the AG days before his departure in April. The Fattmans withdrew their lawsuit, which alleged that Sullivan was acting with “bias," at the end of June. “Due to this bias, we asked the court to stop Michael Sullivan from referring a matter to the attorney general in violation of OCPF’s own statute,” Fattman said in a statement to POLITICO. “But since Sullivan decided to do so anyway, this matter moves out of the court system, which is why the matter is dismissed and now must be paid for. I will always stand up against political prejudice and fight for my family, and what is right.” Fattman’s legal defense fund, which can raise unlimited sums, was created weeks after the Boston Globe reported the state Republican Party had asked state campaign finance regulators if it could dip into its own fund to pay attorney fees for an unnamed GOP candidate facing “legal actions” by the state. DAY IN COURT – “Federal judge withdraws Boston exam school opinion, says he was ‘misled’ by school committee text messages,” by Alexi Cohan, Boston Herald: “A federal judge has withdrawn his opinion that had ruled in favor of a zip-code-based temporary Boston Public Schools exam school admissions policy, saying the district ‘misled’ him by leaving out text message records that included now-controversial disparaging comments.” – “Rollins moves to overturn thousands of convictions based on testing at now-closed state drug lab,” by Andrea Estes, Boston Globe: “Suffolk County District Attorney Rachael Rollins on Thursday moved to overturn tens of thousands of drug convictions that were based on testing conducted at the scandal-plagued William A. Hinton State Laboratory Institute, which closed in 2012. In court papers filed Thursday, Rollins’s office asked that the Supreme Judicial Court decide whether new trials should be granted to anyone whose evidence was tested at the lab — regardless of whether the chemist who did the analysis has been implicated in wrongdoing. If the court agrees, the DA would then likely drop the charges against most of the defendants.” – More: “Hearing Officer Finds Misconduct Against Former Drug Lab Prosecutors,” by Deborah Becker, WBUR: “Three former Massachusetts assistant attorneys general, accused of withholding information that evidence was tainted in thousands of drug cases, engaged in professional misconduct, according a report by a state hearing officer released last week.” WARREN REPORT – “The enduring appeal of U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren among progressives on display at Springfield ‘meet and greet’,” by Stephanie Barry, Springfield Republican: “A ‘meet and greet’ event outside U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren’s local office in downtown Springfield drew primarily progressives and Democratic elected officials eager to rub elbows with the lawmaker loved by the left and reviled by the right." MARKEYCHUSETTS – “OTR: Sen. Ed Markey finds Massachusetts Interstate 95 standoff 'disturbing',” by Ed Harding and Janet Wu, WCVB: “The U.S. senator from Massachusetts says extremism is on the rise on the left and right, he is calling upon Facebook to pull down extremist pages.” IT'S NOT EASY BEING GREEN – “Efforts to pursue climate goals in Mass. clash with incentives offered that promote fossil fuels,” by Sabrina Shankman, Boston Globe: “The state’s climate plan demands that 1 million households be converted from fossil fuels to electric heat by the end of the decade, part of a sweeping transition meant to help stave off the worst of climate change’s consequences. And yet the state’s only incentive program, and its best tool for helping convince businesses and homeowners to make that switch, is sticking with rebates for new carbon-emitting systems likely to remain in service long past that deadline.” FROM THE 413 – “Across the country, families are reuniting. For immigrants, it’s more complicated,” by Francesca Paris, Berkshire Eagle: “As vaccines have allowed life in Berkshire County to return to a relative normal, with restaurant dining, weddings and Fourth of July gatherings, some residents with family across international borders have yet to experience that glee of post-vaccine reunions. Some cannot return because their home countries still have significant restrictions, including mandated quarantines, while others worry about the major COVID-19 outbreaks, significant variant presence and low vaccination rates.” – “Easthampton business owner signals mayoral run against LaChapelle,” by Jacquelyn Voghel, Daily Hampshire Gazette: “The owner of Fort Hill Brewery, Eric Berzins, has pulled nomination papers to run for mayor, though he said he will likely remove himself from the race if another qualified candidate runs against incumbent Mayor Nicole LaChapelle. Berzins, 35, believes that contested elections are healthy for democracy, and he also thinks that several aspects of city leadership should be improved.” THE LOCAL ANGLE – “Face-to-face talks Friday between nurses, St. Vincent Hospital fail to end strike,” by Kim Ring, Worcester Telegram & Gazette: “After spending an extended day at the bargaining table, striking nurses and negotiators from St. Vincent Hospital left their face-to-face session Friday evening with no resolution.” – “Cluster of violent crimes in Massachusetts leaves cops on high alert,” by Marie Szaniszlo, Boston Herald: “Crime has taken a feverish turn this summer leaving experts puzzled, suggesting social isolation from the pandemic or copycat attacks could be behind the surge of random hostility. One thing is sure, the bizarre string of hate has Bay State law enforcement officials on alert.” – “Parents group launches campaign for ‘true diversity of thought’ in New England private schools,” by Jenna Russell, Boston Globe: “A group of parents whose children attend New England private schools has mobilized to fight for ‘true diversity of thought’ in classrooms, an effort resembling those launched elsewhere in the country in the spring by conservative groups and families against what they describe as the ‘indoctrination’ of students with ‘woke’ ideas about race and social issues.” – “Aly Raisman reunited with her dog Mylo: ‘I’m just really grateful he’s safe’,” by Alexi Cohan, Boston Herald: “Olympic gold medalist Aly Raisman has been reunited with her puppy Mylo thanks to the sharp eyes of two passersby — and told the Herald she’ll do what she can to help others searching for their lost pets.” THE NATIONAL TAKE – “POLITICO-Harvard poll: Americans sharply divided over vaccine mandates,” by Dan Goldberg, POLITICO: “ Americans are almost evenly divided over whether schools or most private employers should require Covid-19 vaccinations as part of reopening, according to a POLITICO-Harvard survey that shows how politically fraught any kind of mandate would be. Most Democrats support forcing employees and students to be vaccinated before they return to work or the classroom, and approve of government-issued documents certifying their status. Republicans oppose the government or most employers infringing on their individual choice.” SPOTTED – Former Virginia governor and current gubernatorial candidate Terry McAuliffe at the Nantucket airport (h/t Cole Perry). Tweet. Warren in the audience Saturday night at Jacob’s Pillow dance festival in Becket, where she watched a show by the Contra-Tiempo dance group. TRANSITIONS – Jane Lytvynenko has left BuzzFeed News to join Joan Donovan’s team at Harvard. Tweet. Gabriela Coletta starts today as the external relations manager for the New England Aquarium’s downtown waterfront planning initiative. She was previously chief of staff to Boston City Councilor Lydia Edwards. HAPPY BIRTHDAY – to Charlestown state Rep. Dan Ryan, Daily Hampshire Gazette reporter Scott Merzbach and Gregorio Gomez. 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.   THE ROAD TO TOKYO 2020 – A TUESDAY CONVERSATION WITH FIRST VICE PRESIDENT OF THE IOC ANITA DEFRANTZ: The Tokyo Olympics kick off July 23, 15 months after being postponed. One problem … Japan's capital city is in a Covid state of emergency and has prohibited fans from attending. With financial pressure to push forward and potential punishment for any athletes involved in protests or demonstrations during the sporting event, these Olympics Games will be unlike any other. Join Global Translations author Ryan Heath for a POLITICO Live conversation with Anita DeFrantz, First Vice President, International Olympic Committee, on what's at stake in the Tokyo Olympics, as a global health crisis, sports and politics all come to a head. REGISTER HERE.       Follow us on Twitter Lisa Kashinsky @lisakashinsky   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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