| | |  | BY LISA KASHINSKY | MAKING THE PITCH — The first forum of the general election offered the first real look at how Boston mayoral hopefuls Michelle Wu and Annissa Essaibi George are working to win over Black voters. “It is important to take stock of the fact there is no Black finalist” Wu said during a forum hosted last night by the Black Ministerial Alliance, adding that there’s “urgency to make sure we are responding to the incredible energy in the city in this moment for racial justice” and that she’ll strive for a “city government that is reflective of, representative of and accountable to the Black community.” Essaibi George vowed to build a “diverse” Cabinet that represents not just Black and Brown communities but also “what our city needs our focus to be — whether it's racial justice, whether it's housing, whether it's education, and public safety and public health — that we are doing those things as an administration in those very early days.” The city councilors also spoke of creating more homeownership opportunities in an increasingly gentrified city. Essaibi George pledged to prioritize that “for both first-time homebuyers and first-generation homebuyers” and to put $1 million toward down-payment assistance for would-be homeowners. Wu said the latest Census numbers, which show the city’s Black population has declined , were cause for “alarm.” She reiterated her calls for rent control and vowed to put at least $200 million toward housing so “housing will be the foundation of our recovery” from the pandemic. She also called to increase the percentage of city contracts for minority-owned businesses beyond the current 10% goal. All of those are among the key issues community leaders told me last week they want to see Wu and Essaibi George focus on as they work to engage voters in the city’s predominantly Black neighborhoods. The mayoral rivals also made overtures to the city’s youth and discussed education, public safety and recovery from the pandemic. GOOD THURSDAY MORNING, MASSACHUSETTS. MassDems is rolling out lists of speakers for the party’s platform convention this weekend. But one of the lineups emailed out this week — Sens. Ed Markey and Elizabeth Warren, Rep. Lori Trahan, Secretary of State Bill Galvin, and state Attorney General Maura Healey, Treasurer Deb Goldberg and Auditor Suzanne Bump — is drawing some scrutiny. #MassDemsConventionSoWhite, tweeted state Rep. Nika Elugardo, who is Black. Elugardo called the email “tone deaf” and told me it’s both “problematic we don’t have enough electeds of color at that level” and important “to continue encouraging grassroots BIPOC leaders to be in those featured spaces so that we’re building those pipelines.” The full speaking lineup is more diverse and includes state Reps. Liz Miranda, Jon Santiago, Andy Vargas and Tram Nguyen; Suffolk County Sheriff Steve Tompkins and former Democratic gubernatorial hopeful Jay Gonzalez, who are two of the convention committee chairs; and Segun Idowu, executive director of the Black Economic Council of Massachusetts. “This is the bench,” MassDems Chair Gus Bickford told me. “We are doing everything we possibly can to do outreach, make sure we are inclusive and make sure we are all working together. It’s incredibly important and I think you see that in our speaking program.” But Elugardo said sending an email with all white speakers, even if it was one of several, “did not reflect that value.” TODAY — Gov. Charlie Baker, Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito, and EEA Sec. Kathleen Theoharides visit the Big E fair at 10:45 a.m.; Galvin is there at 11:30 a.m. Baker and Polito attend a Springfield Prep Charter School ribbon cutting at 12:30 p.m. Baker and Theoharides are in Westfield at 2 p.m. Former mayoral candidate John Barros and former state Rep. Marie St. Fleur are on WBUR’s “Radio Boston” at 3 p.m. Essaibi George visits the Latino Pioneers in Boston Exhibition at 11 a.m. and stops by the Bay Village Block Party at 8 p.m. Wu distributes PPE with new endorser 1199SEIU at 11:30 a.m. Janey attends the inaugural Old School R&B Night in Copley Square at 6:30 p.m. Have a tip, story, suggestion, birthday, anniversary, new job, or any other nugget for the Playbook? Get in touch: lkashinsky@politico.com. | |
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| – “Massachusetts coronavirus cases up 1,821, hospitalizations drop for fifth straight day,” by Rick Sobey, Boston Herald: “Massachusetts health officials on Wednesday reported 1,821 new coronavirus cases, as COVID-19 hospitalizations ticked down for the fifth straight day.” | | DATELINE BEACON HILL |
| – Ring the special election alarm (again): Second-term state Rep. Maria Robinson of Framingham is President Joe Biden’s nominee for assistant secretary in the Office of Electricity at the Department of Energy, the White House announced yesterday. "To have the opportunity to serve my country using my background in energy policy is a dream come true, as is serving under [Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm], a leader I have long admired for her smarts and bravery," Robinson tweeted to an outpouring of congratulations. She was previously vetted as a potential Federal Energy Regulatory Commissioner and led the Advanced Energy Economy’s program on wholesale markets prior to being elected as a state representative. – Speaking of special elections: OPEIU Local 453 and Teamsters Local 25 have endorsed Boston City Councilor Lydia Edwards in her bid for the 1st Suffolk & Middlesex Senate seat recently vacated by former state Sen. Joe Boncore, per her campaign. – “House members to vote Thursday on rules for State House reopening including vaccination,” by Erin Tiernan, Boston Herald: “The bill submitted Wednesday leaves the reopening timeline up for discussion, but sets the stage for imposing the set of new pandemic rules amid a House state of emergency declaration. Per the emergency rules, staffers and members would be required to submit proof of vaccination by Nov. 1 to work in-person at the State House.” – “Taking Aim At One Of Beacon Hill's Favorite Moves: Kicking The Legislative Can Down The Road,” by Mike Deehan, GBH News: “On Beacon Hill, there are countless of ways to delay action on controversial topics lawmakers would prefer to avoid. One of the most popular: Appoint a commission. … Now comes Rep. Tami Gouveia of Acton, who also is running for Lt. Gov. Gouveia wants to bring a sense of accountability to the State House by curbing the use — or abuse — of commissions as a delay tactic to dodge tough issues.” – “Ombudsman Tasked With Overseeing Prisons' COVID Response Placed On Paid Leave,” by Deborah Becker, WBUR: “Seth Peters, the first person appointed to the new position of ombudsman for the Department of Correction, was suddenly placed on paid administrative leave Tuesday after WBUR inquired about whether he is the same Seth Peters who was involved in a wrongful death lawsuit that UMass Memorial settled nine years ago.” | | VAX-ACHUSETTS |
| – “Mass. State Police Fight In Court To Delay Vaccine Mandate,” by Tori Bedford, GBH News: “A Superior Court judge is considering whether to allow the state’s police union more time to negotiate the terms around Gov. Charlie Baker’s vaccine mandate for state employees. If granted, an injunction would effectively exempt state troopers from the vaccine deadline until an agreement is established.” – “‘I’ve never seen it this bad.’ Central Mass. hospital system runs out of ICU beds due to COVID, other factors,” by Travis Andersen and Kay Lazar, Boston Globe: “The largest hospital system in Central Massachusetts, UMass Memorial Health, ran out of intensive care beds Wednesday as critically ill patients with deferred chronic health problems and those stricken with COVID-19 overwhelm health care providers. … [Fueling the problem] is a reduction in available beds at St. Vincent Hospital in Worcester, a facility outside the UMass system where nurses are on strike.” – “Medical staff at Worcester’s Saint Vincent Hospital urge striking nurses to return to work as patients with COVID, other ailments wait for beds,” by Melissa Hanson, MassLive.com. | | FROM THE HUB |
| – “Kim Janey doubles down on Revere Methadone Mile hotel plan,” by Sean Philip Cotter, Boston Herald: “Boston Acting Mayor Kim Janey and Revere Mayor Brian Arrigo escalated their sudden feud over Janey’s plans to rent out hotel rooms in Revere to Methadone Mile homeless, with each side doubling down and blaming the other of being misleading.” – “Boston elected officials of color condemn Biden administration’s handling of Haitian migrants,” by Julia Carlin, Boston Globe: “The officials called the handling of the crisis ‘reprehensible,’ ‘barbaric,” and racist, and they demanded the administration to act urgently to provide asylum for Haitians seeking refuge.” – “TD Garden to require COVID-19 vaccination or negative test to attend Bruins and Celtics games, concerts,” by Michael Silverman, Boston Globe. | | THE RACE FOR CITY HALL |
| – FIRST IN PLAYBOOK: Iron Workers Local 7 has endorsed City Councilor Annissa Essaibi George for mayor of Boston, the seventh union to back her, according to her campaign. “Throughout her career she has fought for the issues our membership cares about most, from affordable housing to good jobs to high quality education,” Local 7 business manager Michael Hess said in a statement. – FIRST IN PLAYBOOK: State Rep. Russell Holmes has endorsed Carla B. Monteiro for Boston City Council at-large, per her campaign. “Carla is truly someone who puts the needs of the community above her needs as an individual,” Holmes said in a statement. – "Boston state Rep. Liz Miranda endorses Michelle Wu for mayor," by Nik DeCosta-Klipa and Christopher Gavin, Boston.com: "'This moment will shape the future of Boston for years to come and calls on all of us to elect a Mayor who will lead for and with all of our neighborhoods in Boston, someone who is accountable to the people of Roxbury, Dorchester, Mattapan, Hyde Park and communities of color from across the diaspora who call Boston home,' Miranda said in a statement." – "Super PACs should stay positive in mayor’s race, Wu says," by Gintautas Dumcius, Dorchester Reporter: "City Councillor At-Large Michelle Wu on Wednesday said outside groups, which have poured millions into the Boston mayor’s race, should stay positive but she stopped short of asking them to steer clear of the battle between her and City Councillor At-Large Annissa Essaibi George. Her comments came a day after Essaibi George told the Reporter the groups, known as super PAC, shouldn’t be involved in the contest. " – “City to conduct City Council District 7 recount this weekend,” by Tiana Woodard, Boston Globe: “City election officials on Saturday will conduct a recount of preliminary election ballots in the City Council District 7 race, an official said Wednesday. Tania Fernandes Anderson, executive director of Bowdoin Geneva Main Streets, finished well ahead of the other eight competitors, with 2,014 votes. But the race for the second position on the November ballot was much closer; the city’s initial count had Roy Owens Sr. in second place, with 1,284 votes, and Angelina ‘Angie’ Camacho just 28 votes behind him.” – But for now: “Look who landed in Roxbury council final,” by Michael Jonas, CommonWealth Magazine: “In the contest for the open District 7 city council seat based in Roxbury, perennial candidate Roy Owens, who shows up reliably on Boston ballots for everything from City Council to Congress but invariably falls short of ever winning, landed one of the two slots for the final election to replace Kim Janey, who gave up the seat to run for mayor.” – JP Progressives’ leadership is recommending its members endorse Wu in the general election and is putting it to a vote over the next few days. The progressive group’s steering committee was pulling for Acting Mayor Kim Janey in the preliminary election, but the organization as a whole didn’t endorse after no candidate reached 60% support among members. JP Progressives also endorsed incumbent Julia Mejia, Ruthzee Louijeune and David Halbert in the at-large Boston City Council preliminary, and they’re now recommending adding Monteiro to that slate. | | FEELING '22 |
| – Environmental leaders are hosting a virtual breakfast fundraiser for state auditor hopeful Chris Dempsey this morning, suggested contributions for which range from $50 to $1,000. Hosts include Alexandra Bok, Gordon Burnes, Susan Centofanti and George Bachrach, Tim Cronin, Steve Crosby, Evan Grossman, Sonia Hamel, Ira Jackson, Ken Kimmell, John Markey, Peter Rothstein, the outgoing Northeast Clean Energy Council president; Dan Seiger, Audrey Schulman, HEET executive director; and Environmental League of Massachusetts President Elizabeth Turnbull Henry. Dempsey just barely lagged behind rival candidate state Sen. Diana DiZoglio in August fundraising, according to state campaign finance reports, and is further behind in cash on hand. | | FROM THE DELEGATION |
| – “Markey says US needs a ‘watchdog’ at hearing for Biden’s nominee to lead trucking regulator,” by Laura Crimaldi, Boston Globe: “US Senator Edward J. Markey on Wednesday called on President Biden’s nominee to oversee the trucking and bus industries to scrutinize companies more closely and reverse the troubling rise in fatalities from large truck crashes.” – “US Rep. Richard Neal voices concern over Irish border, trade with UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson,” by Ray Kelly, Springfield Republican. | | DATELINE D.C. |
| – "Rachael Rollins confirmation vote for US attorney to be delayed by GOP senator," by Andrea Estes and Jim Puzzanghera, Boston Globe: "A Republican senator has forced a delay of a key vote on Suffolk County District Attorney Rachael Rollins’s nomination to be the next US attorney for Massachusetts to give him time to lobby his colleagues to oppose her." [SENATOR TOM COTTON] – “Biden Chooses Local ICE Critic To Be The Agency's Top Prosecutor,” by Sarah Betancourt, GBH News: “The Biden administration has appointed seasoned Boston immigration attorney Kerry Doyle to become its immigration enforcement agency’s top prosecutor.” – "Biden cools Democratic fever over domestic agenda, but can't cure it," by Sarah Ferris, Marianne Levine, Heather Caygle and Laura Barrón-López, POLITICO: "Democrats returned from an Oval Office sitdown Wednesday with earnest pledges to break the logjam threatening their entire domestic agenda — even as deep cracks remain in their party." Assistant House Speaker Katherine Clark and Rep. Jim McGovern were there. | | IT'S NOT EASY BEING GREEN |
| – Municipal light plants are heading in the right direction when it comes to energy efficiency and transitioning to clean, renewable energy. But there’s more to be done to combat climate change, according to a new scorecard from the Massachusetts Climate Action Network shared first with Playbook and being released later today. Massachusetts has 41 municipal light plants that serve 50 municipalities and provide about 14% of the energy used in the state. While investor-owned utilities like Eversource distribute electricity generation, municipal light plants can own the power generation they supply, giving them more control over how and where they get energy. MLPs in Concord and Belmont got the highest marks on the MCAN scorecard, which looks at the clean energy transition, energy efficiency, transparency with ratepayers and more. MLPs in Chester and Russell were among the lowest. MCAN says it’s focused less on rankings and more on encouraging MLPs to prioritize clean energy and energy efficiency, goals the group will talk more about during a virtual forum at 6 p.m. Combating the climate crisis is already an issue in the Boston mayor’s race, and it’s shaping up to be a major issue in the 2022 governor's race. Former state Sen. Ben Downing, for instance, is pushing to achieve 100% clean electricity by 2030 and 100% clean energy by 2040 in his climate plan. – “'A perfect location': Baker, officials tout offshore wind workforce at New Bedford terminal,” by Anastasia E. Lennon, Standard Times: “During his visit on Wednesday to the New Bedford Marine Commerce Terminal — the future construction base for what is set to be the country's first utility-scale offshore wind farm — Gov. Charlie Baker said New Bedford is ‘a perfect location’ for the industry in the United States." – "Boston City Council approves major emissions cuts for large buildings," by David Abel, Boston Globe. | | PLANES, TRAINS AND AUTOMOBILES |
| – “East Boston-South Boston ferry launching Monday,” by Bruce Mohl, CommonWealth Magazine: “A new ferry service between East Boston and South Boston is launching on Monday, but it’s not quite what transportation advocates think of when they envision Boston Harbor as a blue highway.” | | FROM THE 413 |
| – “DA’s office urges allegations of sexual assault at UMass Amherst be reported to authorities, outlines process for criminal investigations,” by Cassie McGrathy, MassLive.com: “Northwestern District Attorney David E. Sullivan emphasized Wednesday that his team is taking sexual assault allegations at University of Massachusetts Amherst seriously, urging people to report cases to authorities after students protested outside Theta Chi Fraternity on Sunday and Monday.” | | THE LOCAL ANGLE |
| – “Brookline Law Is Trying To Phase Out Legal Tobacco Buyers. These Sellers Are Suing,” by Amy Gorel, WBUR: “Owners of Brookline gas stations and convenience stores filed a lawsuit against the town challenging the ban on selling tobacco products to anyone born after Jan. 1, 2000." The law, voted in by local officials in November 2020 and approved by state Attorney General Maura Healey this July, intends to gradually phase out legal tobacco purchases.” – “Ethics Commission mulls dismissal request of ex-state police major in 'Troopergate' probe,” by Brad Petrishen, Worcester Telegram & Gazette: “Maj. Susan Anderson, one of several state police brass to retire in the wake of allegations they improperly scrubbed details from the arrest report of a judge’s daughter, asserted she and others involved acted ‘lawfully,’ a contention commission lawyers disputed.” – “Robert Gentile, reputed mobster tied to Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum heist, dies,” by WCVB. | | MEDIA MATTERS |
| – “The Globe and Boston Black News are launching a new radio program focused on telling the community’s stories,” by Nick Stoico, Boston Globe. TRANSITIONS – Nutter Chair Deborah J. Manus has been elected president of the Boston Bar Association. Felicia Cumings Smith is the National Center for Families Learning's new president. ON THE HORSE RACE THIS WEEK – Hosts Steve Koczela, Jennifer Smith and Lisa Kashinsky dig into preliminary mayoral elections across the state with Matt Szafranski, editor in chief of the Western Mass Politics & Insight blog, MassINC COO and former state Rep. Juana Matias and Greta Jochem of the Berkshire Eagle. Subscribe and listen on iTunes and Sound Cloud. HAPPY BIRTHDAY – to Michael Falcone, chief of government affairs and advocacy at the Massachusetts Charter Public School Association; and Joshua Foer. 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. | |
| | JOIN TODAY FOR A WOMEN RULE CONVERSATION ON ENDING SEXUAL ASSAULT IN THE MILITARY: Sexual assault in the military has been an issue for years, and political leaders are taking steps to address it. Sens. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) and Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) proposed bipartisan legislation to overhaul military sexual assault policies, but still face opposition. Join Women Rule for a virtual interview featuring Sens. Ernst and Gillibrand, who will discuss their legislative push and what it will take to end sexual assault and sexual harassment in the military. REGISTER HERE. | | | | |
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