POLITICO Massachusetts Playbook: WARREN, MARKEY say KAVA-NO — Sales TAX HOLIDAY could be returning — STEYER brings impeachment town hall to Boston

on




WARREN, MARKEY say KAVA-NO — Sales TAX HOLIDAY could be returning — STEYER brings impeachment town hall to Boston

07/10/2018 06:51 AM EDT
By Lauren Dezenski (ldezenski@politico.com; @LaurenDezenski) with Brent D. Griffiths (bgriffiths@politico.com; @BrentGriffiths)

IT'LL BE A KAVA-NO FROM WARREN AND MARKEY — The state's two senators have already made their position clear: They plan to vote against Donald Trump's Supreme Court pick. Senators Ed Markey and Elizabeth Warren say their concerns about Judge Brett Kavanaugh include his record on abortion rights, labor relations, and presidential privilege — and they're not mincing words.

"Brett Kavanaugh is a right-wing ideologue selected off the ultra-conservative Federalist Society's judicial wish list," Markey said in a statement last night. "If Judge Kavanaugh is confirmed, women's freedom to make decisions about their bodies, reforms to our health care system, the quality of our air and water, and much more will be at risk. The Senate should reject this divisive nominee."

Later, Markey added insult to injury, tweeting: "Brett Kavanaugh was the only nominee on Trump's shortlist who has written that a sitting president should not be indicted. It's not a coincidence that he was selected."

Soon after Trump announced his pick on prime-time television, Warren headed to a huge rally thrown by Planned Parenthood on the steps of the Supreme Court. "We are in the fight of our lives" Warren said from the podium on the steps of the Supreme Court. "The Senate needs to hear from you ... over the next few weeks and next few months, those in the Senate need to hear you loud and clear. Are you ready?"

To no surprise, there is already widespread support among high-profile, local Democrats for senators to dig in their heels. As AG Maura Healey put it, "The extremity of his views and his opinions should be a warning to the members of the Senate who will now consider his nomination. For senators concerned about the future for women and families in America, the choice is clear: Vote no." Boston Mayor Marty Walsh vowed to stand in opposition with Warren and Markey. "A nominee like Brett Kavanaugh should not be voted on during an election year," Walsh tweeted last night. "He's been the nominee for under an hour and we are already learning how extreme his record is."

Have a tip, story, suggestion, birthday, anniversary, new job, or any other nugget for the Playbook? Get in touch: ldezenski@politico.com.

TODAY — Governor Charlie Baker and Lt. Governor Karyn Polito join Secretary of Education James Peyser and DCAMM Commissioner Carol Gladstone to ceremonially sign "An Act providing for capital facility repairs and improvements for the Commonwealth" — Families Belong Together Massachusetts hold a fundraiser for 10 nonprofit organizations focused on family reunification, counseling, and support for children in crisis at the border at Carrie Nation tonight. Expected to speak: former Democratic LG nominee Steve Kerrigan, local immigration attorney Jeff Goldman whose firm recently reunited a woman with her nine year old son at Logan Airport, and Liza Ryan, Organizing Director for the MIRA Coalition — Billionaire Tom Steyer, leading the "Need to Impeach" charge and on tour, stops by Boston tonight for a free town hall at the Back Bay Events Center. Steyer will be joined by Ben Clements, Chair of the Board at Free Speech For People, former federal prosecutor, and former Chief Legal Counsel for Governor Deval Patrick to discuss the legal grounds for impeachment.

DATELINE BEACON HILL —
"The question order has been set for the fall ballot," by Joshua Miller, Boston Globe: Question 1: Nurse staffing. "Question 2 will likely be a lot more quiet. If Massachusetts voters approve it, it would create a commission to consider and recommend potential amendments to the United States Constitution to establish that corporations do not have the same Constitutional rights as human beings and that campaign contributions and expenditures may be regulated. Question 3 would dismantle Massachusetts' transgender anti-discrimination law."

- "House Speaker Robert DeLeo suggests stripping policy riders from Massachusetts budget," by Shira Schoenberg, MassLive.com: "As Massachusetts gets deeper into the fiscal year without a permanent state budget, House Speaker Robert DeLeo, D-Winthrop, floated the idea of stripping all policy changes from the budget. But the idea is likely to hit resistance in the Senate, which has proposed more policy changes than the House."

- "Sales tax holiday in the works for August," by Christian M. Wade, Salem News: "Shoppers could soon see a break from the state's sales tax, with Beacon Hill leaders pushing to reinstate the two-day tax policy as early as this summer."

THE TSONGAS ARENA —
- "Former VP nominee Sen. Tim Kaine endorses Rufus Gifford in 3rd District race," by Chris Lisinski, Lowell Sun:"Tim Kaine, a U.S. senator from Virginia who was the Democratic Party's vice-presidential nominee in 2016, will endorse Rufus Gifford in Massachusetts' crowded 3rd Congressional District race, Gifford's campaign will announce Tuesday. The two worked together at the Democratic National Committee from 2009 to 2011, when Kaine was the chair and Gifford was the finance director."

- "State Senator L'Italien to Open Second Congressional Campaign Office in Acton Sunday, from the L'Italien campaign: "State senator and Third Congressional District candidate Barbara L'Italien (D-Andover) announced the grand opening of her second campaign office at 130 Main Street in Acton. She will be sharing the Acton space used by State Senator Jamie Eldridge's re-election campaign. The two candidates and senate colleagues will now begin full coordination between their campaigns."

- Concord Selectman Michael Lawson endorses Dan Koh for Congress, from the Koh campaign: Emphasizing that Dan Koh will "bring a new voice to Congress," Concord Selectman Michael Lawson today endorsed Koh in the Third District congressional race. Lawson, who is currently the Clerk of the Select Board, has served as a Selectman since 2014. Lawson's endorsement underscores Koh's strong support in Concord.

ON THE STUMP —
- "Not a 'gimmick;' Ayanna Pressley hopes her community-driven campaign will get her to Congress," by Jacqueline Tempera, MassLive.com: "It took Ayanna Pressley 20 minutes to walk the less than a half mile stretch from the Jackson Square MBTA station where she was greeting commuters, to her campaign office in a strip mall on Centre Street in Boston's Jamaica Plain neighborhood. With each step down the (typically) three-minute walk, she was recognized - by neighbors, ladies walking to the grocery store, and kids she's mentored."

- "Rep. Tricia Farley-Bouvier endorses Quentin Palfrey for LG," by Shira Schoenberg, MassLive.com: "State Rep. Tricia Farley-Bouvier, D-Pittsfield, has become the latest Western Massachusetts politician to endorse Quentin Palfrey in his campaign for the Democratic nomination for lieutenant governor. Palfrey is running against comedian Jimmy Tingle in the Democratic primary, which will be held Sept. 4. The winner will join a ticket with whoever wins the Democratic gubernatorial nomination, either Jay Gonzalez or Bob Massie."

DATELINE DC —
- "Tim Ryan weighs new challenge to Pelosi amid Democratic unrest," by Heather Caygle, POLITICO: "Rep. Grace Meng (D-N.Y.), a close ally of Crowley, has been floated as a potential vice-chair candidate ... Rep. Katherine Clark (D-Mass.), who has helped lead Democrats' recruitment efforts this cycle, have also been frequently mentioned in conversations with nearly a dozen lawmakers and aides. Meanwhile, one prominent rising star in the House Democratic Caucus has already taken himself out of the running. Rep. Joe Kennedy (D-Mass.) has told fellow lawmakers he has no interest in running for leadership, according to multiple sources."

MOULTON MATTERS —
- "Nancy Pelosi: 'They Come After Me Because I'm Effective,'" by Tim Dickinson, Rolling Stone: 'Leader Pelosi has talked about how we need to do what we did in 2006,' says Rep. Seth Moulton, an ambitious Massachusetts Democrat who argues for a 'new generation' of House leadership. 'I mean, we barely had iPhones in 2006 - it was a different world.' Let's look ahead to the speaker contest that would follow the election. What do you make of the Tim Ryans or Seth Moultons who've called for a new generation of leadership- "Inconsequential. They don't have a following in our caucus. None."

WOOD WAR — Herald: "BENCH PRESS" — Globe: "Trump chooses Kavanaugh," "Collins no rebel on court nominees," "Lasell blamed for Mt. Ida closing," "DECEASED BUT NEVER DELETED," "Shortages now, surpluses later? Pot market's in flux."

THE LOCAL ANGLE —
- "Federal judge tosses troopers' suit over altered arrest reports," by Andrea Estes, Boston Globe: "A federal judge on Monday dismissed a lawsuit filed by two state troopers who said they were illegally forced to alter a report on the arrest last year of the daughter of a district court judge. US District Court Judge George O'Toole ruled the alleged wrongful actions of top state police officials, even if proven, didn't meet the standards for a federal claim."

- "Mount Ida president blames closure on Lasell College maneuvers," by Laura Krantz, Boston Globe: "Former Mount Ida College president Barry Brown, in his first public interview about the school's closure, blamed its shutdown on Lasell College's unexpected change of the terms of a merger the two schools had been pursuing for more than a year. Brown said he believes Mount Ida did everything it could to stay open and ultimately made the best decisions it could at the time."

- "New York Times Executive Editor Dean Baquet: Yes, We Did Too Many Alan Dershowitz Stories," by Lloyd Grove, The Daily Beast: "Even publicity-savvy Alan Dershowitz is astonished at the flood-the-zone coverage that The New York Times has been devoting to his social sufferings on Martha's Vineyard. On Monday, Times Executive Editor Dean Baquet acknowledged the weirdness of the situation in a text message to The Daily Beast. 'We are trying to increase our coverage of cranky white guys,' he joked. 'Seriously, it's a big place and different desks made their own plans. We should have coordinated better and done fewer.'"

- "Two top editors at the Boston Globe are leaving," by Don Seiffert, Boston Business Journal: "Editorial page editor Ellen Clegg and assistant managing editor for sports, Joe Sullivan, say they are retiring from the newspaper. Clegg, a journalist at the newspaper for almost four decades and the editorial page editor for the past three years, confirmed to the Business Journal in an email that she told the paper on May 1 that she plans to retire. Clegg, who is 67, said her decision had nothing to do with the buyouts offered on May 24, and said she hasn't set a retirement date yet."

- "Hate crime investigation stalls on Nantucket," by Peter Sutters, Nantucket Inquirer and Mirror: "It has been nearly four months since the doors of the African Meeting House were spray-painted with racist graffiti, sending a chilling discomfort through the small offseason community that outwardly prides itself on its history of inclusiveness and acceptance. Since the initial discovery, the chatter on social media, at coffee shops and in the aisles of Stop & Shop has turned from who did this and why to why haven't they been caught."

- "Woman charged with threatening newspaper reporter," by Aimee Ortiz, Boston Globe: "A Shutesbury woman was ordered held without bail Monday after she allegedly threatened a reporter for the Walpole Times, authorities said. Amy I. Zuckerman, 64, is accused of sending an e-mail to the reporter in which she referenced shooting through the window of the newsroom, said David Traub, a spokesman for the Norfolk District Attorney's office. She has pleaded not guilty."

- "State to hold hearings on new beekeeping and farm composting rules," by Mary C. Serreze, MassLive.com: "Farmers take note: New proposed regulations around beekeeping and agricultural composting will aired at public hearings in Western and Central Massachusetts. Changes to apiary rules would help better track and prevent the spread of disease, according to the Massachusetts Department of Agriculture, which says healthy honey bee populations are 'key components in sustaining agricultural food production.'"

- "Ban on recreational marijuana upheld in West Springfield as Council overrides mayor's veto," by Mike Plaisance, MassLive.com: "The Town Council voted 8-1 to override a veto from the mayor in a special meeting Monday at Town Hall that means a ban on sales of recreational marijuana will be imposed. Councilors argued the majority of residents wanted such a ban as shown by West Springfield being among the minority of cities and towns that rejected a 2016 ballot question to legalize recreational marijuana."

- "King's Roast Beef owner admits to tax fraud," by Julie Manganis, Salem News: "Another roast beef joint owner has pleaded guilty to tax evasion. ... John Kalantzis, the owner of King's Roast Beef in Salem, admitted Monday in U.S. District Court that he failed to report $855,000 in income from the North Street business over a four-year period."

HAPPY BELATED BIRTHDAY — to Andy Flick, political director for Serve America PAC, and Samuel Weinstock, legislative aide for Sen. Elizabeth Warren.
DID THE HOME TEAM WIN? Yes! The Red Sox beat the Rangers 5-0.
DO NOT MISS THIS - THE LATEST EPISODE OF THE HORSE RACE: State Senate President Harriette Chandler joins us for a special extended edition of The Horse Race. We ask her about the Grand Bargain, legislation vs. ballot questions, the fallout from Stan Rosenberg, and what she has learned in her time at the top. Then WBUR's Shannon Dooling discusses what the immigration debate means for Massachusetts. Plus, what the NY-14 result means for the Pressley-Capuano matchup. 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.

FOR MORE political and policy news from Massachusetts, check out: http://politi.co/1qNSlWx
SUBSCRIBE to the Playbook family: POLITICO Playbook http://politi.co/2lQswbh ... New York Playbook http://politi.co/1ON8bqW ... Florida Playbook http://politi.co/1OypFe9 ... New Jersey Playbook http://politi.co/1HLKltF ... Massachusetts Playbook http://politi.co/1Nhtq5v ... Illinois Playbook http://politi.co/1N7u5sb ... California Playbook http://politi.co/2bLvcPl ... Brussels Playbook http://politi.co/1FZeLcw ... London Playbook http://politi.co/2xfDPuK ... All our political and policy tipsheetshttp://politi.co/1M75UbX

 POLITICO, LLC 1000 Wilson Blvd. Arlington, VA, 22209, USA

Comments

Post a Comment