POLITICO Massachusetts Playbook: GONZALEZ’s delegation assist — Waiting for dispensaries to go —WALSH pursues pharma litigation

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GONZALEZ’s delegation assist — Waiting for dispensaries to go —WALSH pursues pharma litigation


09/12/2018 07:04 AM EDT
By Lauren Dezenski (ldezenski@politico.com; @laurendezenski)
GOOD MORNING, MASSACHUSETTS.

A BLUE BOOST FOR THE LITTLE GUY — Democrats are looking ahead to November and eagerly bringing out the big guns in support of their self-described "little guy": Democratic gubernatorial nominee Jay Gonzalez.

Those big guns are the biggest names in the Massachusetts congressional delegation: Sen. Elizabeth Warren, along with Rep. Richard Neal. Neal maybe doesn't cut the same high profile as a Kennedy, a Moulton, or even Clark, but as the state's House member with the highest position in the delegation as Ranking Member of Ways and Means, he wields the most power — especially if Democrats flip the House this November.

Warren, Neal, and the other congressional Democrats expected at the meet today are meant to deliver an up-and-down-the-ticket boost to Gonzalez as he takes on Gov. Charlie Baker this November and the overall 2018 coordinated campaign.

Meanwhile, the Baker campaign has rolled out its latest ad this week, according to ad tracking data. The new 30-second positive spot, airing in the Boston and Springfield markets, touts how "the sun is shining brighter in Massachusetts" with job creation, higher graduation rates, and expanded education funding under Baker's "strong bipartisan leadership."

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

TODAY — Sen. Elizabeth Warren and Rep. Richard Neal will host a meeting of the Massachusetts Congressional Delegation tomorrow morning in support of Democratic nominee for Governor Jay Gonzalez and the 2018 Massachusetts Democratic coordinated campaign from the coordinated campaign offices in Dorchester — Republican Secretary of State candidate Anthony Amore will hold press conferences in front of Lawrence and Lowell City Halls to respond to Secretary Bill Galvin's announcement that his office will assume control of general election activities in both cities after alleged staffing and administrative issues — Mayor Marty Walsh, joined by city officials and health care leaders, will announce next steps in pursuing litigation against the pharmaceutical industry to recover damages the city has incurred as a result of the opioid epidemic.

ON THE STUMP -
- "Healey, McMahon have agreed to two debates, so far," by Michael P. Norton, State House News Service: "Attorney General Maura Healey and her Republican opponent Jay McMahon have so far both agreed to participate in a WGBH-TV and radio debate and a Boston Globe/WBUR/University of Massachusetts consortium debate, campaign officials told the News Service."

SHOOT FROM THE LIP CHARLIE BAKER IS TURNING ANOTHER FAIL INTO A POLITICAL ISSUE. 

THE RMV IS JUST ANOTHER CHARLIE BAKER SCANDAL AMONG MANY OTHERS. HOW MANY SCANDALS WILL VOTERS IGNORE?

EXCERPTS BELOW. 

- "Republicans blast Bump for mixing politics and audits," by Christian M. Wade, Salem News: "State Auditor Suzanne Bump is coming under fire over an audit claiming the state issued driver's licenses and disability parking placards to dead people, with Republican Gov. Charlie Baker's supporters blasting it as an attempt to derail his reelection."

Bump, a Democrat, released an audit last week claiming the state gave 1,905 licenses to people after they had died between July 1, 2014, and Dec. 31, 2016. The report criticized the Registry of Motor Vehicles for failing to use databases, including Social Security records, to deactivate licenses belonging to the deceased.
The report also found more than 10,000 disability parking placards issued in the name of deceased individuals.
"This is the 44th audit we have released this year," her spokesman, Michael Wessler, said in an emailed statement. "Like all the others, it was conducted in the ordinary course of business and according to government auditing standards, which require independence and objectivity."
He said the audit "would have been completed and released months ago" but was delayed by "lengthy negotiations with the RMV to gain access to its data."
Last December, her office reported 260 incidents of serious bodily injury to children under the care of the state Department of Children and Families without its knowledge between 2014 — the year before Baker took office — and 2015.
The audit asserted 118 incidents of sexual abuse of a child in the agency’s care were not reported to the Office of the Child Advocate, and 19 incidents of abuse were not reported to district attorneys.


- "Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker qualified to be president, former White House chief of staff Andy Card says," by Gintautas Dumcius, Masslive: "President Donald Trump is "tarnishing" public service while Gov. Charlie Baker, a moderate Republican, is presenting a "great role model for the rest of the country," former White House chief of staff Andy Card said Tuesday."

- "Democrat Domenic Sarno Justifies His Endorsement Of Republican Charlie Baker," by Alden Bourne, New England Public Radio: "'Sarno said Baker has been helpful to Springfield on issues like education and economic development. ... 'He's been very, very good and established [a] track record in being very, very responsive,' Sarno said. 'We talk all the time. He calls me and vice versa and he's been a good partner in helping me move the city of Springfield forward, so I'm proud to endorse him for a second term.'"

- "Charlie Baker may spend up to $20M on re-election," by the Associated Press: "Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker says he may spend up to $20 million in the campaign to keep his seat in the corner office. ... The Republican and his running mate, Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito, were required to set the cap because they didn't accept public financing and the $1.5 million limit that would have come with it."

- "The chameleon governor," by Bruce Mohl, CommonWealth Magazine: "Baker's bigger problem is that his endorsement of Diehl and McMahon makes him come off as cold and calculating - he's backing fellow Republicans so as not to offend his base but he's not doing it enthusiastically."

- "Study finds no link between transgender rights law and bathroom crimes," by Stephanie Ebbert, Boston Globe: "A first-of-its-kind study being released Wednesday refutes the premise that the state's transgender antidiscrimination law threatens public safety, finding no relation between public transgender bathroom access and crimes that occur in bathrooms."

- "Boston investor Seth Klarman is top donor to pro-transgender equality group," by Michael P. Norton, State House News Service: "Yes on 3 said 91 percent of its donors are from Massachusetts and its top donor, Seth Klarman, CEO of the Boston-based Baupost Group, donated $200,000 to the campaign to uphold the 2016 law signed by Gov. Charlie Baker."

- "'Change Can't Wait': Ayanna Pressley On Primary Win, Bid For Congress," by Meghna Chakrabarti, WBUR's On Point: "Boston City Councilor Ayanna Pressley defeated incumbent Rep. Michael Capuano, D-Mass., in the primary for Massachusetts' 7th Congressional District. She joins us to discuss what the victory means."

DATELINE BEACON HILL —
- "Massachusetts, Where's Our Weed?" by Tori Bedford, WGBH News: "Recreational marijuana sales have been legal since July 1, but by law nothing can be sold until it's tested by a licensed lab for safety. Now that two testing labs have licenses and a handful of marijuana businesses have provisional licenses, how soon will retail be a reality in Massachusetts? According to Cannabis Control Commission Chairman Steve Hoffman, recreational pot shops are just around the corner. He estimates that once inspections are completed, full licenses can be granted "in the next few weeks to a month or so," Hoffman said during an interview with Boston Public Radio Tuesday."

- "Marijuana growers threaten to sue Cannabis Control Commission," by Colin A. Young, State House News Service: "An organization representing Massachusetts marijuana growers is considering a lawsuit to compel the Cannabis Control Commission to review the statutorily-required agreements between marijuana businesses and their host towns, something the CCC has resisted doing under the impression it does not have the authority to do so."

THE WARREN REPORT —
- "Sen. Elizabeth Warren: If Cardinal O'Malley Knew About Abuse, He Should Resign," by Tori Bedford, WGBH: "'Anyone who has been complicit in hiding the fact of sexual abuse of minors and therefore putting people in a position to abuse more minors should never be in a position of authority,' Warren said in an interview with Boston Public Radio Monday."

FRONT PAGE PLAY — Herald: "WATCH YOUR MOUTH!" — Globe: "Openness on state pay has its limits," "War of lookalike ads confuse nurse questions," "A SOLEMN REMINDER," "Bias law no threat to safety, study says," "Drive your rental car on the Pike and this fee tolls for you."

THE LOCAL ANGLE —
- "It isn't just Boston that has school bus problems," by James Vaznis, Boston Globe: "Boston's school busing woes have extended into the suburbs, where the school system's transportation contractor has lured away drivers, creating scheduling nightmares for schools beyond the city's borders. ... Just before the start of Labor Day weekend, more than two dozen bus drivers for suburban districts defected to Transdev, the out-of-state transportation corporation that oversees Boston's school bus fleet and its approximately 750 drivers, according to interviews with local bus companies."

- "Readers' trust in Bob Woodward helps drive Berkshire sales of 'Fear,'" by Heather Bellow, Berkshire Eagle: "Julia Hobart, manager and book buyer for The Bookloft, said she ordered 12 copies of Bob Woodward's new book, "Fear: Trump in the White House," well in advance. ... Another five were ordered as the release of excerpts from the book generated a buzz in recent days. But on Tuesday, the day of the book's formal release, staff realized early that they still wouldn't have enough copies to meet the demand."

HAPPY BIRTHDAY — to Politico's own Ben Schreckinger; former Senator and now U.S. Ambassador to New Zealand Scott Brown who's now 59; Waterville Consulting Principal Sean Curran; and MassGIS' Paul Nutting.

DID THE HOME TEAM WIN? Yes! — The Red Sox beat the Blue Jays 7-2

IN CASE YOU MISSED LAST WEEK'S HORSE RACE LIVE EVENT, WE'VE GOT ALL THE AUDIO - The Horse Race goes LIVE in this special post-primary "winner's circle." President of the MassInc Polling Group, Steve Koczela and Politico Massachusetts' Lauren Dezenski break down all things Massachusetts primaries. ... On this extended episode, we welcomed Meghna Chakrabarti Host of NPR's "On Point" to discuss MA elections up and down the ticket. We then welcomed Gus Bickford Chair of Mass Dems to talk strategy as we move from primary, to general, and national elections. And finally we have Alex Goldstein, an advisor to Ayanna Pressley campaign tell us all about what it was like to be in the Pressley campaign room on election night. Subscribe and listen on iTunes and Sound Cloud

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