POLITICO Massachusetts Playbook: KENNEDY’s Michigan swing — Lawsuit filed against COLUMBIA GAS — WOMEN rule winning races
KENNEDY’s Michigan swing — Lawsuit filed against COLUMBIA GAS — WOMEN rule winning races
09/19/2018 07:08 AM EDT
By Lauren Dezenski (ldezenski@politico.com; @laurendezenski)
GOOD MORNING, MASSACHUSETTS.
KENNEDY HITS THE ROAD — Rep. Joe Kennedy III is on the move, this time to Michigan.
Kennedy is traveling to Ann Arbor, East Lansing, and Grand Rapids to support candidates for the House and Senate as Democrats around the country work to run up margins in the hopes of winning back the House — and perhaps the Senate — this November. Kennedy will be on the trail rallying students at the University of Michigan (with Sen. Debbie Stabenow, Rep. Debbie Dingell, Rep. Dan Kildee, and candidate Gretchen Driskell) and later at Michigan State University (with Sen. Stabenow, Rep. Kildee and candidate Elissa Slotkin), among other engagements.
Kennedy has ventured out around the country to states like Florida and Texas in support of other Democrats as his star rises in the caucus (he delivered this year's Democratic rebuttal to the State of the Union speech, if you'll recall). This isn't his first Michigan trip, either. Kennedy visited roughly a year ago — and his in-laws also happen to live in the state.
Meanwhile, in Washington, Kennedy, Reps. Niki Tsongas, and Seth Moulton are also banding together to call for immediate hearings on the safety and federal oversight of natural gas pipelines. The push, announced this morning, comes in the wake of last week's fatal Lawrence gas explosions caused by over-pressurized gas lines. Kennedy is a member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee.
Have a tip, story, suggestion, birthday, anniversary, new job, or any other nugget for the Playbook? Get in touch: ldezenski@politico.com..
TODAY - Boston City Councilors Matt O'Malley, Ed Flynn, and Ayanna Pressley plan to introduce a hearing order on natural gas safety in Boston at today's hearing - Geoff Diehl, the Republican nominee for U.S. Senate, will hold a press conference at his campaign headquarters in Braintree - Rep. Joe Kennedy III delivers the keynote speech at the Michigan Democratic Party's "Best of West" reception in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
DATELINE MERRIMACK VALLEY —
- "Gas explosions could hurt company's finances," by Christian M. Wade, Lawrence Eagle-Tribune: "Two ratings agencies say the Merrimack Valley gas explosions are likely to haunt Columbia Gas and its parent company, potentially affecting their finances."
- "Lawsuit Against Columbia Gas Is Filed On Behalf of Gas Explosion Victims," by Fred Thys, WBUR: "Several attorneys have filed a class action lawsuit against Columbia Gas on behalf of people displaced by last week's explosions in Lawrence, Andover and North Andover. ... The attorneys say the company was negligent in not properly maintaining its century-old cast iron pipes."
- "Rep. Seth Moulton on Columbia Gas Response 'It's So Pathetic, It's Just Unbelievable,'" by Tori Bedford, WGBH: "'The fundamental responsibility of a gas company — of any company, frankly, should be to keep its customers safe,' Moulton said during an interview with Boston Public Radio Monday. '...the gas company failed to meet that basic test.'"
- "State will defer to federal investigation into Merrimack Valley gas explosions," by Shira Schoenberg, Springfield Republican: "State officials said Monday they will wait until the National Transportation Safety Board releases its investigative report on the Merrimack Valley gas explosions before deciding if any additional state hearings or oversight are warranted."
CHARLIE BAKER HAS REMAINED SILENT ON THIS ISSUE THAT JEOPARDIZES PUBLIC SAFETY
- "Gas explosions put spotlight on National Grid lockout, safety," by Katie Johnston, Boston Globe: "A different company, Columbia Gas, serves Lawrence, Andover, and North Andover, where gas-fueled explosions and fires killed one person, injured dozens, and left 8,500 customers without service. But the catastrophe has put the entire gas industry in the spotlight, labor and crisis-management professionals say, and it could give the locked-out National Grid gas workers some leverage over a company that doesn't want to be seen as jeopardizing public safety by relying on replacement workers as the standoff drags on."
ON THE STUMP —
- "New Backroom Muscle: Women Manage Winning Campaigns Throughout Mass. And N.H.," by David S. Bernstein, WGBH: "Presumptive U.S. Representative Ayanna Pressley had one on her winning campaign. So did Rachael Rollins, now the likely next Suffolk County District Attorney. Surprise state representative winner Nika Elugardo, too; and both congressional candidates Lori Trahan and Dan Koh, who just finished a recount that Trahan won. ... The magic element on all these successful primary campaigns? Women managed them."
- "Gonzalez revenue plan would tax state's major colleges and universities," by Joshua Miller, Boston Globe: "The Needham Democrat says it's a "fair" way to raise the revenue needed to upgrade the state's beleaguered transportation infrastructure and infuse more money into early childhood, K-12, and public higher education — all without raising taxes on any resident."
CHARLIE BAKER FUNDRAISING OUT OF STATE AGAIN
- "Gov. Charlie Baker to keynote Log Cabin Republican fundraiser in Washington," by Shira Schoenberg, Springfield Republican: "The Log Cabin Republicans are a pro-gay rights Republican group. Baker, a Republican, has a gay brother, whom he featured in a 2014 campaign video. Baker supports gay rights and in 2016 signed a law prohibiting discrimination against transgender people in public places."
- "With 3rd District primary settled, Democrats unite behind Lori Trahan," by Chris Lisinski, Lowell Sun: "If the final debate between the 10 Democrats seeking the 3rd Congressional District nomination felt like the last day of summer camp, then Tuesday's event featuring the candidates unifying behind victor Lori Trahan felt like a high-school reunion."
- "Primaries showed high voter interest headed into midterms," by Christian M. Wade, Gloucester Times: "More than 1 million people — nearly 23 percent of the state's 4.5 million registered voters — cast ballots in the Sept. 4 primary, according to newly released estimates from Secretary of State's office, which oversaw the election."
EYE ON 2020 —
- "Fundraising committee event draws plenty of Deval Patrick fans," by Sean Philip Cotter, Boston Herald: "Deval Patrick did not attend the kickoff for a political action committee he has close ties to — but that didn't stop the former governor from being the most talked-about man at the event as supporters want to see him run for president."
- "'Reason to Believe' in Deval Patrick '20," by Joe Battenfeld, Boston Herald: "'We just thought it was an appropriate title for our view of politics,' said political consultant Doug Rubin, a former Patrick aide who is helping to launch the organization. 'The governor was not involved in the formation of this PAC. He has no control over any of the actions of the PAC.'"
THE WARREN REPORT —
- "Warren Bill Would Require Companies To Disclose More About Their Climate Risks," by Benjamin Swasey, WBUR: "U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren on Monday proposed legislation that would require public companies to disclose more information about their exposure to climate-related risks."
- "Warren and other potential 2020 Dems join fight to flip statehouses," by Edward-Isaac Dovere, POLITICO: "Four Democratic senators in the discussion as potential 2020 candidates are joining the fight to turn state legislatures blue, recording ads for Sister District, a Democratic group connecting volunteers to down-ballot campaigns from far away. ... 'Getting involved in a state race is one of the best ways you can spend your time between now and Nov. 6,' says Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) in one of the videos."
FRONT PAGE PLAY — Herald: "EXPLAIN THIS," "PROFITING OFF PAIN," "JUST FRIENDS" — Globe: "Happening again? Hill's not surprised," "With crucial vote, Collins feels heat from all sides," "Disaster puts spotlight on National Grid lockout," "Gonzalez calls for state to tax richest colleges," "A design for Kings' memorial that rises to the top."
THE LOCAL ANGLE —
- "Wynn Resorts hit with $3 billion lawsuit by former Massachusetts casino license rival Suffolk Downs," by Gintautas Dumcius, Masslive.com: "Wynn Resorts unfairly secured the lone eastern Massachusetts casino license, a former rival charged in a lawsuit seeking up to $3 billion."
- "Those electric scooters like Bird and Lime? They're illegal in Mass.," by Adam Vaccaro, Boston Globe: "As Cambridge officials begin to develop new rules of the road for electric scooters that can be rented with a smartphone app, officials say it will probably be months before they can welcome them back."
- "Man who allegedly threatened to kill Globe employees indicted by federal grand jury," by Travis Andersen and Milton J. Valencia,
Boston Globe: "Grand jurors in US District Court in Boston formally indicted Robert Darrell Chain, 68, on seven counts of use of interstate and foreign commerce to transmit a threat to injure another person, US Attorney Andrew E. Lelling's office said Tuesday."
MAZEL! - to Arline Isaacson, longtime lobbyist for the LGBTQ community and Gary Daffin, longtime advocate on AIDS related issues received "Heroes in Action" awards this week from AIDS Action. ... Both Arline and Gary are Co-Chairs of MGLPC and have advocated on AIDS and LGBTQ issues for 3 decades. MGLPC led the lobbying effort on marriage equality in Massachusetts, and critically important anti-discrimination measures for the LGBTQ community.
DID THE HOME TEAM WIN? No! - The Red Sox fell to the Yankees 3-2.
ICYMI - On this episode of The Horse Race, we wrap up our recap of the primary election and make a big announcement. ... We welcomed News Editor at the Dorchester Reporter, Jenn Smith, and Michael Jonas of Commonwealth Magazine to cover the DA race. We then catch up with our friends of the Codcast, Jennifer Nassour and Jesse Mermell to hear all about their new, highly opinionated, cross-partisan podcast, Disagreeing Agreeably. Subscribe and listen on iTunes and Sound Cloud
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