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GOOD MORNING, MASSACHUSETTS. Happy Monday!
PATRICK SUPER PAC? — Who might launch a super PAC for Deval Patrick?
The former Massachusetts governor isn't ruling out taking some help when it comes to his last-minute presidential bid. Patrick said on NBC yesterday that while he's not crazy about the idea of a super PAC, he's looking at all his options in the crowded race.
"We need to do some catch-up, so I think we've got to follow and find all sorts of above-board strategies."
Patrick is starting at ground zero while Democratic presidential hopefuls like Elizabeth Warren, Bernie Sanders and Pete Buttigieg have been packing tens of millions of dollars in their war chests for months. Just last quarter, Sanders raised $25.3 million, Warren raised $24.6 million and Buttigieg raised $19.1 million. On the GOP side, President Donald Trump and the RNC raised a whopping $125 million last quarter.
There are plenty of deep-pocketed Democrats who could support Patrick from his home state of Massachusetts. Former Vice President Joe Biden, for example, is already getting a Boston-based boost. Larry Rasky, head of the lobbying and public affairs firm Rasky Partners, is the treasurer of the Unite the Country pro-Biden super PAC.
If a group does step up to raise money on Patrick's behalf, support might come from several places. Patrick just resigned his post at the private equity firm Bain Capital, and previously worked for corporate entities like Texaco and Coca-Cola in the late 1990s and early 2000s. Democratic donors with ties to Wall Street have already voiced support for a Patrick campaign. And Patrick has plenty of political connections. He worked under former President Bill Clinton as assistant attorney general for the Department of Justice's civil rights division, and he has been friendly with former President Barack Obama for more than a decade.
It's not clear whether Patrick will get support from a super PAC, just that he left the door open. That puts him at odds with the progressives in the 2020 field, namely Warren and Sanders, who have denounced using super PACs.
Have a tip, story, suggestion, birthday, anniversary, new job, or any other nugget for the Playbook? Get in touch: smurray@politico.com.
TODAY — Gov. Charlie Baker, Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito, Senate President Karen Spilka and House Speaker Robert DeLeo attend the funeral of Worcester Fire Lt. Jason Menard. Rep. Katherine Clark attends Melrose Mayor-elect Paul Brodeur's swearing-in ceremony at Melrose City Hall. State Sen. John Keenan is a guest on "Radio Boston."
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 | DATELINE BEACON HILL |
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-- "'We're on the front line': the teens pushing for flavored e-cigarettes ban," by Jessica Glenza, The Guardian: "The Massachusetts state house of representatives passed a bill banning flavored tobacco products, including flavored e-cigarettes, in a major defeat for America's embattled vaping industry. Behind the bill's momentum is an unlikely pressure group: suburban Boston teenagers, outraged at what they saw as the immense health damage done to their friends and peers in their own school, as well as across Massachusetts and the rest of the US."
- "These employees fundraise for UMass Amherst, but their salaries are secret," by Shira Schoenberg, Springfield Republican: "The UMass Amherst Foundation, the fundraising arm of the flagship campus for the University of Massachusetts system, pays around $3 million a year in salaries. But while public money accounts for at least some of that total, state taxpayers have no way to know how many employees work at the foundation, or what they earn. Unlike other state workers, university employees, and even fundraisers for the larger UMass system, employees of the UMass Amherst Foundation are not listed in the state comptroller's public salary database."
- "State Senate Plans Plastic Bag Ban," by Mike Deehan, WGBH News: "Massachusetts could ban plastic shopping bags by 2021 under a new proposal Senate President Karen Spilka plans to bring to a vote Wednesday in the Senate. The upper chamber's Ways and Means Committee will release a bill Monday morning that would ban single-use plastic shopping bags at store checkouts statewide and would preempt any plastic bag regulations already in place at the municipal level, such as Boston's local ordinance."
- "Hands-free driving bill cheered by advocates, feared by NAACP," by Sean Philip Cotter, Boston Herald: "The forward momentum on the state's hands-free driving bill encourages road-safety advocates — but the NAACP says the legislation may yet do more harm than good. Juan Cofield, president of the New England Area Conference of the NAACP, said his organization continues to oppose the legislation unless it contains a provision that would require police to keep racial data on all stops made under the new law. He said he fears that creating a new reason to pull people over will result in a disproportionate number of people of color being stopped."
- "Mass. Police Officers May Not Receive Required Training From State, Auditor's Report Says," by Deborah Becker, WBUR: "A new report from the state auditor suggests that Massachusetts is not properly training its municipal police officers. The state requires police officers to have 40 hours of training a year, and municipalities end up paying some $22 million a year for that training, but there's little accountability to make sure it's actually being done, according to the report issued by state auditor Suzanne Bump."
- "Businesses owe more than $160 million in back taxes to state," by Mary Markos, Boston Herald: "More than $160 million in state revenue remains uncollected — unpaid by delinquent businesses — even as lawmakers eye new levies on ordinary citizens and an overhaul of the tax code. "Before they advocate for all new tax increases that would impact almost every person in the state, they should at the very least do a better job at collecting the taxes that are owed," Massachusetts Fiscal Alliance spokesman Paul Craney told the Herald. Businesses owe at least $163 million in taxes, about $39 million of which are out-of-state vendors, according to the list maintained by the Department of Revenue of tax debts over $25,000 that have been delinquent for more than six months."
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| FROM THE HUB |
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- "It's official - Boston City Council votes will undergo recount with Mejia-St. Guillen race within 8 votes," by Steph Solis, MassLive.com: "In the latest tally of the Boston City Council election, Julia Mejia garnered 22,500 votes — just eight votes ahead of her closest contender, Alejandra Nicole St. Guillen. But the votes will not be certified Friday night. Election officials confirmed they will conduct a recount after St. Guillen's campaign submitted more than 20,000 signatures to the Boston Elections Commission to request the review. The ballots will be counted by hand over the next several weeks to determine who will claim the fourth at-large council seat."
- "Hundreds fill Boston church for Transgender Day of Remembrance," by Abigail Feldman, Boston Globe: "Hope and sadness filled the atmosphere as a crowd of about 300 people, including Senator Ed Markey, filled the bright halls of the Cathedral Church of St. Paul in downtown Boston on Sunday evening for a Transgender Day of Remembrance event. The annual Day of Remembrance, which honors victims of transgender violence, is itself a reminder of all the work that is left to be done, according to Mandy Wilkens, co-chair of the event's planning committee."
- "Mayor Walsh responds to Boston police overtime fraud investigation," by Sabrina Schnur, Boston Globe: "Boston Mayor Martin Walsh responded Saturday to a story published by the Globe Friday reporting that a federal grand jury is investigating accusations of overtime fraud in the Boston Police Department. "It's a situation that we're going to follow all the way through to see what the final result is," Walsh told WBZ Radio reporter Kevin James Coleman on Saturday. "Public employees need to realize that when they're working for public, for every hour they're working, they're working," Walsh said."
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| PRIMARY SOURCES |
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- "Sen. Ed Markey campaigns in Lowell, touts bridge funding," by Robert Mills, The Lowell Sun: "Incumbent U.S. Sen. Ed Markey spoke at Warp & Weft in downtown Lowell Saturday as part of his campaign against his Democratic challenger, U.S. Rep. Joe Kennedy, with Markey touting his work to get funding for bridge repairs in Lowell and work on battling the opioid epidemic. Markey spoke as several local politicians who have endorsed his campaign, including U.S. Rep. Lori Trahan, state Rep. Rady Mom, and Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan, joined him at the event. State Sen. Ed Kennedy, a former mayor of Lowell, also endorsed Markey despite sharing a last name — but no actual relation — with Kennedy."
- "SALEM MAYOR DRISCOLL FORMALLY ENDORSES KENNEDY FOR U.S. SENATE," from the Kennedy campaign: "Salem Mayor Kim Driscoll officially endorsed Congressman Joe Kennedy III in his bid to join the United States Senate. "As mayors, our highest priority when it comes to partners in Congress is a leader who shows up, and Congressman Kennedy has done that time and time again," said Mayor Driscoll."
- "TEAMSTERS LOCAL 25 FORMALLY ENDORSE KENNEDY FOR U.S. SENATE," from the Kennedy campaign: "Teamsters Local 25 formally endorsed Congressman Joe Kennedy III for U.S. Senate, citing Kennedy's strong record of standing up for workers' rights and protections. "Since his election to Congress, Joe has been a strong advocate for our members and the working families of the Commonwealth," said Sean O'Brien, President of Teamsters Local 25."
- "Congressional candidate Jake Auchincloss calls for stiff gun control laws," by George W. Rhodes, Sun Chronicle: "Jake Auchincloss, one of six Democrat candidates for the 4th Congressional District seat being vacated by Joe Kennedy III, urged Congress to enact stiff gun control measures in the wake of a school shooting in Santa Clarita, Calif. Auchincloss called for mandatory assault-weapon buybacks, liability insurance for all weapons, repeal of all concealed-carry permits, universal background checks for all gun purchases, red flag laws and taking guns out of the hands of domestic abusers."
- "Candidates for 4th Congressional District get endorsements," by George W. Rhodes, Sun Chronicle: "Two candidates for the 4th Congressional District seat being vacated by Joe Kennedy III picked up endorsements recently. State Rep. Ruth Balser D-Newton, endorsed Newton city councilor Becky Grossman. "Becky knows we cannot afford to sit on the sidelines when it comes to issues like gun violence or tackling climate change head-on," Balser said in a prepared statement. "We need more progressive moms in Congress and I'm going to do everything I can to help Becky get there." Meanwhile, Jesse Mermell of Brookline picked up the support of former Massachusetts First Lady Diane Patrick, wife of former governor and new presidential candidate Deval Patrick."
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| ALL ABOARD |
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- "MBTA rolls out communication plan as more T diversions loom," by Sean Philip Cotter, Boston Herald: "The MBTA wants to let you know it's hard at work spending big bucks to fix itself — and expect that to show up in the form of big diversions in the coming year, T boss Steve Poftak says. Poftak, the T's general manager, is touting the transit system's new communication plans that aim to better inform people of work being done and what will come of it. "It's important to let people know how much activity is going on," Poftak told the Herald. "It's important for people to know why a diversion is in place." The T has launched a new webpage at mbta.com/projects that has a roundup of projects underway, with information about how much they cost, what's been done and what's coming up."
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| DAY IN COURT |
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- "When the Judge Became the Defendant," by Ellen Barry, The New York Times: "When she was brought before a court this spring, charged with the federal crime of obstruction of justice, Judge Shelley Joseph did not look like a rebel. Her face was tear-streaked, and bore an expression of helpless dismay, as if she were struggling to take in the upside-down world in which she was the defendant. In April, she and a court officer, Wesley MacGregor, were accused of allowing an immigrant to evade detention by arranging for him to sneak out the back door of a courthouse. The federal prosecutor in Boston took the highly unusual step of charging the judge with obstruction of justice, setting off a debate over whether and how states can refrain from carrying out President Trump's immigration policy."
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| WARREN REPORT |
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- "Meet the people who woo big donors for Elizabeth Warren," by Maggie Severns, POLITICO: "Elizabeth Warren prohibits special access for big donors — but her campaign treasurer and another close ally are organizing wealthy supporters for Warren behind the scenes while she rips on the rich. The pair, Boston businessman Paul Egerman and activist Shanti Fry, have maintained campaign titles as Warren's finance co-chairs, even as her campaign sheared other links to the Democratic donor class earlier this year by forswearing closed-door, in-person fundraising events of the sort Warren did for years in the Senate."
- "How Elizabeth Warren Got to 'Yes' on Medicare for All," by Shane Goldmacher, Sarah Kliff and Thomas Kaplan, The New York Times: "Two days before Senator Elizabeth Warren rolled out a fundamental reimagining of America's health care and tax system — a $20.5 trillion package that would dwarf all her previous plans combined — she was working the phones to personally preview her proposal and sell it to a select group of political influencers. She would soon need every ally possible: Ms. Warren's announcement of her Medicare for all financing package is perhaps the riskiest political bet of her campaign."
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| PATRICK PRIMARY |
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- "Deval Patrick's first win: Not getting booed at California's Democratic convention," by David Siders, POLITICO: "It was an inauspicious start for Deval Patrick, debuting his presidential campaign to polite, but conspicuously muted applause. Yet it could have been so much worse: In the first major speech of his nascent campaign, Patrick wasn't widely booed Saturday by the progressive activists of the California Democratic Party. That in itself was an accomplishment at an annual state party convention where many moderate Democrats have been heckled in the past — among them, former Gov. Jerry Brown and Sen. Dianne Feinstein."
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| FROM THE DELEGATION |
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| TRUMPACHUSETTS |
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- "Mass. Nonprofit Ready To Feed Coast Guard Families If Government Shuts Down Again," by Anna Kusmer, WGBH News: "A Massachusetts-based nonprofit that fed Coast Guard families during last year's 35-day-long government shutdown said it is prepared to do so again if this month's budget negotiations break down in Congress. The House of Representatives is expected to pass a stopgap measure this week to avoid the government shutting down. However, it is unclear how long the measure would last, meaning a shutdown may still be possible before the end of the year."
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| ABOVE THE FOLD |
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— Herald: "REBOUND," MILLION$ UNCOLLECTED," — Globe : "TO THE FALLEN, A FAREWELL," "Campus now Hong Kong field of battle," "Warren's latest rallying cry." |
| FROM THE 413 |
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- "Springfield mayor's communications director arrested for vandalizing cars, damaging restaurant at MGM Springfield casino," by Jeanette DeForge, Springfield Republican: "The communications director for Mayor Domenic J. Sarno is accused of damaging property in a restaurant in the MGM Springfield casino and vandalizing vehicles in the facility's parking garage. Marian Sullivan, 27, of Springfield, was arrested at about 3 a.m., Sunday, at the casino on the charge of destruction of property. She was booked at the State Police barracks in Springfield and released until her arraignment, said David Procopio, spokesman for the Massachusetts State Police."
- "Humason's Senate exit opens door to Democrat in 2nd Hampden and Hampshire District," by Bera Dunau, Daily Hampshire Gazette: "When state Sen. Don Humason takes over as Westfield mayor in January, a Democrat will have a shot at winning a seat that has been held by a Republican for the last quarter-century. "It's been Republican for 25 years," said Matt Szafranski, editor of the Springfield blog Western Massachusetts Politics & Insight. Humason, R-Westfield, is set to leave the Senate when he assumes the mayorship of his home city ."
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| THE LOCAL ANGLE |
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- "For low-income students, the suburbs are no sure path to college," by James Vaznis and Sarah Carr, Boston Globe: "It was a given in high school that Vanessa Atocha would go to one of the best colleges she could get into — just like the majority of students in her classes at Newton North High School. But once there, Atocha, the daughter of a housekeeper who spoke little English, encountered challenges most of her classmates could not even fathom. From the moment she arrived at Pennsylvania State University in 2010, Atocha struggled to pay her bills, even with the help of financial aid and loans. By her second semester, she chose her classes more strategically — based on whether she could eke out money for the book."
- "State senator Chandler honored with national award for arts support," by Nick Kotsopoulos, Telegram & Gazette: "State Senate President Emerita Harriette L. Chandler has been nationally recognized for her contributions to the arts in communities across Massachusetts. The Worcester Democrat has received the 2019 Outstanding Woman State Legislator Supporting the Arts Award, which annually recognizes a female state lawmaker who has made significant contribution in supporting the arts in her state. Chandler received the award on Friday at the Women in Government Summit held in Washington, D.C."
- "Cape Cod shark report faulted for misleading data, costs," by Doug Fraser, Cape Cod Times: "On a sunny fall day, Kristian Sexton was sitting on Nauset Beach, hunched over a small hand-held monitor, his head buried in a sun shade. Offshore, feeding humpback whales were breaching, but closer to the beach, Sexton was tracking three great white sharks with a drone that hovered, a small speck in the sky, at the opposite end of the beach's protected area. Sexton is critical of the assessment of shark mitigation technologies by the Woods Hole Group in a recently released report that gave piloted aircraft, drones, balloons and human spotters middling grades."
- "Ryan files for recount in Salem council race," by Dustin Luca, The Salem News: "There will be a recount in Salem's Ward 6 City Council race, where Megan Riccardi topped Jerry Ryan by a single vote on Nov. 5. Ryan, a five-term councilor who previously served in Ward 4 and at-large, filed a formal recount petition prior to the Nov. 15 deadline. Early Friday afternoon, a date hadn't been set yet for the recount, although the Board of Registrars was due to meet after City Hall closed at 5 p.m. to possibly set that date. City Clerk Ilene Simons indicated the recount may likely occur before the end of the month."
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| SUNDAY SHOWS |
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- Gov. Charlie Baker on WCVB's "On the Record." Link.
- Gov. Charlie Baker on CBS Boston's "Keller @ Large." Link.
MAZEL! to Michael Clark, progressive outreach director at AIPAC and a state Sen. Eric Lesser alum, and Madison Condon, PhD student at the University of Connecticut, who got engaged over the weekend. Pic.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY - to Melanie Nigro.
DID THE HOME TEAM WIN? Yes and no! The Patriots beat the Eagles 17-10. The Kings beat the Celtics 100-99.
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.
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