Latest news with #ConferenceofStateLegislatures
Politico
7 days ago
- Politics
- Politico
Messing with Texas
DISTRICT DRAMA — Before wrapping up their trip to Boston for the National Conference of State Legislatures summit, Texas Democrats delivered a final warning to lawmakers from more than two dozen states who had gathered on the State House steps: you could be next. 'I want you to understand something: It's not just Texas,' Texas state Sen. Borris Miles said during the rally alongside Democratic legislators from across the country. 'After Texas, it will be your state. After your state, it will be this entire country.' In some states, the specter of a Texas-style redistricting fight is already looming. Missouri Democratic state Rep. Ashley Aune said that Republican legislators in her state may be called back into session this fall to redraw the map to alter the makeup of the electorate in one of the two Democratic-held congressional seats there. But not so much in Massachusetts. Redistricting is highly unlikely here, since Democrats currently hold every congressional seat (plus every statewide office and supermajorities in both legislative chambers). The makeup of the Massachusetts delegation wasn't lost on Republicans. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton took a shot at Gov. Maura Healey in a post on X yesterday, after Healey held a press conference Tuesday with the Texas Democratic delegation that was in town. 'Current map of Massachusetts congressional districts. They currently have 0 Republicans in Congress,' Paxton wrote. 'Nice grandstanding.' 'You mean our map passed with bipartisan support and signed by a Republican Governor?' Healey shot back. Some Republicans have also argued that it was ironic Texas Democrats were speaking from Massachusetts, where more than 36 percent of voters backed GOP President Donald Trump but no Republicans currently represent them in Congress. (A Boston Globe analysis, however, shows that building a solidly Republican district in Massachusetts would be pretty tricky.) It's a light version of criticism that Democrats are facing in blue states where there are still GOP members of Congress, like New York and California. Moments after calling the push by Texas Republicans for mid-decade redistricting 'craven' and a 'power grab,' Healey sounded open to the idea that her Democratic colleagues should follow a similar path. 'Isn't it a sad state of affairs that that's where we're at?' she said earlier this week, when asked about her Democratic counterparts' redistricting efforts. 'Donald Trump, Greg Abbott, Ken Paxton have left us no choice. That's the reality.' GOOD THURSDAY MORNING, MASSACHUSETTS. Have a tip, story, suggestion, birthday, anniversary, new job, or any other nugget for the Playbook? Drop me a line: kgarrity@ TODAY — Gov. Maura Healey speaks at Project Leadership's State Leadership Summit at 9 a.m. in Cambridge and signs the updated Shield Law at noon at the State House. Sen. Ed Markey, Rep. Seth Moulton, Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll and local officials tour the Salem Maritime National Historical Park at 10:45 a.m. in Salem. Markey hosts a press conference on energy costs at 1:30 p.m. in Boston. Sen. Elizabeth Warren campaigns with Boston Mayor Michelle Wu at 10:30 a.m. at City Hall Plaza. DATELINE BEACON HILL — Mass. auditor says Legislature is an 'authoritarian regime' by Hannah Loss, GBH News: 'State Auditor Diana DiZoglio says state lawmakers are acting undemocratically by not complying with a ballot question that gave her office authority to audit the Legislature. On GBH's Boston Public Radio on Wednesday, DiZoglio went so far as to compare state lawmakers to the Trump administration.' — Prisoner-run survey suggests state-paid attorneys provided inadequate defense by Paul Singer, GBH News: 'Massachusetts is raising the pay for private defense attorneys, in an effort to cajole them into resuming work for clients who can't afford representation. But a survey of some of those former clients shows many believe they weren't properly represented in court.' BALLOT BATTLES ASKING QUESTIONS — If every question filed with the attorney general's office by yesterday's deadline makes the ballot in 2026, voters will have their work cut out for them. (Realistically, many petitions won't). According to Attorney General Andrea Campbell's office, 19 groups filed 47 petitions — 42 of them proposed laws that would come before voters on the 2026 ballot, and five of them proposed constitutional amendments, which wouldn't get a vote until 2028. See them here. GBH News, The Eagle-Tribune and The Boston Globe have more on the petitions. RELATED — Ballot laws continue to vex legislators by Chris Lisinski, State House News Service: 'Ballot questions provide voters with a clear way to exert power over the work their state lawmakers do or don't do, but some legislators on Wednesday suggested the tool is a double-edged sword that sometimes creates headaches down the line. A pair of lawmakers grappled with the way that measures approved at the ballot box affected their own approach to the job, saying that in some cases legislative action is required to revise what Oregon Sen. Bruce Starr described as 'very problematic' language put forth by citizens.' FROM THE OPPOSITION — Real estate groups vow to fight rent control ballot measure by Andrew Brinker, The Boston Globe: 'The cycle repeats every other year in Massachusetts: A few legislators file a bill to legalize rent control — which voters here outlawed in 1994 — citing soaring rents and struggling families. Advocates rally in front of the State House, telling stories of tenants forced from their homes by double-digit rent increases and citing polls that show strong statewide support for the policy. And then the legislative session comes to an end, and the bill quietly languishes in committee.' FROM THE HUB — Boston City Council moves ahead on ordinances for rat-resistant trash bins, Office of Pest Control by Jade Lozada, The Boston Globe: 'Boston inched closer to getting its own version of a 'rat czar.' The City Council progressed in its war on Boston's burgeoning rat population Wednesday by moving forward an ordinance to create an official office to tackle its rodent problem. During the meeting, where councilors also pushed forward two other ordinances aimed at combating the growing rat issue, including one to roll out rat-resistant trash bins in certain neighborhoods, councilors voiced their support for taking stronger measures against pests.' — Boston city councilor aligned with Mayor Wu blocks Ed Flynn's Mass and Cass emergency declaration push by Gayla Cawley, Boston Herald: 'Boston City Councilor Sharon Durkan, an ally and former employee of the mayor, blocked a resolution offered by Wu administration critic Ed Flynn that sought to issue an emergency declaration for the open-air drug market at Mass and Cass. Later on in the day, after Wednesday's Council meeting and Durkan's objection, Mayor Michelle Wu's office issued a statement saying that the city was opposed to an emergency declaration for Mass and Cass and its surrounding neighborhoods.' — East Boston man legally in U.S. arrested by ICE and held for nearly 2 days by Ally Jarmanning, WBUR: 'An East Boston man with legal status to be in the U.S. was arrested on his way to work and held for nearly two days in a Burlington ICE facility in May, his lawyers allege. José Pineda's attorneys have filed a complaint letter with the Department of Homeland Security and Immigration and Customs Enforcement recounting his ordeal. The letter is a required precursor to filing a lawsuit.' — National right-wing group accuses Massachusetts police agency of bias in its training material by Phillip Martin, GBH News: 'Moms for Liberty, a national organization that has led efforts to ban anti-racist and LGBTQ-themed library books and school curriculum, is generating national headlines by accusing the Massachusetts Municipal Police Training Committee of bias because it designates Moms for LIberty as an antigovernment organization.' THE RACE FOR CITY HALL FIRST IN PLAYBOOK — UNITE HERE Local 26 has endorsed Alexandra Valdez, who leads Boston's Cultural Affairs Department, in Boston's at-large city council race. — IBEW, the Greater Boston Labor Council, the Massachusetts Women's Political Caucus, Boston's Ward 15 Democratic City Committee, SEIU 1199, the Massachusetts Nurses Association and UNITE HERE Local 26 have endorsed Boston City Council President Ruthzee Louijeune for reelection in Boston's at-large city council race. — The Greater Boston Labor Council has endorsed Boston Mayor Michelle Wu for reelection, according to her campaign. 'She earned this endorsement by putting workers at the center of her policies and collaborating with the Labor Movement to advance our shared values and vision for Boston,' GBLC President Darlene Lombos said in a statement shared by Wu's team. — First-time Worcester candidate has raised nearly 50% more than any competitors by Adam Bass, MassLive: 'There are a total of 14 candidates who are campaigning this year to be a Worcester City Councilor-at-Large. Of those candidates, Satya Mitra, a first-time candidate, has raised the most money, amassing $81,653.99 as of Aug. 6, according to the Massachusetts Office of Campaign and Political Finance. Mitra, 73, is the founder of The Guru Tax and Financial Services.' FROM THE 413 — Springfield city councilor files lawsuit against former colleagues, alleging 'calculated attack' by Stephanie Barry, The Springfield Republican: 'Attorneys for Springfield City Councilor Maria Perez announced the filing of a $1 million lawsuit against her former colleagues at New North Citizens' Council over her firing on July 21. Perez spent more than 40 years at the agency headquartered on Main Street. The reason officials there offered before ushering her immediately out of the building: Using her computer for 'political reasons,' without giving any further information.' THE LOCAL ANGLE — Republic has paid $500K for Peabody police details during strike by Caroline Enos, The Salem News: 'Republic Services Inc. has paid more than $500,000 for police details from the Peabody Police Department since Teamsters Local 25 went on strike last month, police Chief Tom Griffin said. As many as 16 Peabody police officers at a time have worked the details at Republic's properties along Route 1 in the city, where the hauler operates offices and a large transfer station that has seen picket lines outside them daily.' HEARD 'ROUND THE BUBBLAH TRANSITIONS — Juan Pablo Jaramillo, the deputy legislative director for the Service Employees International Union Local 509, will be leaving Local 509 to step into a new role at its umbrella organization at the SEIU International Union. Jaramillo is a member of the Revere City Council and previously worked as legislative director for former state Sen. Joseph Boncore. — MassDOT Highway Administrator Jonathan Gulliver was appointed to Northeastern University's Industrial Advisory Board. He also serves on the Civil Engineering Advisory Board at WPI. — Luisa Sanchez is now press secretary and digital manager for Massachusetts Rep. Lori Trahan. She most recently was digital director for Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-N.J.). — Jessica Rosenworcel is joining MIT's Media Lab as its new executive director. She was previously chair of the Federal Communications Commission. HAPPY BIRTHDAY — to Scott Stossel, Megan Costello, Aissa Renee Canchola, CC Leslie and Lyndsey Wajert. Happy belated to actor and singer Leslie Odom Jr., who celebrated with Massachusetts lawmkers Wednesday. Pic!
Politico
05-08-2025
- Business
- Politico
Healey's Cali cash dash
FOLLOW THE MONEY — Gov. Maura Healey has been steadily padding her campaign coffers ahead of next year's election. With two well-funded Republicans already gearing up to challenge her (and potentially more on the way), Healey's heading to California next week to cash in on the deep-pocketed donors in San Francisco's suburbs, according to invitations to the events. Healey has events in Mill Valley, Palo Alto and San Francisco's 'NoPa' neighborhood set for next Thursday and Friday. Requested donations for the events range from $1,000 (for the NoPa and Palo Alto fundraisers) to between $500 and $5,000 (for the one in Mill Valley). Healey's office didn't respond to an inquiry about the trip. Her campaign declined to comment. In the past few weeks, Healey raised money for her campaign at fundraisers on Martha's Vineyard and Cape Cod, and she's regularly tapping into the deep-pocketed Democratic donor base in the Boston area. She reported raising more than $557,000 in June, her biggest fundraising haul since taking office, and has taken in more than $1.8 million since the start of the year. As of the end of July, she had close to $3.8 million in the bank. Healey has a little while before she's back on the ballot. But going big on fundraising this year means she can scoop up a second round of checks from the same donors next year, and money is already starting to flow on the Republican side. Former Housing and Economic Development Secretary Mike Kennealy has already pledged to put $2 million of his own cash in the race. Kennealy ended June with roughly $640,000 on hand, and Brian Shortsleeve, another GOP contender, had more than $442,000. Healey burned through more than $8 million during her 2022 campaign for governor, well above the $1.5 million Republican Geoff Diehl shelled out on the race. GOOD TUESDAY MORNING, MASSACHUSETTS. Texas Democrats who fled the state to try to stymie a mid-decade redistricting effort got a warm reception in Boston yesterday afternoon, including a shoutout from Gov. JB Pritzker and raucous applause from Democrats attending a private lunch at the National Conference of State Legislatures summit where the Illinois governor was speaking. At home, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott was calling for their arrest after dozens of Democratic members of the Texas state House flew to Illinois, New York and Boston on Sunday — breaking quorum and leaving the Texas Legislature unable to carry out its work. Lawmakers departed the state after Republicans there looked to move forward with a plan intended to keep the GOP in power in Congress next year by creating five GOP-friendly seats in Texas at President Donald Trump's urging. They plan to stay out of the state until the special legislative session that would set the redistricting plan in motion ends Aug. 19. 'The people expect us to fight for them, and that's what we're doing,' Texas state Rep. Armando Walle told reporters on his way out of the lunch. 'We're using the parliamentary rules that have been in place for generations.' The handful of Texas Democrats in Boston are planning to hold a press conference at the State House at 10 a.m. tomorrow before heading to Illinois, where many of their colleagues holed up in a Chicago-area hotel Monday. More on how the Texas Democrats' quorum break is playing out. TODAY — Gov. Maura Healey delivers the keynote address at the National Conference of State Legislatures at 9 a.m. and speaks at Shakespeare on the Common at 7:40 p.m. Attorney General Andrea Campbell participates in a walking tour of Manchester-by-the-Sea's Central Street Bridge project at 11:30 a.m. in Manchester-by-the-Sea. Sen. Ed Markey visits The Pryde, Boston's first LGBTQ+ senior housing development, at 2:30 p.m. and stops at Ron's Ice Cream and Bowling at 4 p.m. in Hyde Park. Boston Mayor Michelle Wu announces businesses that have been selected to participate in the Supplying Capital and Leveraging Education Program at 12:30 p.m. in Roxbury and joins the Boston Police Department for 'National Night Out' starting at 3:10 p.m. Have a tip, story, suggestion, birthday, anniversary, new job, or any other nugget for the Playbook? Drop me a line: kgarrity@ DATELINE BEACON HILL — Gov. Maura Healey received written warning about surge of migrants in transition document by Chris Van Buskirk, Boston Herald: 'Gov. Charlie Baker's administration offered a written warning to Gov. Maura Healey about a surge of migrants and dwindling state shelter capacity in November 2022, or months before she took office, according to a transition document approved by Republican gubernatorial candidate Mike Kennealy when he was secretary of state. The heads-up largely focused on the need to expand shelter capacity and provide more funding to the emergency assistance program. It also painted a bleak picture of a struggle to build enough housing as the cost of living was putting Massachusetts at a 'significant disadvantage.'' — National lawmakers zero in on political violence, anger in electorate by Chris Lisinski, State House News Service: 'A national summit of state lawmakers from around the country opened Monday with a somber tone as hosts reflected on the June assassination of Minnesota Speaker Emerita Melissa Hortman and cautioned about the growing threat of political polarization. Legislative leaders from Minnesota paid tribute to Hortman as a beacon of leadership who was unafraid to reach across the aisle, and they urged attendees to honor her by working to counteract increasingly inflammatory political rhetoric. The topic became a consistent theme throughout the opening session to the three-day National Conference of State Legislatures annual summit.' FROM THE HUB — Councilor Ed Flynn wants Boston to declare a public safety and public health emergency over Mass. and Cass by Niki Griswold, The Boston Globe: 'The Boston City Council on Wednesday is set to consider a resolution filed by Councilor Ed Flynn to declare a public safety and public health emergency over open drug use and dealing around the intersection of Massachusetts Avenue and Melnea Cass Boulevard, known as Mass. and Cass. The area has long been the epicenter of the intertwining crises of homelessness and substance abuse in the city. But in recent months, frustration over the issue has reached a breaking point among South End residents, who say that public drug use and dealing have migrated from Mass. and Cass into their neighborhoods.' MAKING THEIR PITCH — The drawn-out battle between Boston and the Kraft Group over a plans for a new stadium along the Mystic River in Everett escalated Monday, as Boston Mayor Michelle Wu gathered with Boston-area electeds across from the Everett site Monday to call on the Kraft Group to agree to do more to mitigate the impact the yet-to-be-built stadium will have on neighboring Charlestown. Hours later, New England Revolution President Brian Bilello and Everett Mayor Carlo DeMaria defended the process at their own press conference on the other side of the river. Hanging over it all: The mayoral election, where Josh Kraft is challenging Wu. More from The Boston Globe's Jon Chesto. — Injured teen from Gaza arrives in Boston for medical treatment by Yasmin Amer, WBUR. SPOTTED — Boston Mayor Michelle Wu meeting with Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker after his lunchtime speech at NCSL. The duo cut a video Wu posted to Bluesky where Pritzker called her 'one of my very favorite people in the Democratic Party.' THE RACE FOR CITY HALL MONEY RACE — Boston Mayor Michelle Wu ended July with a significant cash advantage over her chief rival, Josh Kraft, according to the latest filings with the state's Office of Campaign and Political Finance. Wu raised about $247,000 last month and ended July with close to $2.5 million on hand. While Kraft raised more than $127,000 during the same period, he spent big in July — paying $1,886,000 to cover a variety of campaign-related costs. That leaves him with under $150,000 heading into the final full month of campaigning before the Sept. 9 preliminary election. RELATED — Prominent national Democrats ask Josh Kraft to stop using names, likenesses in unauthorized fund-raising push by Emma Platoff, The Boston Globe: 'On first blush, the fund-raising solicitation sure looked like it was coming from US Senator Adam Schiff, the California Democrat well known for tangling with Donald Trump. 'Hi — this is Adam Schiff,' the email read, according to a screenshot shared with the Globe. 'Josh Kraft said I could reach out with this urgent message.' But the email came from 'info@ and it was paid for by the campaign of Josh Kraft, who is running for mayor of Boston, several thousand miles east of Schiff's district. And, it turns out, Schiff never said Kraft could reach out with that urgent message. The Kraft fund-raising email sporting Schiff's name and likeness is one of at least five the campaign has sent in recent weeks that feature prominent national Democrats who have not publicly weighed in on the Boston mayor's race. At least two of those politicians have now asked the Kraft campaign to stop using their names and likenesses in the email fund-raising solicitations.' — It's not just Wu and Kraft: Meet the Boston mayoral candidates not in the spotlight by Eve Zuckoff, WBUR: 'On a steamy Tuesday night in Dorchester, a man trying to replace Michelle Wu as mayor of Boston worked up a sweat over a charcoal grill. Around him, music blasted from a DJ station, kids lined up at the Boston Police Department's ice cream truck and dozens playing basketball worked up an appetite. It wasn't Josh Kraft.' FROM HARVARD YARD — Harvard isn't close to a deal with Trump administration, sources say by Kirk Carapezza, GBH News: 'Harvard is not ready to accept a deal with the Trump administration, according to sources familiar with internal conversations on the matter. The federal government has cut research funding to numerous universities, launched investigations into those it accused of enabling antisemitic behavior, and demanded changes to school processes around race and gender. Columbia University, the University of Pennsylvania and Brown University all recently announced settlements with the federal government to restore funding and end investigations.' WARREN REPORT — Warren boosts Mamdani as model for Democratic victory by Emily Ngo, POLITICO: 'Elizabeth Warren doesn't have a problem with Zohran Mamdani being the face of the Democrats. In fact, she wants the rest of the party to follow his example on affordability. The progressive senator from Massachusetts swung by New York City on Monday to pay homage to Mamdani, who overwhelmingly won the Democratic nomination for mayor in June — but still hasn't secured endorsements from many of New York's party leaders.' FROM THE 413 — Making Chicopee 'a destination': City councilor aims to renew proposal to revitalize corridor by Namu Sampath, MassLive: 'Memorial Drive in Chicopee is a bustling, multi-lane corridor that connects the city to several surrounding towns. The 3.7-mile stretch is a 'goldmine,' according to Ward 6 Councilor Sam Shumsky, who'd like to make it safer for pedestrians and drivers alike and create more opportunities for economic development in his ward. He's proposed a related order that the City Council will take up at its meeting Tuesday.' — State throws weight behind regional affordable housing projects by Scott Merzbach, Daily Hampshire Gazette: 'Nearly 200 new apartments to be constructed in Easthampton, Hadley and Holyoke, almost all of which will be set aside for low- and moderate-income residents, are moving forward as part of $182 million in low-income housing credits and subsidies supporting 21 developments statewide approved by the Healey-Driscoll Administration.' THE LOCAL ANGLE — How much committee work gets done by New Bedford's legislative delegation? by Abigail Pritchard, The New Bedford Light: 'New Bedford's legislators sit across 23 committees. So far, just 11 of those committees have reported bills out with recommendations, seven don't have any bills assigned to them, and four haven't held any hearings.' — Taunton state official looking to change controversial MBTA housing mandate by Daniel Schemer, The Taunton Daily Gazette: ''I've always been pro-development, but this one-size-fits-all mandate doesn't work for some of my smaller communities,' said Kelly Dooner, state senator for 3rd Bristol district, who testified against the MBTA Communities Act at a recent Joint Committee on Municipalities and Regional Government.' HEARD 'ROUND THE BUBBLAH TRANSITIONS — Joe Hale is joining the Edward M. Kennedy Institute for the United States Senate as chief development officer. He most recently served as president of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum. — Holyoke Mayor Joshua Garcia is a finalist for the Northeast Renewable Energy Coalition's 'Mayor of the Year Award.' HAPPY BIRTHDAY — to former ambassador Rufus Gifford, Christina Pacheco, Crooked Media's Matt Berg and the Boston Globe's Jim Puzzanghera. Happy belated to Republican gubernatorial hopeful Brian Shortsleeve, who celebrated Monday.
