Happening Today
Portuguese President in Boston, DOT-MBTA meeting, mayor’s conference closes, Raise Up rally
— Portuguese President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, who is here as the guest of honor at the Portuguese American Legislative Caucus’ annual heritage celebration, is greeted with a red carpet reception on the State House front steps by Gov. Charlie Baker, Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito, and Senate President Harriette Chandler, House Chamber, 9:30 a.m.
— Portuguese American Legislative Caucus, hosted by co-chairs Senate President Pro Tempore Marc Pacheco of Taunton and Rep. Antonio Cabral of New Bedford, holds its annual heritage celebration with Treasurer Deborah Goldberg expected to attend, House chamber, 10 a.m.
— Boston Mayor Martin Walsh participates in the Business Session at the U.S. Conference of Mayors annual meeting, at which the conference is expected to adopt policy resolutions that guide the organization for the year ahead, Grand Ballroom, 4th Floor, Marriott Copley Place, Boston, 10:15 a.m.
— MassDOT board of directors and MBTA Fiscal and Management Control Board meet separately and then jointly to discuss a number of matters, 10 Park Plaza, Transportation Board Room, Boston, 12 p.m.
— Mayor Walsh attends the closing general session at the U.S. Conference of Mayors annual meeting, Grand Ballroom, 4th Floor, Marriott Copley Place, Boston, 1 p.m.
— Raise Up Massachusetts joins the Poor People’s Campaign for an ‘Everybody’s Got The Right to Live’ rally,’ State House steps, 2 p.m.
— The Governor’s Task Force on Hate Crimes will hold a listening session about identifying hate crimes, hate events and bias incidents in school communities, Ashburton Place, 21st floor, Boston, 4:30 p.m.
— Massachusetts Peace Action holds a candlelight rally and vigil in support of the peace process in Korea, in advance of President Donald Trump’s expected summit on Tuesday in Singapore with North Korea’s Kim Jong-Un, outside Park Street Station, 5:30 p.m.
— Rep. Jim Hawkins and four other members of the House are taking the SNAP challenge this week issued by the Greater Boston Food Bank, living on the average individual SNAP allowance in Massachusetts all this week ($4.56 per day).
For more calendar listings, check out State House News Service’s Daily Advances (pay wall – free trial subscriptions available) and MassterList’s Beacon Hill Town Square below.
Today’s Stories
So what the heck will Mitt do after he enters the U.S. Senate?
The NYT’s Matt Flegenheimer and Politico’s Alex Isenstadt both have stories about what former Massachusetts governor and GOP presidential nominee Mitt Romney will do once, not if, he becomes a U.S. senator from Utah. Not surprisingly, there’s no clear answer because, well, Mitt is Mitt, one day opposing Donald Trump, the next day embracing Trump. Isenstadt reports the Romney is indeed already “mapping out plans to become a major player in the Senate.” But the questions remain, as the NYT poses them: “Will he be a vocal check on President Trump, a man he once labeled a ‘phony’ and a ‘fraud’? Or a mostly deferential Republican in a capital full of them?”
The Associated Press, meanwhile, has a good recap of Romney’s “complicated” history with Trump.
Just because Mitt said it doesn’t mean it’s wrong
The Herald’s Joe Battenfeld is fully aware that most anything the often pandering Mitt Romney says these days has to be taken with a grain of salt. But Battenfeld believes the former Massachusetts governor may actually be right in predicting that President Donald Trump will win re-election in 2020. He explains why.
Obama quietly meets with Warren, Patrick and other presidential wannabes in preparation for 2020
Speaking of presidential politics, this is interesting. From Edward-Isaac Dovere at Politico: “Barack Obama has in recent months met with at least nine prospective 2020 Democratic presidential candidates, including Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren, Joe Biden and Deval Patrick, pulling them in for one-on-one sessions at his Washington office. … Obama is concerned about how his own party is responding (to Donald Trump), and how it can be best positioned to win in the midterms and in the next presidential cycle to beat back the president and his politics.”
Andrea Cabral, the state’s former public safety director, to head pot retail firm
This quite a career change: Andrea Cabral, a former prosecutor, county sheriff and head of the state’s public safety office, is now running a pot company, Ascend Cannabis, a startup that plans to open a retail shop in Boston and a pot-growing facility in Athol. The Globe’s Dan Adams has the details.
And on your right is a portrait of … a slave holder
The Worcester Art Museum may have stumbled upon a compromise way of adding to history instead of erasing history when it comes to historical figures who had ties to the slave trade centuries ago: It’s now attaching small signs next to portraits, some of them painted by famous artists like Gilbert Stuart, identifying the subject’s ties to the slave trade, if he or she had any, reports Maria Garcia at WBUR. Those wanting to drop the name ‘Faneuil’ from Faneuil Hall might want to take note. The museum’s approach just makes more sense. There’s no need to ignore history – or erase it.
Meanwhile, the Globe’s Adrian Walker has a good column on an artistic and political dilemma of an entirely different sort: Where to put the future Martin Luther King Jr. memorial in Boston?
The Conservation Bully Foundation?
Rachelle Cohen at the Globe unloads on the Conservation Law Foundation, which she says has morphed from a valued institution into a political bully of the first order: “And it’s not simply a matter of the arrogance of its current president — although there is ample evidence of that — but of its priorities, its disturbing pattern of litigious behavior, and a board fraught with potential conflicts.”
Maine’s experiment in voting: ‘This is a little bit like Luke Skywalker blowing up the Death Star’
On Tuesday, Maine voters will engage in an historical and political experiment: They’ll cast votes in the state’s new “ranked-choice” election system. Some are nervous how it will go, report Steve Mistler at WBUR. “This is a little bit like Luke Skywalker blowing up the Death Star,” Secretary of State Matt Dunlap said. “You get one pass.”
Warren’s pot-protection bill gains backers, including, of all people, Donald Trump
Gintautas Dumcius at MassLive reports that Gov. Charlie Baker and 12 other governors are urging Congressional leaders to pass legislation proposed by U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren that would protect states that have legalized marijuana from law enforcement actions by the federal government. In a major surprise, Republican President Donald Trump, often a bitter critic of Warren, has also signaled that he’ll likely support the bill, in an apparent break with his own attorney general, Jeff Sessions, the New York Times reports.
National Grid executive: Let’s take a break before passing new renewable energy mandates
Without specifically taking shots at planned Senate legislation that would boost renewable-energy mandates in Massachusetts, Marcy Reed, the state president and executive vice president of policy and social impact at National Grid, appears to be taking shots at the Senate proposal, saying a “seventh inning stretch” is needed before the new mandates are passed. She explains why – and it has to do with hydro-power.
Cranberries are off the EU’s retaliatory tariffs list
This is good news for local growers. From the Cape Cod Times: “European officials have taken a large chunk of cranberry products important to Massachusetts and Cape Cod off a list of retaliatory tariffs they plan to impose on the U.S., according to U.S. Rep. William Keating, D-Mass. “
So what’s your favorite political-thriller movies?
This is a fun story by Bob Tremblay at Wicked Local: A list of his top ten political-thriller movies. He makes a nice catch with ‘The Day of the Jackal.’ We would have included ‘The Third Man’ and, a noteworthy recent addition, ‘The Post.’ We’re sure we’re missing more than a few good ones. Drop us a line on the forgotten (jay@massterlist.com), if you want.
Suffolk DA debate teases out differences between candidates
CommonWealth magazine’s Michael Jonas is impressed with how last week’s Suffolk County District Attorney debate hosted by the ACLU managed to tease out key differences among candidates on issues such as cash bail, elimination of mandatory minimum sentences and drug possession cases.
Candidate Rubin demands debate with Worcester DA Early
Speaking of DA races: Blake Rubin, who is running as in independent in a bid to unseat Worcester District Attorney Joseph Early has shifted from calling for Early’s resignation to demanding he face off in a debate, Brad Petrishen reports in the Telegram. Rubin, who faces a massive fundraising deficit with the DA, says he wants a chance to question Early on his role in the State Police scandal sparked by the altering of an arrest report of the daughter of a district court judge.
While public schools dawdle over construction projects, charter schools are on a $300M construction tear
Charter schools may have taken it on the Question 2 chin two years ago in Massachusetts, but they’re still expanding existing schools at a rapid pace in Boston – to the tune of $300 million in construction projects, reports the Globe’s James Vaznis.The activity stands in contrast to the “anemic pace of a school construction program launched by Mayor Martin J. Walsh, who made a campaign pledge in 2013 to spend $1 billion to fix the city’s deteriorating school buildings,” he writes.
Baker: People will be ‘blown away’ by MGM’s new Springfield casino
Speaking of construction projects, Gov. Charlie Baker late last week toured the nearly completed MGM Springfield casino and predicted that people are going to be “blown away” by the new downtown facility, reports Shannon Young at MassLive. “This thing is going to be spectacular,” Baker said. “There’s so many items and elements to this thing that are specifically geared toward reminding people this is in Springfield. … I think people are going to be blown away by it.”
Remembering Chris Walsh: Hundreds turn out for late legislator’s memorial
They held a public memorial for the late state Rep. Chris Walsh in Framingham – and, not surprisingly, hundreds turned out. Henry Schwan at Wicked Local has the details and accompanying photos.
Charles Krauthammer: ‘I have only a few weeks left to live’
In another sad post, Pulitzer Prize-winning political columnist Charles Krauthammer, in a Washington Post note to readers, has announced he’s lost his battle with cancer and bids farewell. “My doctors tell me their best estimate is that I have only a few weeks left to live. This is the final verdict. My fight is over.” The Herald’s Tom Shattuck has more on Krauthammer, who’s had strong ties to Boston over the years, including graduating from Harvard Medical School and serving his residency at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston.
Brockton reeling after its latest murder: ‘It’s kids killing kids. Why?’
Marc Larocque at the Enterprise has the heartbreaking reaction of a Brockton mother to the death of her son in a drive-by shooting on Friday, the city’s third murder in four weeks. “It’s kids killing kids. Why? But why my son?” said the mother. “It didn’t need to happen to him. He was a good kid. They’re just kids. They’re children killing children. It has to stop, it has to stop.” Larocque also has the reaction of Mayor Bill Carpenter, who said the killing was an “isolated” incident and that there is currently “no threat to the general public.” But it’s clearly a disturbing incident that fits an all-too-familiar pattern of concern to the general public in cities across the city, state and country.
Dozens arrested outside HMS secretary’s home during protest over shock therapy in Massachusetts
From the Associated Press: “Police say 26 demonstrators, some in wheelchairs, have been arrested for trespassing outside the Indianapolis home of Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar. … An advocacy group for disabled people called ADAPT says in a news release it organized the demonstration to protest rules that have awaited HHS approval for more than two years that would ban shock therapy at the Judge Rotenberg Center in Canton, Massachusetts.”
McGrory vs Sargent: An update
CommonWealth magazine’s Jack Sullivan has a recap of the war of words between the Globe’s Brian McGrory and former Boston.com editor Hilary Sargent, and Jack’s right: It’s hard to reach any conclusion about the allegations that McGrory sent her a sexually suggestive message.
Arizona man arrested for threatening to kill black Harvard students
From the Associated Press at NBC Boston: “An Arizona man has been arrested in connection with posting threats to bomb Harvard University and shoot attendees. U.S. Attorney Andrew Lelling says 24-year-old Nicholas Zuckerman has been indicted on two counts of transmitting in interstate and foreign commerce a threat to injure the person of another. Zuckerman was arrested Friday for threatening attendees of a Black Commencement event in May 2017.”
Dozens of mayors from across country march in Boston’s Pride Parade
In town for the U.S. Conference of Mayors, dozens of mayors from across the U.S. joined Boston Mayor Marty Walsh in marching in the city’s Pride Parade and declaring their support for the ‘Rainbow Resistance,’ reports the Herald’s Kathleen McKiernan.
Meanwhile, the Globe’s Stephanie Ebbert reports that mayors announced a coalition in support of the state’s transgender antidiscrimination law, in advance of a November ballot question that would revoke the new law.
Now Galvin is getting grilled over his ‘mixed’ record on LGBT issues
Speaking of LGBT issues, Secretary State Bill Galvin, who’s facing a tough primary fight against City Councilor Josh Zakim, is again feeling heat over his record as a legislator two decades ago. Gintautas Dumcius at the BBJ has the details which includes criticism of Galvin by former state representative Carl Sciortino.
Baker’s big vision for the T: ‘Making the thing work’
Sounds like Gov. Charlie Baker is getting tired of critics who say he doesn’t have a vision for transportation and mass transit in particular. “Big vision does not equal tax increase, OK?” he said on WBUR, as reported by the Globe’s Matt Stout. “I would argue that for a very long time, we mouthed all the words about a big vision but didn’t actually take care of business at home. … You know what my vision is? Making the thing work. Making it reliable and dependable enough so somebody would get out of their car and take it because they believe it’s going to get them where they need to go.” WBUR has more .
Seattle mayor on Amazon HQ2: Be careful of what you wish for …
Back to the U.S. Mayor’s Conference: The Globe’s Tim Logan reports there were actual gasps in the room as Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan rattled off stats about her city’s housing market and how hometown companies like Amazon have contributed to high costs: A 57 percent increase in rents over the past five years, $824,000 average home prices, 4,000 homeless people on the street each night. Logan has more.
Worcester lands investment from Chinese biotech for manufacturing facility
WuXi Biologics, a Chinese biotech company, says it will invest $60 million to build a manufacturing facility in Worcester that will create as many as 150 jobs, Mark Sullivan reports in the Telegram. While there’s no details yet, local and state tax breaks are expected to be revealed before too long.
Methuen Council wants answers on mass resignation
From Lisa Kashinsky at the Eagle-Tribune: “A trio of (Methuen) city councilors are opening a formal investigation into the resignations of half of the Community Development Board earlier this spring. Former members of the board say they quit over the mayor’s pressure to settle a case involving a subdivision planned at the site of the Sweetheart Inn, with one ex-member likening it to ‘blackmail.’”
Third District candidate Beej Das’s college writings come back to haunt him
Should there be a statute of limitations on dumb things college students say, write and do? Abhijit “Beej” Das, a businessman running in the Democratic primary in the Third Congressional District, obviously thinks so. The Globe’s Matt Stout reports on some of the nasty things he wrote decades ago while at Middlebury College, including comparing minority organizations to Nazis under the Third Reich.
AMPlify 2018: The Employee Advocacy & Engagement Conference in Boston
Learn, Explore & Network AMPlify is the only marketing event addressing the unique challenges associated with leveraging employee and stakeholders in your content and digital marketing strategies. You’ll hear how the leading marketing practitioners are excelling at content and digital marketing in today’s landscape.
Grid Modernization in Massachusetts: Driving Energy Efficiency through Residential Scorecards
Massachusetts’ Baker-Polito Administration recently announced their intention on becoming the first state in the nation to require residential energy scores. The ‘scorecards’ would be made available to potential homebuyers after January 1, 2021 for any 1 to 4 unit homes publicly listed for sale in the state.
Fraunhofer USA Center for Sustainable Energy Systems CSE
Great Decisions – Turkey: A Partner in Crisis
Once a prominent model of democracy in the Middle East, Turkey is, according to many observers, slipping towards autocracy.
10th Annual A&E Summit – Charting the Course for Sustained Success
10th Annual A&E Summit – Charting the Course for Sustained Success Join DGC (DiCicco, Gulman & Company) and a panel of A&E firm leaders for a discussion of industry trends critical to achieving sustained growth and profitability, and preview our annual benchmarking studies.
Boston Cyber Security Conference 2018
2018 Boston Cyber Security Conference This conference qualifies for CPE credits! Passes include a full lunch, entrance into the main conference room and all conference material.
WBA Litigation Conference – Signs of Change: A 40 Year Perspective
The WBA celebrates its 40th anniversary with a litigation conference on June 14. Signs of Change: A 40 Year Perspective features discussions on: civil rights; empowering women to change including recent developments in human trafficking, athlete sexual assault, workplace harassment and assault laws and remedies; women leading big law; the practical realities of litigation; and a judges panel.
The Women’s Bar Association of Massachusetts
Boston CIO of the Year ORBIE Awards
Join New England’s Technology Professionals at the Boston CIO of the Year ORBIE Awards. This event will honor chief information officers who have demonstrated excellence in technology leadership.
Today’s Headlines
Metro
DA forum reveals ’sunlight’ among candidates – CommonWealth Magazine
Charter schools doling out $300M for construction – Boston Globe
Massachusetts
Candidates lining up for Attleboro City Council seat – Sun Chronicle
Billions in the balance as IRS, states wrestle over tax caps – Eagle-Tribune
Plymouth Harbor to be dredged in time for 400th anniversary – Patriot Ledger
Hundreds attend celebration of the life of state Rep. Chris Walsh – MetroWest Daily News
‘Cease-and-desist’ warning letters for short-term Lenox rentals rescinded – Berkshire Eagle
Nation
Meet the guys who tape Trump’s papers back together – Politico
Should Democrats find a Trump of their own? – Washington Post
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