Happening Today
Shriners pediatric unit, Boston board of election, Capuano rally
— U.S. Richard Neal attends a ribbon cutting ceremony for the Pediatric Inpatient Acute Rehabilitation Unit at Shriners Hospitals for Children, Shriners Hospitals for Children, 516 Carew Street, Springfield, 10 a.m.
— Boston’s Board of Election Commissioners meets to certify signatures for initiative petitions and public policy questions, the early voting schedule and locations, and other election matters, Room 241, Boston City Hall, 11 a.m.
— U.S. Rep. Michael Capuano hosts a rally where he will discuss the need to ‘preserve critical social programs for older Americans,’ with state Rep. Marjorie Decker, Frank Valeri of Mass Retirees and Max Richtman of the National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare attending, outside the Cambridge Social Security Office, 10 Fawcett St., Cambridge, 11:30 a.m.
— The first-annual Boston Unity Cup, a city-wide soccer tournament designed to celebrate culture and nationalities of Bostonians begins this weekend, Saunders Stadium , Moakley Park, 1005 Columbia Road, 7 p.m.
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
The trade war has begun
Just so you know: The trade war officially began early this morning between the U.S. and China, as the Trump administration carried through on its threats to impose $34 billion in tariffs on Chinese goods. The Chinese are firing back. The Washington Post has the details. The Post also has a good map showing the potentially hardest hit areas of the nation if the trade war spins out of control. Ironically, most of the vulnerable spots are in Trump country. Still, we’ll be feeling it here in Massachusetts too. In fact, we already are. See post immediately below.
Mass. business confidence drops amid ‘perfect storm’ of tariffs and family leave
From SHNS’s Colin Young at the Enterprise: “Confidence among Massachusetts employers took a dive in June, dropping more than five percentage points in the Associated Industries of Massachusetts index as businesses begin to see ‘a perfect storm’ of state and federal issues on the horizon. … AIM said the decrease came as “tariffs, rising raw-material costs and approval of paid family and medical leave in the Bay State stirred concern about business growth.”
Speaking of family leave, from SHNS’s Michael Norton (pay wall): “Feeling stung by new minimum wage and paid leave laws, business officials south of Boston say a constitutional amendment may be needed to address a ‘broken process’ and ‘absurdly low’ threshold to put proposed laws on the statewide ballot.”
Trump offers $1M if Warren takes DNA ancestry test
We’re not sure he’s joking. Anyway, from Jaclyn Reiss at the Globe: “President Trump joked Thursday night that he would give Senator Elizabeth Warren $1 million to a charity of her choice if she took a DNA test and it proved that she has Native American roots. Trump made the comments during rally in Montana, at which he spoke at length about the Massachusetts Democrat, calling her his favorite politically incorrect nickname — ‘Pocahontas’ — and chiding her about her undocumented claims of Cherokee heritage.”
The Herald’s Jules Crittendon reports Warren is hitting back via Twitter: “Hey, @realDonaldTrump: While you obsess over my genes, your Admin is conducting DNA tests on little kids because you ripped them from their mamas & you are too incompetent to reunite them in time to meet a court order. Maybe you should focus on fixing the lives you’re destroying.”
It wasn’t just Warren: Trump also mocks Bush, McCain, #MeToo, NATO, State Department … but ‘Putin is fine’
We’ll let the New York Times and the Washington Post explain who else the president directly or indirectly mocked yesterday, including two ailing Republican war heroes who don’t have many days left on this earth. Of course, the president did have kind words for Vladimir Putin.
Rosenberg seeks to publicly ID his husband’s sexual-assault accuser
He’s making it hard for his admirers to miss him. From Brian Dowling at the Herald: “Ex-Senate President Stanley C. Rosenberg and his estranged husband, Bryon Hefner, want to remove the ‘cloak of anonymity’ shielding the John Doe who has sued them over his sexual assault claims, but a victim’s rights advocate is calling it an ‘intimidation tactic.’” The filing was made “minutes before Suffolk Superior Court closed Tuesday ahead of the Fourth of July holiday,” Dowling notes.
‘Reunited’
No matter where you stand on immigration issues, you can’t help but being moved by a video at Universal Hub of a Guatemalan mother being reunited with her 8-year-old daughter at Logan Airport yesterday. The two were separated for 55 days by immigrations officials. Fifty-five days. What purpose did it serve?
The Herald’s Dan Atkinson has more on the Logan reunion. The Globe’s Akilah Johnson and Liz Goodwin have more on the federal government’s grudging first steps at releasing migrant children in general to their parents. It’s not all heart-warming news this morning: The Associated Press at the Globe is reporting that some immigrant U.S. Army reservists and recruits who enlisted in the military with a promised path to citizenship are being abruptly discharged. They can’t even fight for our country?
Boston Symphony Orchestra first to be sued under state’s new equal pay law
We missed this story the other day from the Herald’s Brian Dowling: In what’s believed to be the first lawsuit under the state’s new equal-pay law that took effect July 1, Boston Symphony Orchestra’s top flute player is suing the orchestra, saying she was paid $70,000 less than her male oboe-playing counterpart. The BBJ’s Greg Ryan and Boston Magazine’s Hayley Glatter have more.
Et tu, Drew? Former Harvard president joins Goldman Sachs board
Less than a week after stepping down as president of Harvard University, Drew Gilpin Faust has joined the board of the “great vampire squid wrapped around the face of humanity, relentlessly jamming its blood funnel into anything that smells like money,” i.e. Goldman Sachs. The BBJ’s Max Stendahl has more. The vampire squid quote via, of course, Matt Taibbi. Btw: We didn’t know Faust is already on the board of Framingham-based Staples.
Fare discounts for low-income T riders?
The Globe’s Adam Vaccaro reports on a push by advocates for T fare discounts for tens of thousands of low-income riders. MBTA and Baker administration officials are not averse to the idea, btw, so it looks like some sort of discount program will come to pass.
U.S. Rep. Neal: I am not Joe Crowley
U.S. Rep. Richard Neal is dismissing the idea that he may be the Joe Crowley of western Massachusetts, i.e. a white male incumbent who gets knocked off in a Dem primary by a minority female progressive, in Neal’s case possibly by Tahirah Amatul-Wadud. Shannon Young at MassLive has more on a race that hasn’t gotten as much post-Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez attention as the Capuano-Pressley fight in the Seventh Congressional District.
Capuano’s big advantage over Pressley: M-o-n-e-y
Switching to the other male-versus-female Congressional race, from the Globe’s Michael Levenson: “Representative Michael E. Capuano raised almost twice as much as his challenger, Ayanna Pressley, in the second quarter of the year, extending his strong fund-raising advantage as he tries to fend off a vigorous challenge from the Boston city councilor. Capuano’s campaign said Thursday that the veteran congressman from Somerville pulled in $680,000 in the quarter, compared with $370,000 that Pressley’s campaign reported collecting during the period.”
Enough with sharing: Swampscott, Lynn push back on bike share proliferation
What’s green and yellow and all over the sidewalks in Lynn and Swampscott? Bike-sharing bikes. And officials and residents are seething over the proliferation of the bikes, Bella diGrazia reports at the Lynn Item.
Saddle up: Business leaders pushing for return of mounted police in Boston
A group of business leaders, including PR impresario George Regan, have formed a non-profit to push for the revival of mounted police patrols in Boston, after car-titan Herb Chambers and others failed to convince a police charity to bring back the horses, despite offers of hundreds of thousands of dollars to pay for the equestrian venture, reports the Globe’s Jon Chesto.
SJC overturns murder conviction because, well, no one really knows where the victim was killed
From Patrick Johnson at MassLive: “The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court on Thursday reversed the 2013 murder conviction of Curtis Combs after determining there was no proof that the victim was actually killed in Springfield, and as a result prosecutors lacked the jurisdiction to try the case in a Massachusetts court.” Noting the body was found in Connecticut, the SJC said it’s not even clear if the killing took place in Massachusetts, let alone Springfield.
Face it: The state’s ‘family cap’ welfare provision doesn’t stop people from making babies
Debbie Rambo, president and CEO of Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Boston, says that, yes, it’s time to repeal the welfare family cap provision for two reasons: 1.) Parents don’t stop having kids for $100 a month 2.) It’s cruel to deny families $100 a month because they ‘exceeded’ the baby cap. At CommonWealth magazine, she notes lawmakers are poised to repeal the law – and, she says, the sooner the better.
Northeastern under fire for its multimillion-dollar ICE contract
From the Globe’s J.D. Capelouto: “A group of students, activists, and faculty members is calling on Northeastern University to drop its multimillion-dollar contract to do research for Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the government agency at the center of a national conversation on human rights and immigration. Northeastern has received $2.7 million from ICE over the last two years to support a faculty member’s research on exports that could be used as illegal weapons, according to federal spending data available online.”
Editorial: ‘Bratty little kids’ pushing Dems down the vote-losing ICE-elimination path
More on ICE, coming from a completely different direction: In an editorial, the Springfield Republican is denouncing the “eliminate ICE” movement within the Democratic Party, saying Dems are blowing their chances in the mid-term elections by “acting like bratty little kids at a birthday bash.” Btw, this is how the editorial starts off: “What do you call someone who drops a hand-delivered, gift-wrapped present, and then kicks it out of bounds? A progressive.” … Where’s that lame-joke sound? Here it is.
State Police OT scandal price tag over $100K—and counting
MassLive’s Gintautus Dumcius uses a trooper’s guilty plea and other court documents to tally up how much money had allegedly been paid to/stolen by troopers for overtime shifts they didn’t actually work. The very preliminary tally: $108,000. With more indictments reportedly on the way, the number is expected to rise substantially. But keep this in mind: The records relating to the shifts in question are only required to be kept for two years, so surviving stats, in the end, may not tell the full monetary story of the scandal.
Nationwide search: Former Springfield Mayor Michael Albano lands $101,000 state gig
Former Springfield Mayor Michael Albano, who left office amid an FBI inquiry into his administration, has landed a job as part of a three-member panel reviewing appeals of unemployment claim denials, Shira Schoenberg reports at MassLive. Albano, who is also a former Governor’s Councilor and whose bid at a political comeback fell short in 2016 when he ran for Hampden County Sheriff, earns $101,000 a year at his new gig.
‘Budget, budget, budget’
SHNS’s Matt Murphy at the Lowell Sun reports that House Ways and Means Chairman Jeffrey Sanchez is downplaying the behind-the-scenes tensions between Senate and House negotiators over a new state budget. “Budget, budget, budget,” Sanchez told the News Service as he left House Speaker Robert DeLeo’s office yesterday. “Like everything, of course we would’ve wanted it done, but we’re working hard and trying to get through it.”
Markey: American consumers should own their private data, not corporations
In a Globe op-ed, U.S. Sen. Ed Markey says the U.S. has fallen behind Europe and others in protecting the privacy of American consumers whose private data is being bought, sold and traded among corporate giants without their permission. He proposal: An ‘opt-in’ consent law, similar to EU rules, that gives consumers control over their own data. Meanwhile, in another Globe op-ed, Harvard economist Kenneth Rogoff says it’s time to crack down on Big Tech in general — and not just over sensitive privacy issues.
Sail away on Gen. Patton’s restored schooner …
Attention history and sailing buffs: The restored When and If schooner, commissioned by Gen. George S. Patton before he set off to lead the fight in World War II, is now back in New England, specifically Salem Harbor, after the wooden beauty was restored and spent time in Florida. Moira McCarthy at the Herald has more on the schooner’s daily two-hour charter sails along the northern coast of Massachusetts.
Envy alert: Lottery winner takes one-time payment on $4M prize, pockets $1.72M
Finally, the rest of us can only dream. From Wicked Local: “Matthew Spaulding of Rockland is the first $4 million prize winner in the Massachusetts State Lottery’s newest 100X instant ticket game, which went on sale June 19. He chose to collect the prize as a one-time payment of about $1.72 million after taxes.”
Sunday public affairs TV
Keller at Large, WBZ-TV Channel 4, 8:30 a.m. This week’s guest: Salem Mayor Kim Driscoll, who talks with host Jon Keller about state and municipal funding and Democratic Party politics.
CEO Corner, NECN, 10: 30 a.m. Repeat: Matt Albuquerqu, president of Next Step Bionics & Prosthetics, talks about how his company works with amputees to provide state of the art artificial limbs.
On The Record, WCVB-TV Channel 5, 11 a.m. This week’s guest: Josh Zakim, Democratic candidate for secretary of state, who talks with anchor Ed Harding and co-anchor Janet Wu.
This is New England, NBC Boston Channel 10, 11:30 a.m. With host Latoyia Edwards, this week’s main topic: Vacationing in New England.
CityLine, WCVB-TV Channel 5, 12 p.m. With host Karen Holmes Ward, this week’s main focus: Up and coming entrepreneurs in the beauty industry and a look at the hair standards for African-American women.
Riverwalk Ribbon Cutting Agenda
12:00PM – 12:30PM • Governor to tour Riverwalk’s Historic Wood Mill Building, including the new Riverwalk West residences. • The tour will be led by Sal Lupoli, President and CEO of Lupoli Companies and will include Governor Baker, Mayor Rivera and guests. 12:35 – 1:00PM • Speaking program by Governor Baker, Mayor Rivera and Sal Lupoli. • Ribbon cutting by Governor Baker.
Lupoli Companies Riverwalk West
Candidate’s Forum: Jeffrey Sanchez and Nika Elugardo (Suffolk 15th District)
On July 9th, JP Progressives, Our Revolution Boston, NAACP Boston, and Amplify LatinX will host a forum with State Representative Jeffrey Sanchez and Nika Elugardo, his challenger to represent the Suffolk 15th District in the Massachusetts House of Representatives.The Suffolk 15th District includes parts of Jamaica Plain, Mission Hill, Roslindale and Brookline.
JP Progressives, Our Revolution, NAACP Boston, Amplify LatinX
Knishes with Katherine Clark!
On Monday, July 9 at 7 p.m., JALSA will be hosting our summer crowdraising event: Knishes with Katherine Clark! The Congresswoman will join us at a home in Cambridge for an intimate discussion on social justice and progressive issues.
Jewish Alliance for Law and Social Action
Elected Officials, Business Leaders, and Transportation Advocates to Make Case for Regional Ballot Initiatives at Massachusetts State House
MAPC, PVPC and T4MA will host a discussion of the potential impact and benefits of Regional Ballot Initiatives.
Space Spotlight at Pier 4
Join NAIOP on Pier 4’s expansive rooftop terrace as we hear from Jessica Hughes, Brooks Brown and Dave Wilkinson.
The Climate Action Business Association’s Annual Cookout
Join the Climate Action Business Association for an evening of grilled cuisine, refreshments, and lawn games. Learn what our organization has been involved with this year, and engage with fellow member businesses and environmental professionals
The Climate Action Business Association
5th Annual Strategic Internal Communications–East Coast
For the past 4 years this highly anticipated conference has continued to bring over 100 internal communication professionals together to benchmark best practices. Together, over 3 days, attendees have brainstormed solutions for their biggest challenges, shared cost-effective resources, and gained an inside look at internal communication strategies from leading organizations.
South End By Foot: A NAIOP Summer Walking Tour
Visit some of the South End’s most exciting commercial & residential projects, including completed developments & those to come. Following a presentation by Jonathan Greeley of Boston Planning & Development Agency, attendees will be guided on a walking tour to hear from developers of the Flower Exchange, Harrison /Albany Block Developments & AC Hotel / 7INK by Ollie at Ink Block.
Suffolk County Candidate’s Forum: District Attorney & Registry of Deeds
Please join Boston’s Ward 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, and 19 Democratic Committees for a joint forum with the candidates running for Suffolk County District Attorney and Suffolk County Registry of Deeds.
Boston’s Ward Committees (Wards 8,9,10,11,12, and 19)
CFO of the Year Awards 2018
Don’t miss your chance to meet & learn from Boston’s top CFOs at the 10th annual CFO of the Year Awards!
Today’s Headlines
Metro
Former Harvard President Drew Faust joins board of Goldman Sachs – Boston Business Journal
Next Boston superintendent will face a massive to-do list – Boston Globe
Massachusetts
State puts hold on approving Seekonk pot moratorium extension – Sun Chronicle
Greyhound Friends seeks new license in Hopkinton – MetroWest Daily News
NY gubernatorial candidate Cynthia Nixon holds fundraiser in Northampton – Daily Hampshire Gazette
Nation
How Scott Pruitt blew it – Politico
Trumps business keeps profiting from Chinese ties – Washington Post
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