| | | | |  | | By Kelly Garrity | With help from Shia Kapos JUST VOTE NO — Democratic governors, including Gov. Maura Healey, gathered last night for a call with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer. The topic: President Donald Trump’s executive orders and policies and how they’ll impact Democratic-led states. The governors who joined the call discussed plans to fight back against the administration, including litigation, according to a readout from Schumer’s office. Healey spokesperson Karissa Hand confirmed the governor joined the call. Beyond that, Healey aides didn’t answer calls or emails last night. But a person familiar with the meeting told my colleague Shia Kapos that Healey was one of the more outspoken governors on the call, alongside Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker. The governors said they see themselves as taking the brunt of the hits from Trump so far — and they want Senate Democrats to respond more forcefully, according to the person. That includes being united in opposing Trump’s Cabinet nominees — some of whom have been confirmed in a bipartisan fashion. Democratic senators have begun registering their frustrations with Trump’s attempted federal aid freeze by voting against his non-controversial nominees in larger numbers, but they have little real power as the minority party. It doesn’t seem likely Healey was hitting her own state’s senators — not after Sen. Elizabeth Warren’s viral scuffle with Trump’s health secretary nominee, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. yesterday. But the call shines a rare light on how Healey really feels about the new president, who she’s carefully picked her public fights against since his victory last November. GOOD THURSDAY MORNING, MASSACHUSETTS. We’re thinking of those impacted by the air crash overnight near Washington's Ronald Reagan National Airport. TODAY — Gov. Maura Healey speaks at the Massachusetts Health & Hospital Association’s annual meeting at 9:30 a.m. in Boston. Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll attends a kickoff ceremony for the UMass Lowell Applied Research Corporation and Hanscom Air Force Base Partnership Intermediary Agreement at 10 a.m. in Lincoln. Boston Mayor Michelle Wu visits the Curley K-8 Lower School at 1 p.m. in Jamaica Plain. Auditor Diana DiZoglio speaks at the Metro South Chamber of Commerce luncheon at 12:45 p.m. in North Easton. Rep. Lori Trahan hosts a press conference about Trump’s federal funding memo at the Greater Lawrence Community Action Council at noon. Have a tip, story, suggestion, birthday, anniversary, new job, or any other nugget for the Playbook? Drop me a line: kgarrity@politico.com.
| | | | Power shifts, razor-thin margins, and a high-stakes agenda. We’ve transformed our coverage—more reporters, more timely insights, and unmatched policy scoops. From leadership offices to committee rooms, caucus meetings, and beyond, our expert reporting keeps you ahead of the decisions that matter. Subscribe to our Inside Congress newsletter today. | | | | | |  | DATELINE BEACON HILL | | — “Mass. leads in reading and math scores, but still lags pre-pandemic levels,” by Suevon Lee and Emily Piper-Vallillo, WBUR: “Massachusetts schoolchildren outscored kids from the rest of the country in reading and math in 2024, according to an assessment known as ‘the nation's report card.’ But the state is still struggling to reach pre-pandemic levels.” — “Mass. gets failing grade on anti-tobacco spending,” by Christian M. Wade, The Eagle-Tribune: “Massachusetts has hiked age requirements to buy tobacco products, raised taxes and approved some of the toughest regulations in the country, which consistently earns it top rankings by anti-smoking organizations. But when it comes to overall spending on tobacco control, the state still gets failing grades.” MONEY ON THEIR MIND — The federal funding freeze may be over after the White House rescinded the memo calling for the halt Wednesday, but Massachusetts has another money problem looming. The state’s emergency shelter system is set to run out of funding over the weekend, and lawmakers weighing the supplemental budget that Gov. Maura Healey filed earlier this month still have questions about what the new restrictions she requested would mean for the families facing homelessness and the state’s bottom line. According to the Executive Office for Administration and Finance, the state won’t be able to make payments for services after Jan. 31 (though there’s a buffer between the time providers bill the state and when they’d expect payments to arrive). State Housing Secretary Ed Augustus met privately with Democratic senators Wednesday as the clock ticks down. And while senators voiced understanding for the predicament the governor is in, they still had questions. One possible sticking point: a request from Healey to slash the amount of time families can stay in state-run shelters from nine months to six months. “People can’t find housing in six months. They can’t find it in nine months,” Boston state Sen. Liz Miranda pointed out to reporters Wednesday.
| | FROM THE HUB | | — “Boston becomes first city to launch fund for families of drug overdose victims,” by Chris Serres, The Boston Globe: “Boston residents who have lost relatives to drug overdoses will be able to apply for financial assistance to ease the strain resulting from the untimely deaths, through a first-of-its kind initiative funded through legal settlements with the pharmaceutical industry that flooded the nation with highly addictive opioids. The Boston Public Health Commission on Wednesday announced the launch of the ‘Family Overdose Support Fund,’ with $250,000 to cover child care, therapy, funeral expenses, legal services, and other financial burdens. Money for the fund will come from a portion of the multibillion dollar payouts that opioid manufacturers have made to states and cities for their role in a relentless epidemic that has claimed more than 20,000 lives in Massachusetts in just the past decade.” — “Boston City Council deadlocks on call to halt White Stadium demolition,” by Gayla Cawley, Boston Herald: “The Boston City Council deadlocked on a resolution that called for the Wu administration to immediately “pause” demolition at White Stadium, reflecting how deeply plans to rehab the facility for a new pro soccer team have divided the community. The measure, put forward by Councilor Julia Mejia and defeated Wednesday after a 6-6 vote, with one councilor absent, called for “the timely release and review of final transportation, parking, environmental, and alternative public plans for White Stadium prior to further demolition work,” which began last week.” — “Boston will require new buildings to hit net zero standards,” by Catherine Carlock, The Boston Globe: “The Boston Zoning Commission on Wednesday approved the long-debated rules that require newly constructed buildings to reduce energy use and fossil fuel reliance. The so-called Net Zero Carbon Zoning initiative is a key element of Mayor Michelle Wu’s climate agenda, and will take effect starting July 1. All newly proposed real estate projects with more than 15 units of housing, spanning 20,000 square feet or more, or additions of at least 50,000 square feet will be required to meet the net-zero emissions standard.”
| | MIGRANTS IN MASSACHUSETTS | | — “A Marlborough father left for work. Now he fears deportation, even with no criminal record,” by Sarah Betancourt, GBH News. — “'We can't be reactive.' Those who work with immigrants in the Berkshires look to quell anxiety, misinformation,” by Heather Bellow, The Berkshire Eagle.
| | THE RACE FOR CITY HALL | | — “Gonzalez will seek to graduate from school committee to City Council,” by Matt Szafranski, Western Mass Politics & Insight: “The municipal political season has kicked off in Springfield. On Wednesday, School Committee member Joesiah Gonzalez announced that he would run for the Ward 1 City Council seat Maria Perez now holds. As 2025 is not a mayoral election year, city races will likely receive less attention. Still, Gonzalez’s apparent challenge to Perez will ensure it will be a top race to watch among the 413’s local races.”
| | DAY IN COURT | | — “Men accused of buying sex at local brothels ordered to appear at March hearings in Cambridge,” by Tonya Alanez, The Boston Globe.
| | FROM THE DELEGATION | | — “Warren pushes Kennedy on his financial gain from vaccine lawsuits,” by Lauren Gardner and Chelsea Cirruzzo, POLITICO: “Robert F. Kennedy Jr., nominated to lead the Department of Health and Human Services, obfuscated when asked in a heated exchange with Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) whether he would continue to take money from lawsuits he referred against drug companies.” — “McGovern: Federal funding freeze ‘cruel,’ but Trump will try again,” by Alexander MacDougall, Daily Hampshire Gazette: “U.S. Rep Jim McGovern weighed in on the chaos unleashed by the administration of President Donald Trump this week with a sudden directive to freeze most federal funding and grants, only to reverse the plan a short time later. McGovern, whose congressional district includes Northampton, Amherst and most of Franklin County, was in Hadley on Wednesday to meet with local farmers and Department of Labor representatives in a gathering that was off-limits to the press. Speaking to the Gazette after the meeting, McGovern condemned the recent actions taken by the Trump administration.”
| | | | New Year. New Washington. New Playbook. With intensified congressional coverage and even faster delivery of policy scoops, POLITICO’s reimagined Playbook Newsletter ensures you’re always ahead of the conversation. Sign up today. | | | | | | | ON CAMPUS | | — “Northeastern purges DEI websites and messaging amid Trump executive order,” by Eli Curwin, The Huntington News: “Under the looming threat of federal examination, Northeastern has replaced or dismantled nearly all of its Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, or DEI, messaging and websites. Among several other changes, Northeastern replaced the website for its Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion with a sparse webpage entitled 'Belonging at Northeastern' and has indicated that the department will be replaced with a new 'Office of Belonging.' The original website was active as recently as Jan. 24.”
| | IT'S NOT EASY BEING GREEN | | — “Vineyard Wind must replace Canada-made turbine blades with blades made in France,” by Heather McCarron, Cape Cod Times: “Vineyard Wind 1 is once again turning wind into electricity, even as its developer works to meet a federal mandate requiring the removal of turbine blades made at the Canadian factory where the faulty blade that collapsed last summer was produced. Company spokesman Craig Gilvarg confirmed that one turbine is back in operation, capable of producing about 13.6 megawatts when running at full capacity.”
| | THE LOCAL ANGLE | | — “Police departments rethink hiring practices after statewide federal consent decree expires,” by Trajan Warren, GBH News. — “Transphobia allegations, Trump executive orders dominate Worcester City Council meeting,” by Toni Caushi, Telegram & Gazette: “For a second consecutive session, members of the LGBTQIA+ community berated city councilors over allegations of transphobia by City Councilor Thu Nguyen. During a public-comment period that stretched to 90 minutes Tuesday, residents called for city councilors to support petitions urging the city to commit to working with local LGBTQIA+ communities to create an action plan around safety concerns. Speakers called for support of a second petition, which calls for the city to commit to an annual allocation of $500,000 for a ‘Queer and Trans Resilience Fund.’”
| | HEARD ‘ROUND THE BUBBLAH | | TRANSITIONS — Joe Caiazzo, a longtime local political strategist and alum of Bernie Sanders’ presidential campaign, is starting 1788 Media, a new D.C.-based firm focused on helping Democrats recapture working-class voters. Caiazzo is still keeping his clients with The JCN Group. More on the new venture is here. HAPPY BIRTHDAY — to Ed Murray. 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. | | | | Follow us on Twitter | | | | Subscribe to the POLITICO Playbook family Playbook | Playbook PM | California Playbook | Florida Playbook | Illinois Playbook | Massachusetts Playbook | New Jersey Playbook | New York Playbook | Ottawa Playbook | Brussels Playbook | London Playbook View all our politics and policy newsletters | | Follow us | | | | |
