It's a tough time to be a state trooper in Massachusetts -- at least if you're a state trooper accused of falsifying overtime paperwork.
For our quick look at the week ahead in politics and government in Massachusetts, we're joined by Matt Murphy of the State House News Service.
Sam Hudzik, NEPR: So we got three more state troopers indicted last week -- part of an investigation into overtime pay abuse, with troopers submitting paperwork for whole or part shifts that they didn't work. At least that's what prosecutors say. That investigation has been a steady stream of bad news for the state police, first with federal charges, and now state ones. How big a black eye is this for the department? Will any of it stick to Governor Baker as a management issue this election season?
Matt Murphy, State House News Service: Yeah, this is just more of the same news. You mentioned three more, and it's been the same story every time. The units that were supposed to be patrolling sections of the turnpike for speeding, leaving overtime shifts early, and submitting fake tickets and citations, to show that they were there when they actually weren't, and collecting tens of thousands in overtime.
The one thing the governor has going for him here is that leadership has already been changed out of these indictments, as they keep piling up. The governor is pointing -- and can point -- to the fact that he has installed new leadership at the Massachusetts State Police. They are looking at this. They are working in cooperation with these investigations, and trying to improve their operations and protocols, to make sure this doesn't happen again.
But, you know, we have not seen his opponent Jay Gonzalez make an issue of this yet, but it's certainly out there, and ripe for the taking, if some Democrats want to make hay over this.
Let's dig into an issue that's getting some play in the governor's race. Democrat Jay Gonzalez last week announced a plan to tax the endowments of some wealthy colleges and universities, including a few out here: Amherst, Smith and Williams colleges. You wrote that Governor Baker said this is a bad idea, and pointed out he opposed a similar section that down in D.C. was part of the Republican tax bill. Democrats were careful in their response to Gonzalez's plan, but didn't seem too enthusiastic. Any chance this goes anywhere?
Yeah, it's sort of fascinating, isn't it, to see that after weeks of Jay Gonzalez trying to tie the governor to President Trump, and hang the president's unpopularity around the governor, that he comes out with a tax plan that's basically a variation of something that Trump and Republicans in Washington proposed and got ridiculed for by Democrats, including Senator Warren, Senator Markey and others.
This plan drew a fairly tepid response here on Beacon Hill, as well. Speaker DeLeo, Senate President Karen Spilka, [said] they are encouraged that Jay Gonzalez is starting a conversation about revenue, and they look forward to reviewing the details, which isn't exactly a warm embrace of this plan. And other Democrats are not exactly thrilled, but they are going to have to confront the fact that they have been banking on the so-called "millionaire's tax" that got knocked off the ballot. They had been counting on this revenue to be the source they could tap into to fund their priorities, like education.
Gonzalez took a swing at an alternative. It may not be the preferred one that ends up coming to fruition. But it does -- I guess people are right that it will start the conversation.
John Kerry's book tour is coming through western Massachusetts [this] week with a stop at Mount Holyoke College. The former Secretary of State, presidential candidate and Massachusetts U.S. Senator has not ruled out a campaign for president in 2020. With Senator Elizabeth Warren often popping up on the list of possible candidates, and former Governor Deval Patrick making some moves -- if you had to guess, do any of them actually go for it?
Isn't it funny that with all the Obama nostalgia out there, that it's John Kerry, who in a poll released last week, was second most popular Massachusetts figure the voters wanted to see run for president, right behind Governor Deval Patrick?
I think we're likely to see at least one candidate from Massachusetts jump into the ring. The most likely, I suppose, would be Senator Elizabeth Warren, who's been, by all signs, gearing up for a potential run, or at least doing her due diligence to be in a position to run, if she decides she wants to do that.
But you're also talking about Seth Moulton and Joe Kennedy, two reps with some profiles on the national stage, who have been out and about. Seth Moulton in Iowa last week, Joe Kennedy campaigning in Michigan for fellow Democrats. Kennedy has also been down in Texas in that marquee race between Beto O'Rourke and Senator Ted Cruz.
So Massachusetts is certainly spreading its wings and getting out there on the campaign trail, even while we have the elections going on here at home too.
Keep up here with Beacon Hill In 5.
Correction: An earlier version of this story incorrectly said John Kerry was coming to Mount Holyoke College "next week." It should have said "this week."
