Massachusetts

Governors Oppose Trump Administration’s Family Separation Policy

In the past few days, governors from both parties have stated their opposition to President Donald Trump’s “zero tolerance policy” which has resulted in the separation of thousands of migrant children from their families at the border. Some governors issued statements, while others like Larry Hogan, Charlie Baker and Roy Cooper took action by recalling their National Guard troops that had been deployed to protect the border.

Here is the list, in alphabetical order by state, as of the night of June 19:

Colorado: Governor John Hickenlooper signed an executive order barring the use of state resources to implement the administration’s policy.
Connecticut: Governor Dannel Malloy issued a statement saying, “I will not condone the use of our military reservists to participate in any effort at the border that is connected to this inhumane practice. This vile practice must end.”
Delaware: Governor John Carney announced he had turned down a request to deploy National Guard forces to the border.
Maryland: Governor Larry Hogan announced he had ordered four National Guard crew members and a helicopter to return to Maryland from New Mexico.
Massachusetts: Governor Charlie Baker announced he was rescinding plans to send a National Guard helicopter to the border.
New Hampshire: Governor Chris Sununu told WMUR if he were asked by the administration, he would refuse to send National Guard to the border.
North Carolina: Governor Roy Cooper announced he was recalling three National Guard soldiers from the border.
Pennsylvania: Governor Tom Wolf tweeted, “I oppose state resources being used to further Pres. Trump’s policy of separating young children from their parents.”
Rhode Island: Governor Gina Raimondo announced she would not send the National Guard to the border, one day after signing a bill to protect Rhode Island Dreamers.
Vermont: A spokeswoman for Governor Phil Scott, who had already refused to deploy National Guard troops last April, repeated his position to WGBH.
Virginia: Governor Ralph Northam recalled four National Guard soldiers and a helicopter from the border.

For political context, Hickenlooper (D) and Malloy (D) are term-limited. Baker (R), Hogan (R), Raimondo (D), Scott (R), Sununu (R), and Wolf (D) are running for reelection. Carney (D), Cooper (D), and Northam (D) are in the middle of their current terms.

John Kerry Signs Deal For His Memoir

This was announced today in Publisher’s Weekly:

Former Secretary of State John Kerry will publish a memoir with Simon & Schuster. Jonathan Karp, president and publisher of the Simon & Schuster imprint, and Bob Bender, v-p and executive editor, who will edit the book, acquired world publishing rights in all formats from Robert B. Barnett of Williams & Connolly. No publication date has yet been set. The book will also be published by Simon & Schuster’s international companies in Australia, Canada, India, and the United Kingdom, and in audiobook by Simon & Schuster Audio.

Kerry was represented by Bob Barnett, the same Washington uber-lawyer who has negotiated book deals for the Obamas, George W. Bush, Karl Rove, Sarah Palin, and many other national political figures. In addition to his tenure as Obama’s Secretary of State, I assume the book will also cover his 2004 presidential run and his Senate career.

Native American Democrat Blasts President Trump’s “Pocahontas” Insult

ATLANTA — A Native American Democratic official blasted President Donald Trump’s use of “Pocahontas” as an insult in his ongoing war of words with Democratic senator Elizabeth Warren. “There has been no outrage about ‘Pocahontas,’” Frank LaMere said during a meeting of the Democratic National Committee’s Native American Council. “If he had said the N-word, the whole Democratic Party would have been after him. ‘Pocahontas’ is no different.” LaMere is the associate chair of the Nebraska Democratic Party and a DNC member.

The Pocahontas insult – a reference to the 17^th century Native American from Virginia’s colonial period – is in regard to Senator Warren’s claimed Native American heritage, which became an issue during her 2012 campaign in Massachusetts. Republican incumbent Scott Brown challenged her ancestry and seemingly implied that she was a beneficiary of affirmative action by claiming Indian heritage during school and job applications.

Rion Ramirez, the chairman of the DNC Native American Council, elaborated on LaMere’s comment, saying “She [Senator Warren] needs to take him [President Trump] to task,” for the Pocahontas insult, before adding that she also needed to elaborate on her own ancestry. “She needs to step up and explain her relationship with Indian country.”

Massachusetts and Virginia Join Lawsuits Against Federal Government Over Trump Executive Order

Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey announced her office would be joining a lawsuit against the federal government over President Trump’s controversial executive order. The original plaintiffs were the ACLU of Massachusetts and private attorneys on behalf of two associate professors from the University of Massachusetts at Dartmouth.

It is worth noting that, among the several statements in support of the lawsuit from state officials as well as representatives from the private sector and academia is this comment from Republican governor Charlie Baker:

“Massachusetts is a global community and we all benefit from the shared experiences of our partners from around the world to support our economy and educational institutions to make our state the best place to live, work and raise a family. The recent executive order puts this at risk, will not improve our security, and the lack of guidance associated with such an abrupt and overwhelming decision is problematic for all involved. Our administration has worked with the Attorney General’s office and supports her challenging this action. We look forward to the courts resolving this matter expeditiously.”

Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring also filed a motion to intervene in Aziz v. Trump et al. in the Eastern District of Virginia, effectively making the state a plaintiff in the case. The motion says in part:

The Commonwealth has substantial interests justifying its intervention. Virginia has a substantial interest in protecting its public universities and their faculty and students from the academic and fiscal disruption posed by the Executive Order. The Executive Order impairs the ability of students who are lawful permanent residents or present on student visas from continuing to attend Virginia’s public colleges and universities. That impairment will hamper the ability of Virginia’s colleges and universities to attract and retain foreign students in the future and result in a significant loss of tuition revenue to the Commonwealth. The Executive Order also hinders the travel of faculty members and other educational personnel employed by Virginia’s public colleges and universities. Faculty members and students who are unable to travel likely will be forced to forfeit their grant moneys. Moreover, Virginia has a quasi-sovereign interest “in the health and well-being —both physical and economic—of its residents in general,” which will be impaired if Virginia is not permitted to intervene.

Herring’s office also filed a separate brief in support of the motion to intervene.

That makes three states which have joined lawsuits against the federal government yesterday alone.

Elizabeth Warren’s Senate Committee Shuffle

Massachusetts senator Elizabeth Warren will be a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee – which is responsible for oversight of the military and the Pentagon – beginning in January. Why is this significant? According to the Boston Globe:

The posting which Warren sought and will take effect when a new Congress convenes next year, adds a new set of issues to Warren’s portfolio and promises to fuel speculation about a possible 2020 bid for president. The liberal firebrand — who is best known for dressing down Wall Street CEOs and pushing for ways to bolster the economic health of the middle class — will now be getting elbows deep in debates about defense spending, Russian cyberattacks, and deployment of the nation’s military around the world.

The decision also puts Warren (and by extension the state of Massachusetts) back on the committee that has oversight and importance for defense contractors in her state. Her previous two predecessors – Ted Kennedy and Scott Brown – were members of the committee. Warren will join the committee in time to participate in the confirmation hearings for General James Mattis (Ret.) to be the next Secretary of Defense. To get this position, Warren gave up her position on the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. As the Globe also mentioned, it will give her opportunity to brush up on foreign policy and national security issues ahead of a possible 2020 presidential run.

Democrats Weigh In On Party’s Direction, Message and Future

Several Democrats – including a DNC chair candidate, an Obama cabinet secretary, and a potential 2020 presidential candidate – penned a collection of mini op-eds for the Washington Post outlining their vision for the party and its future. All of them are worth reading.