The Galvin-Amore debate: ‘Liar’ and ‘faker’ and more

By
South Boston Today Staff
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One can usually count on Secretary of State Bill Galvin to provide high political entertainment when he debates anyone – and yesterday’s debate between Galvin and Republican candidate Anthony Amore didn’t disappoint. From WGBH’s Mike Deehan: “The two traded barbs and ad hominem attacks on everything from election security, President Trump’s immigration policies and the frequency with which Amore did — or didn’t — vote. The debate ended with the challenger calling the 20-year incumbent a ‘liar’, and Galvin calling Amore a ‘faker.’ A video of the ‘GBH debate accompanies Deehan’s piece.
And there was another tense debate yesterday – over Question 1
The Globe’s Joshua Miller reports on yet another tense debate yesterday, this one between a supporter and opponent of the nurse-staffing Question 1. Meanwhile, the Globe, in an editorial, is coming down against Question 1, noting that “making medical staffing decisions at the ballot box is an inherently suspect idea.”
Better late than never: Gonzalez launches first TV ad, taking aim at Baker’s handling of the T
Democratic gubernatorial candidate Jay Gonzalez, far behind in the polls and fundraising, has managed to scrape up enough money to finally launch his first TV ad of the campaign, going after Republican Gov. Charlie Baker’s handling of the MBTA and transportation issues in general. Gintautas Dumcius at MassLive has the details. It’s a good issue to emphasize, albeit tardily so.
Splinter conservative group urges Republicans not to vote for Baker
The Republican Assembly, a conservative GOP group that backed the gubernatorial campaign of Scott Lively, is urging conservative voters to leave their ballot blank in the race between Gov. Charlie Baker and Democrat Jay Gonzalez, as payback for Baker’s “betrayal” of conservative causes, Christian Wade reports at the Salem News. As Wade notes, such an appeal might be more worrisome to Baker if the race were closer.

 

Kennedy, Capuano et gang push for dismissal of City Hall corruption case
This is an odd one, to say the least: Attorneys acting on behalf of U.S. Reps. Michael Capuano, Joseph Kennedy III, Stephen Lynch and Katherine Clark have filed an amicus brief asking that the dismissal of federal charges against two top aides of Mayor Walsh be upheld, “arguing the prosecution’s theory of Hobbs Act extortion could put other government officials at risk of indictment,” reports the Herald’s Laurel Sweet.
‘The week identity politics ate itself’
Niall Ferguson, a fellow at the Hoover Institution at Stanford University and former history professor at Harvard, couldn’t have asked for more: In the same week, U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren’s DNA ancestry gambit partially blew up in her face and the Harvard admissions-discrimination trial started in Boston. “It was the week identity politics ate itself,” Ferguson writes at the Globe. “Savor last week. It may mean that we have reached a long overdue turning point.” … Fyi: Ferguson’s piece was one of the most-viewed stories in the Globe as of earlier this morning.
Harvard-rejected judge presiding over Harvard discrimination case?
Niall Ferguson has another thing to savor: The NYT reports on how the big Harvard admissions-discrimination trial in Boston is being overseen by Judge Allison D. Burroughs, who herself was rejected by Harvard many moons ago. Though Burroughs has previously disclosed that she had applied to Harvard and been rejected, the connection became an issue at yesterday’s court hearing in Boston. The NYT’s Anemona Hartocolllis explains.
‘Harvard’s vast wealth and privilege are also on trial’
And one last savory Harvard morsel for the day: The Globe’s Deirdre Fernandes reports that data revealed in the Harvard admissions-discrimination trial shows how so few low-income students get into and attend the prestigious school, a fact that suggests “Harvard’s vast wealth and privilege are also on trial.”

 

MIT and Raytheon on the spot in wake of journalist’s death
The Globe’s Martin Finucane reports that MIT is now taking a second look at its extensive ties to Saudi Arabia following the grisly death of Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi. Meanwhile, Waltham-based Raytheon has its own extensive ties to Saudi Arabia, a country linked to the murder – and the Globe’s Joan Vennochi wonders if the firm and other companies are putting profits ahead of principle.
Fall River Mayor Correia: Political Death of a Salesman?
The Globe’s Evan Allen and Laura Crimaldi have a major profile of the ‘boy wonder’ mayor of Fall River, Jasiel F. Correia II, now charged with multiple counts of fraud by the feds and fighting for his political life. Allen and Crimaldi report on all the early warning signs “that he was more gifted at flash than substance and that he valued his career over the struggling city.” Former Mayor Sam Sutter says Correia was, and is, merely an extraordinary salesman, for himself, of course.

Btw: Prior to Correia’s recent arrest by the feds, the state Office of Campaign and Political Finance cited his legal defense fund for improper reporting, according to the Herald News.
Meanwhile, Fall River recall efforts stumble out of the starting gate
Jo C. Goode at the Herald News reports that the city clerk’s office has now rejected two initial petitions by residents seeking to recall Mayor Jasiel Correia, who was arrested earlier this month on multiple federal fraud charges. No, it’s not a conspiracy against the recall. Instead, the petitions’ wording and notarization procedures apparently weren’t followed properly. Meanwhile, Goode also reports that the city council may have to delay once again any action to oust the mayor because one councilor is not expected to be in attendance at a planned meeting tonight.
Commission urges expansion of after-school and summer learning programs
This is not a lot of money for potentially big returns. From James Vaznis at the Globe: “A legislative commission is recommending a major expansion of after-school and summer learning programs in an effort to reduce gaps in achievement between poor and affluent students, according to a report being released Tuesday. … The report determined that the state would need to increase spending for after-school and summer programs to $5.5 million to accommodate the nearly 8,000 low-income students who sit on a waiting list for such programs. The current state budget calls for $4.3 million.”

 

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