Massachusetts

In Massachusetts, the left is fighting the left – The Boston Globe

Published

2 years ago

July 5, 2023

In Massachusetts, the left is fighting the left – The Boston Globe

Barack Obama’s press secretary once dismissed liberal naysayers as “the professional left.”

State Senator Lydia Edwards is even more scathing. When talking about the move by some members of the Boston chapter of Democratic Socialists of America to oust state Representative Mike Connolly for sins that include endorsing her, Edwards said, “The ‘let them eat cake’ wing of the left is so out of touch with the lived struggle of so many people. They will hold their breath for purity and throw a temper tantrum, while they are stably housed, food secure, and healthy.” Edwards, the first woman and first person of color to represent her district, also calls DSA members “progressive white supremacists.” Asked why, Edwards said: “They are progressive. They also believe they know what is better for BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, people of color) people. And whether they want to admit it, trusting your perspective of what is better for people of color than people of color telling you … is white supremacy.”

The spat between Connolly and the DSA — first reported by Politico’s Lisa Kashinsky — puts a local spin on a bigger, national political story: The ongoing battle between the left and center of the Democratic Party. In progressive states like Massachusetts, the left is also starting to fight the left. “That is part of the story and what that means for Democratic politics, if the incentive is not to get things done, to prove their purity and moral superiority,” said Liam Kerr, founder of Priorities for Progress, which promotes more centrist Democratic policies to attract independent voters. You can see the left vs. left in-fighting when the ultraliberal Boston City Council votes to slash $30 million from the police budget and the liberal Mayor Michelle Wu makes headlines for standing up to “woke” politics by restoring the money. And you can see it when a lefty lawmaker from Cambridge like Connolly can get an A-plus rating from Progressive Massachusetts but can still flunk the DSA’s purity test.

According to the motion to expel Connolly that was obtained by Politico, besides supporting Edwards, Connolly’s ideological betrayals also include supporting Maura Healey for governor, voting for Ronald Mariano for House speaker, and backing Wu’s “milquetoast version of rent stabilization.” He also supported and promoted “the British royal family’s greenwashing junket to Somerville,” a reference to last December’s visit by Prince William and his wife to a climate-tech startup in Somerville.

Connolly tweeted that he plans to defend himself at a July 23 meeting that will take up the expulsion motion.

“I’m proud of my record in the state Legislature and all the work I’ve been able to do for our community, working together with a wide range of partners, from fellow DSA members and all of my friends on the Left, to legislative leaders, Senator Edwards, Mayor Wu, Speaker Mariano, Governor Healey and many others,” he said. In a statement, Boston DSA said it will be taking up the expulsion motion according to its bylaws and will have no comment until the vote is taken.

“Power and purity are forever at odds, and progressive candidates will always have to choose one,” Kerr said. Meanwhile, as Kerr points out, if Connolly’s choices aren’t pure enough for DSA and he is expelled, the group will be losing one of their two legislative office holders. That will decrease, not increase, their influence on Beacon Hill. “People have to choose what they want. A pragmatic progressive or someone beholden to the professional left. It’s a choice between getting stuff done and getting nothing done,” he said.

Edwards sees it that way, too. When it comes to policy, she said she believes in “people over purity.” She said the DSA supported and endorsed her when she first ran for Boston City Council. But by the time she ran for a state Senate seat, one member of the DSA wrote an opinion piece saying she didn’t deserve the socialist group’s support.

She said she believes she further crossed the DSA for, among other things, endorsing Kevin Hayden for Suffolk district attorney over Ricardo Arroyo and supporting police reform but also thanking police for the job they do. She’s also very outspoken when it comes to criticizing progressive stands such as defunding the police. That, Edwards said, is “overwhelmingly a white suburban mantra. Say that in Mattapan.” Another example of progressives being out of touch is the willingness of protesters to get arrested. “I can’t think of a greater way to say, ‘I am white, rich, and privileged. So privileged I can afford to have an arrest record,’” Edwards said.

Meanwhile, those DSA members seeking Connolly’s expulsion cite a poll of members that was taken last September showing that over 76 percent of respondents want “accountability” even if it results in some “public-facing noise and/or drama.”

Mission accomplished, comrades.

Joan Vennochi is a Globe columnist. She can be reached at joan.vennochi@globe.com. Follow her on Twitter @joan_vennochi.

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Massachusetts

High School On SI 2024 All-State Massachusetts’ Football Award Winners

Published

36 minutes ago

January 16, 2025

Press Room

High School On SI 2024 All-State Massachusetts’ Football Award Winners

There were first-time state champions, repeat winners – and some of the craziest games you will ever seen played anywhere on a football field this fall.

And now it is time for High School On SI Massachusetts to release its individual award winners, including the player and coach of the year honorees.

The Boston College commitment played for Division 2’s top team, which Catholic Memorial defeated King Philip Regional 39-21 for the Super Bowl. Dodd was the workhorse for the team, rushing for 1,362 yards on 115 attempts and scoring 20 touchdowns. The senior also added seven catches for 139 yards through the air.

Whether it was through the air or on the ground, Attaway compiled over 1,000 yards either way. The senior led the way to the Hawks winning the Division 6 Super Bowl state title. Attaway finished completing 76-of-113 passes for 1,329 yards and 20 touchdowns. On the ground, Attaway rushed for 1,008 yards on 65 carries and 12 scores.

Frisch stood out on both sides of the ball, but especially on the defensive side at middle linebacker. The 6-foot, 210-pound linebacker racked up 59 tackles, eight going for a loss, 12 sacks, an interception and forced a fumble. On offense at tight end, Frisch caught 14 passes for 301 yards and five touchdowns.

Playing for the Division 7 Super Bowl state champions, the junior running back was phenomenal out of the backfield. The Spartans’ tailback carried the rock 201 times for 1,772 yards and scored 26 touchdowns. LaChapelle caught five passes for 100 yards and two scores.

Despite losing multiple games during the regular season and many throughout the state wondering if Xaverian Brothers could repeat as Division I state champions. The Hawks pulled it off under the guidance of Fornaro as he guided the team to the Division I Super Bowl, defeating Needham, 14-7.

Follow High School On SI throughout the 2024 high school football season for Live Updates, the most up to date Schedules & Scores and complete coverage from the preseason through the state championships!

Be sure to Bookmark High School on SI for all of the latest high school football news.

High School On SI will serve as the premier destination for high school sports fans, delivering unparalleled coverage of high school athletics nationwide through in-depth stories, recruiting coverage, rankings, highlights and much more. The launch of a dedicated high school experience expands Sports Illustrated’s reach to even more local communities as fans can now truly follow athletes from “preps to the pros” on a single platform, bringing them closer to the action than ever before. For more information, visit si.com/high-school.

To get live updates on your phone – as well as follow your favorite teams and top games – you can download the SBLive Sports app: Download iPhone App| Download Android App

— Andy Villamarzo | villamarzo@scorebooklive.com | @highschoolonsi

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Massachusetts

Lucas: Ayotte’s shots at Healey over immigration hit mark

Published

9 hours ago

January 16, 2025

Press Room

Lucas: Ayotte’s shots at Healey over immigration hit mark

Hardly had Kelly Ayotte, the new governor of New Hampshire unloaded on Massachusetts over its immigration policy, than another illegal immigrant was charged with rape in the Bay State.

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Originally Published: January 16, 2025 at 12:22 AM EST

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Massachusetts

Disciplinary hearing for suspended Massachusetts State Police Trooper Michael Proctor continued to 2nd day

Published

17 hours ago

January 15, 2025

Press Room

Disciplinary hearing for suspended Massachusetts State Police Trooper Michael Proctor continued to 2nd day

Suspended Massachusetts State Police Trooper Michael Proctor’s Trial Board disciplinary proceedings will go on to a second day.

Proctor’s trouble publicly began when he testified during the murder trial of Karen Read last summer. During a tense examination by the prosecution and even more intense cross examination, Proctor admitted to inappropriate private texts that he made as the case officer investigating Read.

“She’s a whack job (expletive),” Proctor read from compilations of text messages he sent to friends as he looked at Read’s phone. The last word was a derogatory term for women that he at first tried to spell out before Judge Beverly Cannone told him to read it the way he wrote it.

“Yes she’s a babe. Weird Fall River accent, though. No (butt),” he continued under oath on June 10, 2024.

He also texted them “no nudes so far” as an update on the search through her phone. He also testified that he told his sister that he hoped that Read would kill herself.

On Wednesday, Proctor sat through a full day of trial board proceedings at MSP general headquarters in Framingham. When that concluded in the late afternoon, the board decided to continue for a second day on Feb. 10. Neither Wednesday’s proceeding nor the second day is open to the public.

Proctor was relieved of duty on July 1 of last year, which was the day the Read trial concluded in mistrial. He was suspended without pay a week later. The State Police finished its internal affairs investigation last week and convened the trial board to determine the next step in the disciplinary process.

The trial board makes disciplinary recommendations to the superintendent, who determines the final outcome.

“A State Police Trial Board shall hear cases regarding violations of Rules, Regulations, Policies, Procedures, Orders, or Directives,” states the Department’s Rules and Regulations.

“In the event that the Trial Board finds guilt by a preponderance of the evidence on one or more of the charges, the Trial Board shall consider the evidence presented by the Department prosecutor pertaining to the accused member’s prior offenses/disciplinary history, and shall make recommendations for administrative action,” the rules and regulations state.

Read, 44, of Mansfield, faces charges of second-degree murder, motor vehicle manslaughter and leaving the scene of a collision causing the death of O’Keefe, a 16-year Boston Police officer when he died at age 46 on Jan. 29, 2022. Read’s second trial is scheduled to begin April 16.

Originally Published: January 15, 2025 at 6:56 PM EST

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