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MassGOP's potential campaign finance violations, explained
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Today’s storm looks like some much-needed good news for ski country — and it could end up leaving an inch or more of snow across Massachusetts by the end of the day. You also might want to leave your shovels by the door. There are at least two other winter storms on our radar for next week, including one arriving Sunday night. Read the full forecast here.
To the news:
The Massachusetts Republican Party is kicking off 2023 with even less power on Beacon Hill, a pile of unpaid bills and a growing number of names vying to challenge chair Jim Lyons. And now, Lyons and company appear to have a legal problem on their hands. WBUR’s Steve Brown reports that the party’s treasurer is sharing emails showing that Lyons coordinated with an independent political action committee — a violation of state campaign finance laws.
- The specifics: Brown reports that MassGOP Treasurer Pat Crowley shared emails exchanged between Lyons and the head of a PAC as part of an effort to get a third-party opposition research firm to dig up dirt on then-gubernatorial candidate Maura Healey’s personal life and private relationships. The emails indicate that Lyons tried to get the PAC to pick up the $52,000 tab for the investigation. (That tab is a big chunk of those unpaid bills.)
- Why is that illegal? State law forbids PACs — which can accept unlimited donations — from coordinating with candidates or state parties. (Otherwise, campaigns could use PACs as a workaround to legal limits on the size of donations they can accept.) According to The Boston Globe, campaign finance violations are punishable by fines and even prison time, depending on the severity.
- Back up: This isn’t the first time Crowley and Lyons have clashed. Last year, Lyons sued Crowley for locking him out of the MassGOP bank account amid an intra-party fight between more moderate members and the Trump-aligned chair.
- What’s next: MassGOP committee members will vote for the party’s next chairman on Jan. 31. Brown reports that Lyons has said he intends to seek reelection.
Massachusetts regulators approved mobile sports betting licenses yesterday for all six gambling companies that applied, including Boston-based DraftKings and its rival FanDuel. They’ll join the five “tethered” mobile sports betting companies that are partnering with the state’s approved three casinos. (You can read the full list of approved mobile sports betting companies here.)
- Up next: The Massachusetts Gaming Commission is expected to announce today the exact time that in-person sports betting will begin at the three casinos on launch day, Jan. 31.
- Regulators are still aiming for early March to begin mobile sports betting, but haven’t settled on an exact date.
Remember when Boston shut down a section of Dartmouth Street for 10 days to create an extra-large pedestrian plaza in Copley Square? City officials are moving forward with plans to make some permanent changes to the area. A new study found the temporary pilot last summer attracted more visitors to Copley and didn’t have a huge impact on traffic for the surrounding streets.
- Next steps: The Boston Planning and Development Agency voted yesterday to approve a design consultant. BPDA senior planner Ted Schwartzberg said they will study how the city could make alterations to nearby streets (i.e. making Exeter Street a two-way street) to continue to lessen the “relatively minimal traffic impacts that we saw over the summer.”
Reminder: The Green and Orange Lines will be bypassing Haymarket station this weekend due to demolition work on the Government Center parking garage. (Riders can instead get off at North Station, State Street or Government Center — all of which are a short walk away.) We also got updates yesterday on two issues plaguing MBTA service:
- Part one: Officials say most new Orange Line cars are back in service after an electrical issue forced the agency to remove nine cars for repairs and cut back service just before New Year’s. Officials say the problem was caused by faulty materials and they’re now checking the cars on a weekly basis.
- Part two: Despite some progress recruiting, the T is still having a hard time fielding enough bus drivers to meet its schedules, due to retirements and other departures in the tight job market.
P.S.— Six environmental activists were arrested Tuesday in East Boston. Do you know why? Then take our Boston News Quiz.
