Beacon Hill Roll Call: “Switch ’em, Mikey”

“Beacon Hill Roll Call February 1, 2019,” Bob Katzen, Beacon Hill Roll Call

Jonathan Cohn, chairman of the Issues Committee of Progressive Massachusetts: “Too often, House Democrats will vote in lockstep with the speaker, whether he’s right or wrong, without doing their own due diligence about what they are, in fact, voting on. Legislators should come to their own conclusions about bills and amendments based on their own promises and principles and the input from advocates, policy experts, and their own constituents—not just on how the speaker chooses to vote … The House had a long debate about its rules, but for the rest of the session, there needs to be a serious debate about the norms by which the chamber operates and how badly they are in need of a change.”

Boston Globe: A Lack of Transparency at the State House

“Mass. House criticized for lacking transparency amid debate on rules” — Matt Stout, Boston Globe (1/29/2019)

The process, however, stands in stark contrast to how the House’s counterparts in the Senate have approached their own debate. The upper chamber released its initial rules package on Thursday, a week ahead of its scheduled debate, and set its amendment deadline for Monday, giving senators three days to consider them.

That difference is “really striking,” said Jonathan Cohn, chair of the issues committee for Progressive Massachusetts, an advocacy group that criticized the Legislature for a lack of transparency.

“I would love to see the House embrace reform. But I would be lying if I said I had any confidence that they would,” Cohn said.

Boston Globe: A New Senate President

“Advocating for a ‘bold’ Legislature, Karen Spilka readies term as Senate president,” Victoria McGrane and Matt Stout, Boston Globe (12/25/18)

“Inertia dominates the body,” said Jonathan Cohn, chair of the issues committee for Progressive Massachusetts, an advocacy group. The group was disappointed that a major climate bill passed by the Senate was “watered down” so much in a compromise with the House that the final measure “does quite little in comparison.” (Senators have defended it as a “strong bill.”)

“We don’t have that much time to get our act together as a planet, let alone as a state. Massachusetts needs to be doing a lot more,” Cohn said.

SHNS: Few Legislators with Top Grades

“Progressive group finds few Mass. legislators worthy of top grades” — Katie Lannan, State House News Service (12/10/2018)

Advocacy group Progressive Massachusetts on Monday released its latest legislative scorecard, giving “A” grades to just three state representatives and four senators, and using the grades to call for more transparency on Beacon Hill.

“People deserve to know whether or not their elected officials are standing for their values,” Jonathan Cohn, who chairs the group’s Issues Committee, said in a statement. “Our state legislators actively avoid taking recorded votes – or any votes at all – on major issues, and when they must, they make it unnecessarily complicated for engaged citizens to find that information.”

The scorecard arrives a month after this year’s biennial elections and as Beacon Hill progressives eye their leadership strategy in the Legislature.

Progressive Massachusetts gave its top scores to seven Democrats: Reps. Mike Connolly of Cambridge, Denise Provost of Somerville and Jonathan Hecht of Watertown, and to Sens. Jamie Eldridge of Acton, Sonia Chang-Diaz of Jamaica Plain, Patricia Jehlen of Somerville and Cynthia Creem of Newton.

Read the rest of the article here.

CommonWealth: Liberal Groups Boost Sanchez Challenger

“Liberal groups boost Sanchez challenger” — Michael Jonas, CommonWealth (8/31/2018)

“The impression we’re left with is he’s waiting for instructions from DeLeo on what he can and cannot do,” said Andrew Breton, a member of the steering committee of the local organization JP Progressives, which has thrown its support behind Elugardo. The group is part of the statewide organization Progressive Massachusetts, which also endorsed Elugardo and gave Sanchez a C+ on its legislative scorecard for the first half of the two-year session lawmakers just wrapped up.

“The House always ends up being the place where good legislation goes to die,” said Jonathan Cohn, co-chair of the elections committee for Progressive Massachusetts.

….

“What the speaker of the House wanted is what happened,” said Cohn, the Progressive Mass. leader. “For that to change there have to be systemic reforms in how the House operates, and that requires primary challenges. The House is filled with well-meaning people who at the end of the day will do whatever they’re told. That needs to change, and I think Nika’s candidacy is part of that dynamic.”

Boston.com: Your Guide to Endorsements

“Your Guide to Endorsements in the 2018 Primaries” — Spencer Buell, Boston.com (8/30/2018)

“Given the reactionary policies coming out of the current administration in Washington, we need activist leadership in Congress to fight back and to chart the path forward for a progressive alternative vision. It is no longer enough for legislators to be a reliable vote or a co-sponsor; we need them to be champions and organizers, ready to fight on the front lines. Ayanna Pressley has been such a leader on the Boston City Council, and we know she will be as well in Congress, pushing a bold agenda of equity and social justice.” – Jonathan Cohn, co-chair of the Election and Endorsement Committee of Progressive Massachusetts (source)

Boston Magazine: What the Capuano-Pressley Primary Says about Boston

“What the Capuano-Pressley Primary Says About Boston” — David Bernstein, Boston Magazine (8/16/2018)

Out of more than 60 yes-no questions on a Progressive Massachusetts questionnaire filled out by the campaigns this summer, Pressley and Capuano differed on just five. They are: Pressley wants to eliminate ICE, while Capuano does not; she agrees with limiting solitary confinement to 15 days and eliminating it for at-risk populations, while he wants to keep it only for protecting an inmate from the general prison population; he supports a federal job guarantee, while she is undecided; she opposes legislation making assault on a police officer a federal crime, while he voted for the Protect and Serve Act in May (explaining that it codified existing laws and did not expand them); and she would make Election Day a federal holiday, while he says there are better approaches to improving the voting process. And that’s all.

…….

“I don’t know any supporters of Capuano who are under 40,” says Jonathan Cohn, a leading millennial activist with Progressive Massachusetts, who adds that his generation has “a mistrust of those who were in power for so long.” Older voters, even self-described progressives, believe in sticking with those who have been good to them; many are offended that Pressley is even challenging Capuano.

Bay State Banner: Challengers hit streets in 14th Suffolk District race

“Challengers hit streets in 14th Suffolk District race” — Yawu Miller, Bay State Banner (7/18/2018)

Scaccia, however, stands apart from the other incumbents in both the length of time he’s served — the better part of five decades — and his less-than-progressive record in office. He received an “F” rating on his Progressive Massachusetts scorecard, putting him on par with most of the state’s Republicans.

Scaccia did not respond to requests for an interview with the Banner.

He did turn out for a candidate forum May 4 sponsored by Progressive West Roxbury/Roslindale, an affiliate of Progressive Massachusetts. There, according to the news website Universal Hub, he expressed support for a tax on millionaires and said he’s “somewhat progressive on taxes.”

MassLive: A Progressive Challenge in Springfield

“Amaad Rivera seizes ‘progressive’ label as sole challenger to state Sen. Jim Welch” — Shira Schoenberg, MassLive (6/24/2018)

Rivera points out that Welch has a “D” rating from Progressive Massachusetts, when the average Senate Democrat scored a “C.” Welch’s rating was based mainly on several criminal justice votes he took, voting in favor of establishing new mandatory minimum sentences for assault and battery on a police officer and for trafficking carfentanil, reimposing mandatory minimums for cocaine offenses and selling drugs in school zones, and raising fines on habitual drunk drivers.

Bay State Banner: A Pragmatic Incumbent and Idealistic Challenger

“An idealistic challenger takes on a pragmatic incumbent in J.P./Mission Hill district” — Yawu Miller, Bay State Banner (6/13/2018)

Elugardo says she decided to challenge Sánchez because she is frustrated with the slow pace of progressive change in Massachusetts and the apparent unwillingness of legislators to pass measures such as the Safe Communities Act to counter the Trump administration agenda.

Sánchez, she notes, was given a C+ grade by the group Progressive Massachusetts.