US Sen. Ed Markey, who is facing reelection next year, says he would support President Obama if he orders a limited, surgical military strike against Syria, a position that puts him out in front of the rest of the Bay State delegation.
As President Obama considers military action against Syria for its alleged use of chemical weapons, Congress has urged caution. Most lawmakers have not ruled out the eventual use of force, but have insisted that Obama must first consult with and gain the approval of Congress before any action is taken. Others have said Obama must first build broad international support for any military intervention.
Nearly 120 House members, including Rep. Michael Capuano and 17 other Democrats, signed a letter saying Obama would violate the US Constitution if he launched a military strike against Syria without obtaining approval from Congress. US Reps. John Tierney, Stephen Lynch, Richard Neal, and Jim McGovern have adopted similar stances, Masslive reports.
Sen. Elizabeth Warren called Syria’s use of chemical weapons “reprehensible,” but she was cautious on what the US should do about it. “What’s important is that we have a plan and a realistic way to execute on that plan,” she said. “We need to remember unintended consequences of any action. Good intentions alone will not help us.”
Markey told reporters he would favor a limited, surgical strike, possibly using cruise missiles or other weapons. He said he would not support using ground troops in Syria or the implementation of a no-fly zone over the country.
Markey defeated Republican newcomer Gabriel Gomez by 10 percentage points earlier this year in a special election for the Senate seat vacated when John Kerry became Obama’s secretary of state. Markey faces reelection next year. No Republican has launched a campaign against him yet.
BRUCE MOHL
BEACON HILL
State Sen. Dan Wolf, who had planned to step down today, got a brief reprieve from the Ethics Commission while he attempts to push the agency to change its regulations rather than its ruling about his conflict of interest in owning Cape Air.
The state Office of Campaign and Political Finance has fined Rep. Alan Silvia of Fall River $20,000 for a number of violations including hiding the true source of contributions and filing false records of contributions.
More knives are out for the software computer services tax, this time from the Berkshire Chamber of Commerce.
MUNICIPAL MATTERS
The administrative assistant to the Peabody fire chief filed a complaint with the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination, alleging top officials sexually harassed her last year by making her deal with sex toys, the Salem News reports.
Somerville pulls back on a controversial plan to approve a single-story supermarket in Assembly Square.
Detroit on the rebound?
CASINOS
Four communities surrounding Raynham are negotiating with the race track owner for a mitigation agreement should the track be awarded the state’s slot parlor license.
Revere Mayor Dan Rizzo says the town is finished with its mitigation agreement with the operators of a proposed casino at Suffolk Downs, the Lynn Item reports. The Herald looks at the broad spending leeway that Boston’s Suffolk Downs pact grants the city, and says the agreement could be ripe for political corruption. Joe Battenfeld argues that Mayor Tom Menino is setting his successor up with a huge headache, adding that Menino’s “obsession with ramming a casino deal through in the final months of his term is not his finest moment.” Meanwhile, Palmer is ready to announce an agreement with Mohegan Sun.
NATIONAL POLITICS/WASHINGTON
President Obama and two former presidents join thousands in front of the Lincoln Memorial to mark the 50th anniversary of the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. Republican congressional leaders rejected invitations to speak at the gathering.
Under court order to reduce California’s prison population by about 8,000 inmates, Gov. Jerry Brown proposes shipping a portion of them out of state and the rest to a private facility in the Mojave Desert, the Sacramento Bee reports.
Planned Parenthood in Iowa five years ago installed a video system allowing doctors to prescribe abortion pills remotely, but since then the number of abortions has dropped dramatically rather than increased, the Des Moines Register reports.
Since his election three years ago, Maine Gov. Paul LePage has shown an uncanny knack for the crude comeback, the racially insensitive remark, the just plain old bluster-and-fume routine, NPR (via WBUR) reports. A recent Public Policy Polling survey found that 62 percent of Mainers agreed with the sentiment that LePage has brought the state “national embarrassment.”
New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg donates $350,000 to a group supporting two Colorado legislators who are facing a recall campaign for their votes for gun control measures, the Denver Post reports. Missouri is set to pass a law nullifying all federal gun laws, and enabling citizens arrested on federal gun charges to sue the arresting officer.
ELECTIONS
Donor’s remorse: City Councilor and mayoral hopeful Rob Consalvo rips the planned retirement benefit reductions for workers at Liberty Mutual three years after he and his council colleagues lavished huge tax breaks on the company.
The Globe’s Akilah Johnson takes a look at the never-ending stream of candidate forums crowding the schedules of Boston mayoral hopefuls. Incredibly, there is no mention of the competing-forums-smackdown that saw the Herald, NECN, and Suffolk University fall flat on their faces as they tried to elbow aside a planned arts-focused panel.
BUSINESS/ECONOMY
Eileen McNamara, writing for WBUR, comes down hard on tax breaks, saying “Massachusetts in the last two decades has made capitulation to corporate extortion a tenet of public policy.”
Massachusetts home sales have their single best month since June 2006.
EDUCATION
A new study gives a failing grade to schools that train tomorrow’s teachers, CommonWealth reports.
A donor cancelled a planned $100,000 gift to Westfield State University in the wake of reports of lavish spending by the school’s president, Evan Dobelle.
Harvard placed first and MIT was ranked fifth in a survey by U.S. News & World Report on the most expensive private business schools in the country.
A group of Framingham State students, unaware that the university had decided to buy the housing complex where they lived, find themselves out on the street looking for new digs right before the beginning of classes.
HEALTH CARE
The red ink keeps flowing at Steward Health Care System.
Two nonprofits are vying for a permit to open a medical marijuana dispensary in New Bedford.
State officials confirm a second case of West Nile virus, the Lowell Sun reports..
TRANSPORTATION
Marshfield will receive $11.3 million from the federal government to upgrade its municipal airport, including replacing and widening its runway.
ENERGY/ENVIRONMENT
Gov. Deval Patrick, in a wide-ranging meeting with reporters, said he is not convinced of the need for Pilgrim nuclear power plant to continue operating.
Methuen officials unveil a solar farm at the old town dump that is expected to cut the city’s utility bills by $80,000 a year, the Eagle-Tribune reports. The story implies the solar power itself will save the town money, but the cost of solar is actually higher; the savings for Methuen will come from a complicated system of subsidies designed to promote renewable energy. James Bride of Energy Tariff Experts sorts out the cost of green energy.
Great Barrington will ban the plastic bags provided by retailers for customer purchases next year.
