BRYON HEFNER SPARED his estranged husband the embarrassment of a public trial, and offered the victims of his sexual predation an apology as he pleaded guilty to three criminal counts […]
Stan Rosenberg
Posted inPolitics
Rosenberg on the outs
He’s already been banished to a basement office. The question now is whether the next move for Sen. Stan Rosenberg will be out the State House door. The long-awaited report […]
Posted inThe Download
Rosenberg on the outs
He’s already been banished to a basement office. The question now is whether the next move for Sen. Stan Rosenberg will be out the State House door. The long-awaited report […]
Posted inPolitics
Chandler no longer “acting”
SENATE DEMOCRATS AGREED to remove the “acting” title from Senate President Harriette Chandler for the remainder of the year before holding an election for a new president, deciding the storm […]
Posted inThe Download
Sharp elbows in fight to replace Rosenberg
It’s pretty much a given now that former Senate President Stan Rosenberg will remain just that – former – and the possibility exists he may not even remain in the Senate. […]
Posted inPolitics
Chandler expresses confidence in Rosenberg probe
STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE ACTING SENATE PRESIDENT HARRIETTE CHANDLER expressed confidence Monday in the integrity of an ongoing sexual harassment investigation in the Senate, in the wake of reports that […]
Posted inThe Download
Lacking confidence in sex harassment probe
When the Senate voted to hire an outside counsel to investigate sexual assault and harassment allegations against then-Senate President Stan Rosenberg’s husband, part of the motivation was to give victims and […]
Posted inThe Download
The Codcast: The Senate’s surprise (acting) president
Harriette Chandler never had designs on the Massachusetts Senate’s top post, and she readily admits to mixed feelings about landing there. Her unexpected ascension was the result of the scandal […]
Posted inPolitics
Chandler elected acting Senate president
STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE THE SENATE INITIATED an Ethics Committee investigation on Monday night into its now former president Sen. Stanley Rosenberg in a dramatic day of upheaval that saw […]
Posted inPolitics
Rosenberg denies Senate meddling by Hefner
SENATE PRESIDENT STAN ROSENBERG said he was “devastated” by the charges of sexual harassment and assault against his husband, who plans to seek inpatient treatment for “alcohol dependence.” Rosenberg faced […]
Posted inEconomy, Politics, State House News Service
Rosenberg: We’re not done with pot
SENATE PRESIDENT STANLEY ROSENBERG said the recreational marijuana law will continue to evolve and he foresees the Legislature making several changes a year. “We created a joint standing committee because […]
Posted inPolitics
New pot czar has inhaled
DESPITE VOTING AGAINST the referendum to legalize marijuana last November, Steven Hoffman, the chairman of the new state board charged with regulating the nascent retail pot industry, said he thinks […]
Posted inEconomy, Health Care, Politics, State House News Service
Lawmakers rush overdue budget to Baker
STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE LARGELY DISCARDING SPENDING plans they approved in the spring, the House and Senate on Friday sent Gov. Charlie Baker a $40.2 billion state budget that holds […]
Posted inPolitics, State House News Service
Top House leader unaware of budget, pot links
THE HOUSE’S TOP POT negotiator said on Thursday he’s not aware of anyone from either the Senate or House who has tried to link the negotiations over the budget and […]
Posted inPolitics, State House News Service
DeLeo puts pot talks on hold until budget done
HOUSE SPEAKER ROBERT DELEO said Wednesday evening that he asked House members of the committee negotiating marijuana legislation to pull out of talks with the Senate until an agreement is […]
Posted inPolitics
House reneged on pot agreement, say sources
HOUSE LEADERS ABRUPTLY walked away from an agreement between Gov. Charlie Baker, Speaker Robert DeLeo, and Senate President Stan Rosenberg that would have kept oversight of the emerging legal pot […]
Posted inPolitics, The Download
Budget uncertainty
There is one certainty with the fiscal 2018 budget: For the first time ever, Massachusetts will have a spending plan exceeding $40 billion to run state government. After that, there […]
Posted inEconomy, Politics, State House News Service
Senate budget pinned on shaky revenue projections
STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE SENATE WAYS AND MEANS Committee members on Tuesday unanimously approved a $40.3 billion spending plan for fiscal 2018 that they said recognizes the state does not […]
Posted inPolitics
Senators leave money on the table
PUBLIC PRESSURE APPEARS to have won out as no Massachusetts state senator opted to receive three stipends for leadership positions as they could have under the rules and three Democratic lawmakers […]
Posted inCriminal Justice, State House News Service
Sentencing commission backs repeal of mandatory minimums
IN ANOTHER SIGN of support for broad criminal justice reform, the Massachusetts Sentencing Commission voted to recommend abolition of mandatory minimum sentences for all crimes except murder. The move comes […]
Posted inPolitics, State House News Service
Legislative income inequality
STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE NOW THAT PAY RAISES for lawmakers have been finalized, House Speaker Robert DeLeo and Senate President Stanley Rosenberg will soon dole out the lucrative leadership and […]
Posted inPolitics, State House News Service
Stipends on steroids
HOUSE SPEAKER ROBERT DELEO and Senate President Stan Rosenberg got much more than a $1,000-a-week pay hike when the Legislature passed the bill to increase their salaries: They also were […]
Posted inPolitics, State House News Service
Rosenberg likens Trump travel ban to Nazi Germany
STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE DRAWING LINKS TO Nazi Germany, the president of the Massachusetts Senate condemned the Trump administration’s move to bar entry into the country of nationals from seven […]
Posted inPolitics, State House News Service
Baker rips ‘irresponsible’ pay raise
STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE GOV. CHARLIE BAKER needled the legislative pay hikes that lawmakers approved for themselves this week as “fiscally irresponsible,” but defended the Legislature’s process and stopped short […]
