TRUMP campaign delegate defense -- Former KENNEDY aide fundraising for GOP -- MARIJUANA FACEOFF

By Lauren Dezenski ( [email protected] ; @laurendezenski)

HAPPY FRIDAY, MASSACHUSETTS. And a happy Earth Day and beginning of Passover to you and yours.


TODAY -- Gov. Charlie Baker, Congresswoman Niki Tsongas, and Secretary of Air Force Deborah Lee James announce a public-private partnership for state businesses at the Cambridge Innovation Center -- Energy and Environmental Affairs Sec. Matt Beaton opens the Boston Harbor Islands for the 2016 season -- Sen. Will Brownsberger and Reps. Jonathan Hecht, David Rogers, John Law, David Muradian, and James Miceli mark the 101st anniversary of the Armenian Genocide in a ceremony set to draw former Boston Mayor Ray Flynn, House Speaker Robert DeLeo, Gov. Charlie Baker, and Auditor Suzanne Bump.

MEANWHILE, THE TRUMP CAMPAIGN IS CONFIDENT AHEAD OF MA’S DELEGATE ELECTIONS -- As the presidential campaigns trawl the commonwealth's Republican activists ahead of convention delegate elections next weekend, local surrogates for Donald Trump are confident they can assemble a set of delegates loyal to their candidate and enough supporters to get them elected. More from yours truly in POLITICO Massachusetts:

“On April 30, Republicans will elect 27 of their 42 total delegates in nine caucuses across the state. Trump won 22 delegates in his overwhelming victory in last month's primary. Seventeen of those Trump delegate slots are up for election next Saturday.” …

“The Trump campaign says it believes it can hold tight its 22 delegates through a potential second ballot by carrying the campaign’s momentum from the primary to the caucuses.” …

“Referring to supporters of rival candidates, Trump campaign chair Geoff Diehl asked: ‘If they weren’t motivated to show up for the primary, what makes them motivated to show up to the delegate selection process?’” …

“The campaign of Texas Sen. Ted Cruz has been working to lock down delegates who would flip to support him on a second ballot. Only registered Republicans can vote in the caucuses, leveling the playing field with he and Trump. While New York businessman saw a major turnout from unenrolled voters in the primary, none of those supporters will be eligible to vote on the 30th, which stands in stark contrast to Cruz's solidly Republican base” …

“Having heard rumors of Trump supporters being courted by other campaigns, Diehl promised a good showing of delegates guaranteed to be loyal to Trump. ‘Republicans in Massachusetts will certainly appreciate who we have on the Trump slate,’ Diehl said, declining to go into specifics. ‘We’re in the position of selecting loyal delegates. We also have ability to upgrade for visibility and star power. I think people will be interested in the slate.’” http://politi.co/1Vpejwz

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ATTN: EVERYONE -- “Baker sends signals he wouldn’t veto transgender bill,” by Joshua Miller, Boston Globe: “Pressed by WGBH-FM co-host Jim Braude , Baker, a longtime supporter of same-sex marriage, said, ‘I take tremendous pride in the fact that on many of these issues I’ve been on what I would describe as the right side of history.’” http://bit.ly/1SnYIaA

UBER BUT FOR DRIVER-PARTNERS -- “Uber settles Mass., Calif. class-action suits,” by O’Ryan Johnson, Boston Herald: “Ride-hailing service Uber has agreed to pay up to $100 million to settle a class-action lawsuit that resolves a major challenge to its business model by allowing it to keep its Massachusetts and California drivers as independent contractors.” http://bit.ly/1MMp21r

FINANCIAL MATTERS -- “Former Ted Kennedy aide will help raise money for GOP,” by Jim O’Sullivan, Boston Globe: “Will Keyser, who worked for Kennedy and other Democrats before joining Republican Charlie Baker’s 2014 gubernatorial campaign, will join prominent Republican strategists on a panel for a Baker finance committee meeting next month.” http://bit.ly/1Vp9tzw

THE DIMASI DECISION -- “SJC ruling on Sal DiMasi pension roiling system,” by Matt Stout, Boston Herald: “A high court ruling ordering retirement officials to pay ex-Speaker Salvatore DiMasi more than $127,000 in his own pension contributions is already sending ripples through the system, where board officials are now reviewing decisions demanding two disgraced probation officials pay back thousands in pension checks.” http://bit.ly/22SQBbd

COMBO PLATTER RISING -- “The winners and losers after Kinder Morgan’s exit,” by Shirley Leung, Boston Globe: “At times, there seemed to be so many natural gas pipeline proposals that it was hard to keep track of them all. Now the most controversial plan — the $3.3 billion, 188-mile pipeline by Kinder Morgan — has bitten the dust, unable to sign enough utility customers as it faced NIMBYs and political opposition.” http://bit.ly/213ks1h

HAPPY EARTH DAY FROM ERNIE MONIZ -- “Paris sets the stage for a clean energy revolution,” by Ernie Moniz, Boston Globe: “Today, Earth Day, representatives of nations from around the world, including US Secretary of State John Kerry, will sign the Paris Agreement on climate, officially advancing the first global agreement in which every major nation commits to combat climate change. … It is, as President Obama has said, a pivotal moment in the stewardship of our planet.” http://bit.ly/1T2MUKT

A GARBAGE STORY -- “Dorchester as center of zero-waste economy? Could happen,” by Cole Rosengren, Dorchester Reporter: “Major changes to Boston’s trash system are under consideration, something that, advocates say, could reduce the city’s environmental footprint and boost the local economy.” http://bit.ly/1NnBqVy

I LIKE TURTLES -- “Massachusetts boy skips birthday gifts, gives to sea turtles,” by the Associated Press: “A Massachusetts 6-year-old's love of sea turtles prompted him to skip his birthday gifts and ask instead for money he could donate to sea turtle rescue efforts. … Jasper Rose of Watertown raised $550 for the New England Aquarium's sea turtle rescue program.” http://bit.ly/1rq3a2r

INSERT RACING METAPHOR HERE -- “Battenfeld: Boston Grand Prix hits roadblock,” by Joe Battenfeld, Boston Herald: “In another potentially serious setback to the Boston Grand Prix, a little-known city commission has blocked IndyCar race promoters from building parts of the course because of new climate change rules that require them to get a wetlands permit.” http://bit.ly/213mIFF

TOKE UP -- “Downtown Boston's first marijuana dispensary to open in June,” by Jessica Bartlett, Boston Business Journal: “After years of effort and months of construction, Boston will have its first downtown medical marijuana dispensary come June. … Patriot Care is planning to open the first medical marijuana dispensary in Boston on June 10, the company said on Wednesday.” http://bit.ly/1WgQNkm

FOR YOUR #MAPOLI EARS -- “Stirring The Pot: Should Massachusetts Legalize Recreational Marijuana?” The Scrum podcast, WGBH News: “Among the topics discussed: does Lewis agree with Governor Charlie Baker that legalizing pot would set back the fight against opioid addiction (yes, ultimately; start at 5:39). And do Borghesani and his allies regret that photo illustration showing Baker and Boston Mayor Marty Walsh—who's a recovering alcoholic—urging people to ‘drink more alcohol’ (yes; jump to 17:40 and then 19:38 for a full-fledged apology).” http://bit.ly/246PoiZ

THE LOCAL ANGLE -- “What legal marijuana in Massachusetts would mean for your town,” by Adam Vaccarro, Boston.com: “Under the proposed law, local officials would have the ability to restrict the number of marijuana stores in town. But those powers to enact limits would have limits of their own.” http://bit.ly/1VGfnwr

WOOD WAR -- Herald: “SPEED BUMP STALLS INDY,” “PURPLE REIGN,” “Curt opens up to Buckley.” -- Globe: “Amazon delivers fast, but not in Roxbury,” “State offers expansive plan to cut college cost,” “A BID TO ADD A LATIN QUARTER TO CITY’S CULTURAL DISTRICTS,” “Prince, music’s innovative master, dies,” “Uber settles suits, will pay drivers $84 million.”

DEARLY BELOVED -- “In honor of Prince, Zakim Bridge lights changed to purple,” by Steve Annear, Boston Globe: “Governor Charlie Baker and state transportation officials are paying homage to Prince in lights. … Baker believes Prince’s ‘Purple Rain’ is one of the best albums of all time, according to his office.” http://bit.ly/213lWsm

THE MATTAPAN TROLLEY LIVES -- “Mattapan trolley, rail station clear key hurdle,” by Jennifer Smith, Dorchester Reporter: “The preservation of the historic Mattapan Trolley Line and the construction of the Blue Hill Avenue commuter rail station are one step closer to funding, as substantial sums are included for the projects in the draft capital investment plan released by the state’s Department of Transportation earlier this month.” http://bit.ly/1NnBzsa

DATELINE GANGLAND -- “Inside MS-13’s secret initiation rituals and internal feuds,” by Susan Zalkind, Boston.com: “In the months before a sweeping federal indictment, prospective MS-13 gang members were killing their way up the hierarchy in initiation rites that took place at a park in Winthrop and a garage in Everett as other members were plotting to murder one of their own, according to a detention affidavit released in February as a part of the federal case against more than 50 alleged MS-13 members and affiliates in the region.” http://bit.ly/1qG4U6H

CHECKING IN ON THE VERIZON STRIKE -- “STRIKE MATTERS: Verizon’s union employees fight for the future of the American working class,” by Jason Pramas, Dig Boston: “The general public may be aware that 39,000 unionized Verizon workers (out of a total of 178,000) have been out on strike for a few days—including many here in Boston. But the vast majority of onlookers don’t understand the stakes.” http://bit.ly/26iO4eX

BAFFLING -- “Why doesn’t Amazon offer same-day delivery in Roxbury?” by Dan Adams, Meghan E. Irons, and Megan Woolhouse, Boston Globe: “While there’s no indication Amazon excluded Roxbury specifically because of its racial makeup — some suggested income was the deciding factor — local officials and business leaders were angered by the report. Boston Mayor Martin J. Walsh said his office had reached out to Amazon.com Inc. and urged the Seattle company to ‘rectify this issue as quickly as possible.’” http://bit.ly/1MMsCZe

CHANGING CITY -- “Could Boston have a Latin Quarter of its own?” by Meghan E. Irons, Boston Globe: “The designation as a cultural district requires state approval and would open the neighborhood to grants, state transportation money for new signs, and a mention on the state’s tourism websites. It would help support businesses and arts and cultural institutions, attracting tourists and newcomers who seek out authentic slices of Boston’s ethnic mosaic.” http://bit.ly/26iWe79

SCHILLING WEIGHS IN -- “Buckley: Curt Schilling has no one to blame but himself,” by Steve Buckley, Boston Herald: “I spoke with Schilling over the phone yesterday for more than a half-hour. I made it clear from the outset that, yes, I found the meme/comment offensive. I also told him that what he posted on Facebook doesn’t jibe with the Schilling with whom I’ve enjoyed those many conversations.” http://bit.ly/1U8l4BE

MEDIA MOVES -- “The Berkshire Eagle sold to local ownership group,” by the Berkshire Eagle staff: “For the first time in more than 20 years, The Berkshire Eagle will return to local ownership. … Digital First Media will complete the sale of New England Newspapers Inc. and its flagship newspaper, The Berkshire Eagle, to Birdland Acquisition LLC on May 2. Included in the deal are the Bennington Banner, the Brattleboro Reformer and the Manchester Journal.” http://bit.ly/26iXAic

HAPPY BIRTHWEEKEND -- To Northwind Strategies VP Alex Goldstein, Rep. Brian Ashe, and Rep. Geoff Diehl who all celebrate on Saturday, and Sunday celebrator Rep. Paul Brodeur.

THE HOME TEAM -- Did the Sox win? No! Lost to the Rays 12-8.

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