SUPER PACS slammed into Boston politics like a hurricane in 2013, throwing millions of dollars into the race to replace Mayor Tom Menino. Unions, in particular, funneled money toward placing Marty Walsh, the longtime state representative and labor leader, inside City Hall.
More than 10 years later, the effect of super PACs, which operate with few limits when it comes to fundraising and spending money, is more comparable to a tropical storm, or in the case of this upcoming September 3 Democratic primary for an obscure post, a passing shower.
Two groups with union ties are now swinging into the race for Supreme Judicial Court clerk for Suffolk County, an administrative job that is on the ballot. Maura Doyle, who has held the post for nearly 30 years, isn’t running for reelection, setting off a scramble for a position that comes with a $189,000 annual salary.
In filings with state campaign finance regulators, Chinese Progressive Political Action (CPPA) and Ironworkers Local 7’s super PAC reported spending $4,000 and $3,000 on their respective candidates of choice. CPPA, which has money to spend thanks to a $10,000 donation from the health care workers union SEIU 1199, is backing attorney Allison Cartwright, while the South Boston-based ironworkers union is supporting Boston Councilor Erin Murphy.
CPPA used its money to pay canvassers for Cartwright, while the Ironworkers super PAC spent its money on text messages to voters.
The fight over the obscure post has become something of a proxy battle between the city’s progressives, who are backing Cartwright, and conservatives, who are supporting Murphy. Cartwright supporters note that she has a long resume rooted in the legal world, and has the backing of fellow lawyers Andrea Campbell, the state attorney general, and Boston Mayor Michelle Wu.
Murphy supporters say nothing about the job requires the officeholder to be a lawyer. “That’s why the Ironworkers Local 7, along with 40 other local unions have endorsed” Murphy, one text message read.
There is another reason, too, that the message didn’t mention: If Murphy leaves the City Council due to winning the clerkship, the at-large slot she would vacate goes to the fifth place runner-up from the 2023 election. That would be Bridget Nee-Walsh, a South Boston ironworker.
Healey’s departure bonus
A pattern is starting to emerge in the Healey administration for removing employees.
It started with Gina Fiandaca, who was removed as secretary of transportation in September 2023 but then was paid nearly $56,000 to stay on for four months to provide assistance to her successor. A public records request for her email records suggested no assistance was asked for or provided, but Gov. Maura Healey said the arrangement made for a smooth transition.
The same approach appears to have been followed with Daniel Rivera, who left his $242,000-a-year post at the quasi-public MassDevelopment in April and received $60,513 in severance plus benefits to serve another two months as a “special advisor.” His email account showed no evidence of any work over that time. Rivera, who declined comment, is now serving as interim director of the Coalition for a Better Acre, a community development corporation in Lowell.
Rivera, a former mayor of Lawrence, was appointed by Gov. Charlie Baker to helm MassDevelopment under a contract set to run out in June 2023. But in December 2022, with less than a month before Healey took over the corner office, the MassDevelopment board extended Rivera’s contract three additional years.
In June, the Boston Business Journal reported that MassDevelopment lost its way under Rivera with allegations that the agency’s general fund had been “depleted” under his leadership, employee turnover was “heavy,” and employee morale was “poor.”
A public records request filed with Healey’s office seeking communications related to Rivera yielded an interesting response. “After review, the Office of the Governor is unable to produce records responsive to your request based on attorney-client privilege and the unique functions of the Office, and consistent with [the privacy exemption] of the public records law,” one of her lawyers wrote.
No other governor has ever refused to produce records based on a claim of the “unique functions of the governor’s office.”
As for Rivera, he did call into MassDevelopment’s June 13 board meeting to complain about the BBJ article and pressed board members to consider issuing a statement standing by him. “Mr. Rivera admitted to owning a high turnover rate among staff during his tenure,” but he pushed back on the allegations that he spent down the general fund, according to the meeting minutes.
“One cannot control the media,” said Yvonne Hao, the board’s chair and Healey’s economic development chief. “Further, the Chair advised that the Administration’s communications have been consistent: the Administration is grateful for what Mr. Rivera accomplished during his tenure with MassDevelopment, and the focus is now on the future,” the meeting minutes said.