Blunts, tattered flags and Howie debate challenge

Pols & Politics, the Herald’s weekly political notebook, is back with regular insight from the reporters covering power players in the State House, City Hall, and our Congressional delegation.

A failed deal on immigration reform that lost steam in the U.S. Senate earlier this month was still fresh on Beacon Hill’s mind this week — but the willingness to throw shade at fellow D.C. Democrats depended on who spoke.

House Speaker Ron Mariano did not mince words when he called out U.S. Sens. Elizabeth Warren and Ed Markey for opposing a bill that could have sent crucial aid to Massachusetts as the state deals with a costly shelter system.

“The inability to pass even the border bill, that most of our delegation supported, except for our Senate delegation, would make this a purely political issue. When a former Republican president has influence over the process, we’re in a difficult place as a country,” Mariano said.

Gov. Maura Healey went after Republicans. Conservatives did tank the deal after former President Donald Trump said it was flawed.

“The blame right now is with Congress, and particularly with Republicans in Congress who killed the deal. And it’s a shame there was a bipartisan border deal that President Biden was prepared to sign,” Healey said. – Chris Van Buskirk

Shame to leave the flag in tatters

Someone over at the mayor’s Parkman House needs to brush up on American flag etiquette.

Public Law 94-344, known as the Federal Flag Code, states: “The flag should never be fastened, displayed, used, or stored in such a manner as to permit it to be easily torn, soiled, or damaged in any way.” That’s not the case outside the city-owned Parkman House.

A Herald reader, aghast at the poor treatment of the Stars and Stripes, called out this blatant disrespect for Old Glory. Stay tuned for a follow-up. – Joe Dwinell

Do you want a lottery ticket with that blunt?

Bay State weed regulators began a discussion this week around allowing marijuana dispensaries to sell state lottery products alongside their pot.

While some Cannabis Control Commissioners seemed hesitant to broach the subject without more information, Acting Chair Ava Concepcion said she understood that sentiment, but “wanted to make sure we at least began that conversation and sort of started to consider the next steps.” It’s not just scratch tickets, Concepcion said, the real issue is whether dispensaries could sell a broad range of non-cannabis products.

Talks are in early stages, so there are no scratchers to be had with any pre-rolled doobie  — yet — but if things go as commissioners suggested they could, you could soon buy a blunt, a Powerball ticket, and bag of Funyuns, all in one stop. – Matthew Medsger

My way or the highway

You could hear the gasps when General Scott Lee, Gov. Maura Healey’s emergency assistance shelter director, told a Seaport audience this past week that they were going to accept migrant families at a Fort Point office building whether they liked it or not,

“This is going to happen,” the general declared. To which at least one protestor replied, “Bullshit.” – Peter Lucas

Super Tuesday challenge

Don’t expect much in the way of surprises in Massachusetts when voters in 16 states and one U.S. territory head to the polls Tuesday for the presidential primaries.

President Biden is expected to easily carry the Democratic contest in the Bay State. Former President Donald Trump is poised to take Massachusetts as well, further solidifying his grip on the Republican Party.

Even if Nikki Haley pulls off a victory here, it likely won’t mean much for her campaign after she has consistently lost nominating contests to Trump this year.

But what will be worth watching is the strange battle playing out over control of the MassGOP, where thrice-failed candidate Geoff Diehl is pushing a slate of candidates to wrest control of the state committee away from those backing current chair Amy Carnevale.

Carnevale argues she has overseen a small renaissance, paying down debts incurred under former chair Jim Lyons and even flipping a Senate seat once held by Democrats.

Diehl’s camp argues Carnevale and crew are really just RINOs who don’t represent the real conservatives in Massachusetts. Diehl also wants to debate Herald columnist Howie Carr, who is not running for anything, over the so-called “Massachusetts Freedom Slate.” – Chris Van Buskirk

Send us your ideas to [email protected]