FIRST IN PLAYBOOK: WU SHAKES UP D5 COUNCIL RACE — Boston Mayor Michelle Wu is endorsing Enrique Pepén, her former neighborhood services head, for District 5 city councilor over Ricardo Arroyo in a major blow to the embattled incumbent’s reelection bid.

“Enrique is exactly the kind of leader we need in government,” Wu told Playbook. “He is thoughtful and kind, creative and tenacious, and above all dedicated to serving the community.”

The endorsement ahead of the Sept. 12 preliminary election is the latest jolt to Arroyo, a member of one of Boston’s prominent political families who’s been plagued by controversies since the surfacing of decades-old sexual assault allegations during his Suffolk district attorney run last year. Arroyo has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing and was never charged.

Arroyo also found himself entangled in the alleged ethics violations that led to U.S. Attorney for Massachusetts Rachael Rollins’ downfall earlier this year. In June, he admitted to an ethics violation and agreed to pay a $3,000 fine for representing his brother in a sexual harassment lawsuit as a sitting council member. Last week, he was accused along with two other councilors of bullying a council attorney during the contentious redistricting process.

Still, Wu’s decision to publicly rally against her former council colleague and past political ally is bold. Wu endorsed Arroyo, a fellow progressive, in his first council run in 2019 and said she voted for him for district attorney even after yanking her endorsement over the sexual misconduct allegations. Arroyo and his father also endorsed Wu in the general election for mayor, after their original pick, Kim Janey, failed to advance past the preliminary. And Arroyo has helped Wu move key policy items through the council.

Wu is now giving a big-name boost to Pepén in the four-way District 5 preliminary race that also includes Jean-Claude Sanon and Jose Ruiz. Two candidates will advance to the November general election.

“I’m sharing my decision as a voter in this district, looking at the field of candidates,” Wu said when asked why she endorsed against Arroyo. “Having worked closely with Enrique, I know he’ll be a fantastic partner on the council. We share values — progressive values — and determination. And I’ve seen his heart for service to really get things done for constituents in Boston.”

Pepén’s campaign is not without its own baggage: He’s come under scrutiny for possible campaign finance violations connected to his then-gig running neighborhood services under Wu.

Still, Pepén is the latest Wu-world alum to get the mayor’s nod in this year’s council races, as the former councilor looks to reform the body that’s been plagued by controversies and infighting this term. Wu backed newly minted City Councilor Sharon Durkan, her former political fundraiser, in the special election to replace now-Boston Housing Authority head Kenzie Bok. She’s also endorsed Henry Santana, her former civic engagement director, in the eight-way at-large race.

Wu has insisted these endorsements aren’t about stacking the council with allies. But having more friendly faces on the legislative body certainly wouldn’t hurt as she hurtles toward the 2025 ballot amid talk of a potential challenge.

Pepén, for his part, called Wu a “mentor” in a statement and said that he sees Wu’s support “as a validation of our shared values to be the voice of our residents in all the work we do.”

GOOD MONDAY MORNING, MASSACHUSETTS.

TODAY — Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll, Health & Human Services Secretary Kate Walsh, Brockton Mayor Robert Sullivan hold a press conference announcing $140.9 million in awards as part of the MA Repay Student Loan Repayment Program at 10 a.m. in Brockton. Wu delivers remarks at the 2023 Mayor’s Garden Contest Awards Ceremony in Back Bay at 5:30 p.m.

Tips? Scoops? Birthdays? Email us: [email protected], [email protected], [email protected].

— “Will the Legislature have an appetite for overrides?,” by Jennifer Smith, CommonWealth Magazine: “It’s been a week and change since Gov. Maura Healey signed the $56 billion state budget for fiscal year 2024. The Democratic governor signed her first budget flanked by Democratic leaders in the Legislature, a sign of executive and legislative branch harmony not always present under her Republican predecessor, Charlie Baker. House Speaker Ron Mariano called it a new precedent. All the one-party comity notwithstanding, the Legislature and its Democratic supermajority are usually eager to have the last word. And some legislators are already starting to push for veto overrides.”

— “State auditor’s threat against Massachusetts legislature ‘rare,’ Andrea Campbell says,” by Chris Van Buskirk, Boston Herald: “Massachusetts Auditor Diana DiZoglio’s request to pursue legal action against the legislature to force them to comply with an audit of their operations is rare,’ Attorney General Andrea Campbell said Friday. DiZoglio asked Campbell last month for permission to take the House and Senate to court in an effort to get the two branches to open up their finances and divulge details on active and pending legislation, processes for appointing committees, adoption and suspension of rules, and policies and procedures of the Massachusetts General Court.”

— “South End community groups push plan to address Mass and Cass plight with short-term recovery campus in Widett Circle,” by Grace Zokovitch, Boston Herald: “Widett Circle, recently purchased by the MBTA for $255 million, could provide the space for a short-term recovery campus to help the city take control of the burgeoning addiction problems at Mass and Cass as it works to rebuild the Long Island bridge, a South End group proposed.”

— “Boston fire union passes on Louijeune endorsement ahead of City Council primary,” by Gayla Cawley, Boston Herald: “The Boston firefighters union has chosen not to endorse Ruthzee Louijeune in this year’s at-large City Council race, after backing her initial bid for office. Sam Dillon, president of the Boston Fire Fighters Local 718, said Louijeune actively sought the endorsement, but did not receive the vote of the union’s membership at a Thursday night meeting.”

— “Embattled Boston City Councilor Kendra Lara faces two challengers in reelection bid,” by Emma Platoff, Boston Globe: “As she fights to keep her seat in the wake of a recent car crash that led to criminal charges, embattled City Councilor Kendra Lara is facing two challengers this fall: a workers’ rights lawyer who currently has more cash in his campaign account and a three-time council candidate with support from two of Lara’s colleagues.”

— “How a pair of Facebook posts prompted an outcry and roiled a Worcester City Council race,” by Marco Cartolano, Telegram & Gazette: “On the night of Aug. 9, former District 5 City Councilor Wayne A. Griffin said he had seen a ‘new low in Worcester politics.’ In a post in the conservative-leaning Worcester Facebook group The Seven Hills Political Exchange, Griffin claimed District 5 City Councilor Etel Haxhiaj’s political committee had received a campaign donation from a person Griffin claimed was a close relative of Jorge Zambrano, who shot and killed Auburn police officer Ronald Tarentino Jr. in 2016 before being fatally shot by state troopers. However, the person Griffin named was unrelated to Zambrano and was in fact a 17-year-old girl.”

— “Low-income T fare program gets $5 million in state funds for design and launch,” by Andrea Perdomo-Hernandez, WBUR: “Discounted fares for lower-income MBTA riders are closer to becoming a reality, with $5 million set aside in the state budget to design the program. An estimated 60,000 T passengers stand to benefit under the new plan, according to the T. The effort has been years in the making, but there are still hurdles to overcome before riders can apply for discounted fares.”

— “Stephen Lynch got $3M in earmarks for wife’s employer, affiliated organization,” by Tal Kopan, Boston Globe: “When Democrats took control of Congress in 2021, they resurrected the practice of directing federal funds to specific projects in lawmakers’ districts, but pledged this iteration of earmarks would be cleaned of past misuse. In the two years since, Representative Stephen Lynch not only resumed the practice, but brought back familiar recipients: the health center in South Boston where his wife works and an addiction treatment provider where she is a board member.”

— “UMass lands $1.1M EPA grant for home energy research,” by James Pentland, Daily Hampshire Gazette: “University of Massachusetts researchers have landed a $1.1M grant from the Environmental Protection Agency to research ways to help lower-income households and neighborhoods make the transition to a clean-energy future. Residential buildings are a large part of a community’s greenhouse gas emissions, Krista Harper, the lead principal investigator said.”

— “Eager climate advocates and policymakers offer paths through climate crisis,” by Katie Lannan, GBH News: “As Massachusetts lawmakers gathered to hear testimony on climate policy this summer, they and their constituents also lived through a litany of severe weather events outside the State House’s marble halls … Now, with greenhouse-gas reduction targets looming, advocates and some lawmakers are urging more aggressive action for the state to meet its goals and better prepare for the realities of climate change. They’re pushing for change on all fronts, such as decarbonization, energy efficiency, solar power, electric transportation, workforce development and more.”

— “Cambridge legalizes EV charging across the sidewalk,” by Aaron Pressman, Boston Globe

— “Amherst superintendent resigns as investigation roils district,” by Dave Eisenstadter, MassLive: “Amherst-Pelham Regional Public School Superintendent Michael Morris will be leaving the district as superintendent according to a joint statement by Morris and leaders of the school committees he serves.”

— “‘We’re out of good options’: In New York City, an overwhelming migration surge is a warning for Massachusetts,” by Mike Damiano, Boston Globe: “On the outer edge of the city, nearly an hour’s drive from Times Square, three white tents sit on the grounds of a century-old psychiatric hospital, packed with 1,000 cots lined up head-to-toe. The tents, which became the makeshift home of hundreds of migrants this week, are the newest outposts in a sprawling and sometimes ramshackle shelter system the city has hastily expanded to house 58,000 migrants who have reached New York since last spring.”

— “Massachusetts cities and towns have spent millions restoring historic religious sites. They don’t know if it was constitutional,” by Jennifer Smith, CommonWealth Magazine: “For nearly two centuries, the Acton Congregational Church has stood serenely in the town’s main square, its pews offering a welcoming haven for spiritual renewal and quiet reflection. Starting in 2016, however, it became the focal point for a closely-watched court battle over the separation of church and state.”

— “Edward Blum won the affirmative action case against Harvard. Now he’s turning to the workplace.” by Hilary Burns, Boston Globe: “Edward Blum is not finished yet. After years of failed attempts to end affirmative action in college admissions, Blum scored a major victory this summer when the Supreme Court ruled Harvard University and the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill could no longer use the policy to ensure a diverse campus. ... Now, Blum has set his sights on his next target: race-based preferences in corporate America, including diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives that have become commonplace in the private sector.”

— “Worcester may open ‘welcome center’ in response to influx of migrants, refugees,” by Veer Mudambi, Telegram & Gazette.

— “Municipalities assess damage, as residents grapple with aftermath of more flooding,” by Teddy Tauscher, The Eagle-Tribune.

TRANSITIONS — Ricardo A. Sánchez is now senior adviser for Rep. Ayanna Pressley. He continues as comms director for Pressley.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY — Former MIT president Rafael Reif, WBUR’s Darryl C. Murphy, Kelley Ryan Vickery, Jules Clark, Cheryl Chen, Brendan Kennedy, Sara Seinberg, GBH alum and Bloomberg’s Joe Mathieu, Jana Winter, Amy Dow, director of public relations and government affairs at New Balance; and David A. Heifetz.

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