Healey is planning to stop admitting migrants and the homeless to motels and shelters on Wednesday but faces a legal challenge from a civil rights group.

Liberal-on-liberal crime can get especially ugly.

Healey is staring down a lawsuit from the Boston-based group Lawyers for Civil Rights, which argues that the state must give the Legislature 90 days’ notice before changing the state’s shelter system of handling migrants and homeless.

“The idea that the state would want to turn its back on children in desperate situations, forcing them to live in the streets, in cars, and in unsafe situations is appalling to many in the state,” Lawyers for Civil Rights litigation director Oren Sellstrom told WBUR.

Pretty tough words for a Democratic governor to hear – that you’re forcing homeless and migrant children to live on the streets.

Healey is so desperate not to appear tone-deaf to the migrant crisis that her office on Sunday night put out an “embargoed” press release announcing that the administration was partnering with the Office of Homeland Security to host a work authorization clinic for migrants in two weeks.

The non-news announcement was withheld from public release until 6:30 a.m. Monday so as to get a better bounce from the morning media. But Healey was nowhere to be seen on Monday because she had no public schedule. That way she could avoid pesky questions about the lawsuit or swelling numbers of migrants who are about to be turned away from shelter.

“We are glad that the Biden-Harris administration is hosting this clinic with us, which will help process work authorizations as efficiently as possible. Many shelter residents want to work but face significant barriers to getting their work authorizations,” Healey said in the statement. “This clinic will be critical for building on the work that our administration has already been leading to connect more migrants with work opportunities.”

You get it. A lot of self-congratulating.

Wu faces similar backlash from some liberals for passing an ordinance clearing out the encampments from the drug-ravaged Mass and Cass zone. Her administration will be sending in police on Wednesday to remove tents and clean up the open drug dealing that has been going on – hopefully to arrest a few criminals as well.

The city has reserved extra beds to house the homeless living at Mass and Cass but won’t let them build any new tents.

Several progressives on the council voted against the ordinance but not enough to block it.

But civil rights advocates will be watching closely to see that police don’t go over the line or simply push people out onto the streets. Wu will face stiff blowback from her progressive friends if that happens so she’s hoping for a smooth transition.

The president’s campaign has made a calculated risk that Granite State voters will forget Biden’s snub of refusing to put his name on the primary ballot.

Chances are they won’t forget. New Hampshire has four electoral votes and in a close election losing them could be a major blow to Democrats’ hopes of holding on to the White House.

But Biden has chosen South Carolina over New Hampshire and Iowa by endorsing the Palmetto State primary first in line – rewarding the place that rescued his 2020 campaign.

South Carolina is now the leadoff voting state in the selection process under Democratic National Committee rules, but New Hampshire is ignoring that DNC list, vowing to hold its primary first under its own state law. Iowa Democrats are also working to preserve their early January caucus.

“While the president wishes to participate in the primary, he is obligated as a Democratic candidate for president to comply with the Delegate Selection Rules for the 2024 Democratic National Convention promulgated by the Democratic National Committee,” Biden campaign manager Julie Chavez Rodriguez said in a letter advising New Hampshire officials he won’t be on the ballot.

Baloney. Biden is picking South Carolina over New Hampshire for strictly political reasons and for payback for embarrassing him four years ago.

Biden finished fifth in the New Hampshire primary and wants to punish the state that kicked his butt.

His campaign is likely instead to mount a write-in campaign and finish first that way – the same strategy President Lyndon Johnson used in 1968.

“The reality is that Joe Biden will win the NH FITN (first-in-the-nation) primary in January, win renomination in Chicago and will be re-elected in November. NH voters know and trust Joe Biden that’s why he is leading Trump in NH by double digits,” NH Democratic chair Ray Buckley said in a blustery statement.

The only problem is Johnson dropped out of the race after Democrat Eugene McCarthy finished a closer-than-expected second. So, if Biden doesn’t earn a resounding write-in victory, it could be viewed as a loss.

The move by Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to abandon the Democratic race and run for president as an independent makes it easier for Biden to slide by. But the president could now face Democratic opposition from U.S. Rep. Dean Phillips, who decided Friday to launch a primary challenge. The moderate Minnesota Democrat has argued that Biden is too old to run again and filed papers on Friday to get on the ballot in New Hampshire.

Phillips’s surprise decision could complicate Biden’s plan for a write-in win in the Granite State.

“I think it’s a mistake that he’s not putting his name on the ballot,” New Hampshire Secretary of State David Scanlan said.

Consider that a warning.

The T is still a dangerous and unreliable mess even after Healey hired a public relations savvy general manager and replaced much of the board of directors.

Healey blamed the Republican Baker administration for the latest embarrassment – the narrow rail problems on the new Green Line extension. She talks a tough game but hasn’t produced with results.

“What’s important is that it was not disclosed, and it was really not addressed,” she said of the Green Line fiasco. “That is something we’ve been really clear about. Under the prior administration, senior management at the T, for whatever poor judgment made the decision not to disclose identified failures, and then made the poor decision not to address those failures prior to the opening of the Green Line extension.”

The Union Square branch of the new Green Line needs 50% of its track replaced while the new Medford branch, just opened in December, needs repairs on 80% of the tracks.

Two senior management officials who worked on the extension were reportedly canned by Healey.

In a new problem, the T had to bring in shuttle buses on the C branch of the Green Line on Wednesday because of electrical problems on the line. This is in addition to other delays on Green Line that have left riders miserable and frustrated.

The Democratic governor defended her general performance on the T, noting she brought in a new GM and safety chief who she claims have sought to be transparent.

But nearly a year into her tenure, the T – including all the lines and branches – is no safer or reliable than under the Baker administration or other administrations. The T has tried PR moves like starting a new podcast featuring GM Phillip Eng, but the first episode was pulled for unknown reasons before finally getting to see the light of day.

Starting a happy talk podcast with a softball interview with Eng does not mean the T is more accessible. When new problems crop up – like several near misses between Red Line trains and T workers – Healey calls them “unacceptable” but what is she doing to prevent them?

“I will say this, that every effort has been made to make sure that with this administration, we have a team in place that understands its responsibility, and takes that responsibility seriously,” Healey said.

Those are fine words, but riders want results. And so far they’re not getting them.

Biden’s attempt to tie the Israel-Hamas conflict to support for Ukraine has drawn the ire of Republicans and presidential candidates looking to separate themselves from the crowded field. And the Democratic president’s strong stance for Israel is prompting blowback in his own party — potentially siphoning away badly-needed progressive voters.

Some candidates and their super PACs are jumping into war footing, flooding the airwaves with new ads about the Israeli-Hamas war.

“The shame of it all is that we wouldn’t be in this terrible position if Joe Biden hadn’t been so weak in Afghanistan, so slow in Ukraine, so pandering to Iran, and so absent from the border,” GOP presidential candidate and former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley said on X. “The world is on fire and America needs strong new leadership to deal with it.”

GOP candidate Sen. Tim Scott said in a radio interview the U.S. needs to “stand shoulder to shoulder” with Israel with “no daylight” between the two countries.

“We’re seeing the devastation and the human carnage brought to the Jewish people by Hamas,” Scott said. “We have to be very, very clear that we stand with Israel.”

Republicans in Congress are vowing to block further funding for Ukraine, leading to a likely future showdown with Biden.

Sen. J.D. Vance called Biden’s attempt to tie the Israel-Hamas war to aid for Ukraine as “completely disgraceful.”

“What Biden is doing is disgusting,” Vance said. “He’s using dead children in Israel to sell his disastrous Ukraine policy to skeptical Americans. They are not the same countries; they are not the same problems, and this effort to use Israel for political cover is offensive. Hell no.”

The war is already spilling over into the campaign. Haley and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis are feuding over whether the U.S. should take in Palestinian refugees, with DeSantis accusing the surging Haley of flip-flopping on the issue. Haley has strongly denied making the remarks about refugees being accepted into the U.S.

The former U.N. Ambassador is running second to Donald Trump in New Hampshire, where the former president is making a campaign stop on Monday.

DeSantis’s willingness to engage in a skirmish with Haley indicates both are fighting to be Trump’s main opposition, with Haley surging ahead in recent weeks.

The U.S.’s involvement in supplying aid and arms to Israel could also bring the threat of surging oil prices, making that a major 2024 issue.

It’s all fun and games until the price of gas hits $10 a gallon.

Or the supply chain gets disrupted and causes inflation to skyrocket.

These potential ramifications could trigger trouble for Biden, who is already struggling with weak job approval ratings and tied or behind Trump in most polls.

Biden’s strong stance in support of Israel may win him some votes with moderates and Jewish voters but could cost him votes with progressives who are mounting protests in support of the Palestinian people.

He’s even under pressure from some far-left lawmakers like the Squad and Sen. Edward Markey to support a cease-fire in Gaza, but so far the president isn’t biting.

Councilors continue to hand out hefty, taxpayer-funded pay bonuses to staffers in a practice that smacks of old school politics excess.

Councilor-at-large Michael Flaherty, who is retiring at the end of the year, this week doled out nearly $25,000 worth of bonuses to four staffers, records show.

That includes a $9,885 one-time bonus to staffer Paul Sullivan, $6,115 bonuses to aides Clare Brooks and Mary Karski and a $2,519 bonus to assistant Tricia Kalayjian, according to records.

Flaherty isn’t the only one giving bonuses but it adds a certain sting when a councilor hands them out a few months before leaving office. Councilor Tania Fernandes Anderson tried to give one staffer — her sister — a $7,000 bonus until she was caught by the Ethics Commission.

How many people would like to get a $10,000 or $7,000 bonus? A lot of people work hard, but don’t get handed big taxpayer funded bonuses.

They get on the malfunctioning T after putting their kids to school, then their taxes go to pay this? It’s an entitlement the average working person in the city of Boston doesn’t get. It would be a godsend to get one.

This is the most expensive city council in Boston history and one of the most inept.

Councilors are well paid now at $103,500 annually and they’re soon to get another big raise.

All of the staff payouts were approved by the council but they’re not labeled on the agenda as bonuses – they are called an “order(s) for the reappointment of temporary employee(s)” in a sleight of hand maneuver. Not exactly transparent.

Each councilor gets a budget of $341,500 to pay for staff salaries, while President Ed Flynn gets $400,000.

If there is any money leftover at the end of the year, councilors can spend it on bonuses so the money isn’t returned to the budget. It’s a little known tradition that has gone on for years.

Flynn confirmed that councilors routinely hand out bonuses when they have money left in their accounts.

“At the end of the year if you have money left over people try to give it out as bonuses,” he said. City councilors have the flexibility to make those adjustments. People want to end the year with no money left over.”

But in what’s supposed to be an era of new politics in Boston City Hall, this is a type of practice that turns off ordinary people.

There’s been virtually no reform at City Hall and this is a glaring example. What justifies the bonus besides the fact that they can?

It’s a practice that should be discontinued and the dysfunctional City Council should set an example.

Wu’s proposed ordinance to clean up the tent encampments and get people into shelter has been put off for another week and has now gone two months without any action.

Wu can and should stop deferring to the do-nothing council and send police and social services in now to restore order and safety to the blighted, drug-infested Mass and Cass neighborhood – before it gets any colder.

Can anyone imagine the late Tom Menino or Ray Flynn waiting on the City Council to act on an important issue? They viewed the council largely as rubber stamps or inconsequential and ruled from a strong mayoral position.

Wu, a former council president, does have to deal with the council now on budgetary matters but not when it comes to a crucial public safety emergency like Mass and Cass. She has the right to deploy police in a crisis.

The latest disturbing news, that authorities found a toddler wandering around the blighted and dangerous area, should only prod Wu to act even more swiftly to send in police. City Council President Ed Flynn – who has been proactive on Mass and Cass – has called for an investigation into the two-year-old boy found with a woman on Southampton Street last week.

But several councilors have been impediments to Wu’s plan for Mass and Cass, raising questions about the ordinance’s legality in an eight hour debate last month. One councilor, Frank Baker, questioned why the ordinance was needed, saying it was “wasting our time” to debate it.

The latest excuse from the council to not act on Wu’s ordinance is that lame duck Councilor Ricardo Arroyo has Covid. We wish him well but that shouldn’t stop a majority of the council from voting.

Arroyo, who was defeated in the preliminary election and is on his way to the dreaded private sector, has been a roadblock for months and clearly has no intention of approving Wu’s proposal.

But Wu still has allies on the council and should try and ram through her ordinance. If she can’t, she still has the power to take action.

Wu endorsed Arroyo’s opponent in the preliminary and ever since then the Hyde Park councilor seems bent on getting even with the mayor by slowing down her agenda.

The situation at Mass and Cass demands an “emergency” response – not sit around waiting for a petulant councilor to get revenge.

Healey’s claim that the state will soon reach a limit and will not be able to house more than 7,500 migrant and homeless families raises more questions than it settles.

What will they do with the rest of the migrants that continue to pour into the state? Because it’s not going to stop just because Healey says we can’t take any more.

Will they live on the streets? In homeless shelters? Police stations? Hospital emergency rooms? College campuses?

Are they going to stay here indefinitely? Will we house them forever and pay for their services?

All Healey said was that the state will help families “move into more permanent housing.” But what if they can’t find it?

Healey said by the beginning of next month, the state will not add any more shelter units and those who aren’t placed into housing will be on a waiting list. Where exactly will that waiting list live? Under Massachusetts law — a law Healey said she will not change —  the state has a legal obligation to provide housing to those who need it. Will the state then be violating its own law? It appears so.

“For months now, we have been expanding shelter capacity at an unsustainable rate to meet rising demand,” Healey said “Despite the heroic work of public officials, shelter providers and the National Guard, we have reached a point where we can no longer safely or responsibility expand.”

“Heroic efforts” by public officials? Refusing to deal with the problem for months is the opposite of heroic. The state Legislature hasn’t even yet approved the $250 million requested by Healey for shelter services.

The Democratic governor’s comments on Monday are a stark turnaround from the welcome mat the state put out initially for migrants – contracting with dozens of hotels to house them for an unlimited period of time.

Oh, and don’t forget that absurd call for Massachusetts residents to give a room to a migrant. Did a single person take up Healey’s plea?

Instead of taking a bold stand at the beginning and saying we can’t do it, or changing the right to shelter law, she punts and welcomes everyone coming in.

Now she’s changing her tune because she realizes what a disaster she created.

Now it’s political panic time and pass the blame on to the feds.

Healey won’t take any accountability for the state’s liberal policies and instead points to the Biden administration and Congress for creating the migrant problem. Or taking too long at granting work permits.

This is not an example of profiles in courage by Healey or anyone else. The only heroes are the human service providers selflessly trying to make sure homeless families are not out on the streets.

Kennedy’s independent bid for president could pose a major threat to Joe Biden and Democrats – no matter what party activists are saying now that it hurts Republican Donald Trump more.

Kennedy could become a major spoiler, drawing away disaffected conservative and moderate Democrats and voters enamored with the Kennedy name from the Democratic ticket.

It’s why Kennedy’s siblings, including former Massachusetts congressman Joe Kennedy II, have condemned their brother in such strong terms. Some family loyalty.

“The decision of our brother Bobby to run as a third party candidate against Joe Biden is dangerous to our country,” said the letter by Rory Kennedy and signed by three more siblings, Kerry, Joe II and Kathleen. “Bobby might share the same name as our father, but he does not share the same values, vision or judgment. (The) announcement is deeply saddening for us. We denounce his candidacy and believe it is perilous for our country.”

The statement proves that Democrats now crowing about Kennedy taking away Trump votes are sadly mistaken or deluded.

Why would the Kennedy family come out so strong against one of their own if he didn’t pose a threat to Biden? When they talk about “perilous for our country” they are talking about Trump being elected again.

“It was very painful for me,” RFK Jr. said in a Fox interview of his siblings’ denouncement of him.

Former congressman Joseph Kennedy III did not sign onto the statement against RFK Jr. but he is looking to get back into the mainstream of Democratic politics so he probably approves.

We haven’t heard much from JoeK3 lately, but there could be an opportunity to run for the Senate again if Biden steps aside and incumbent Elizabeth Warren runs for president. Or Kennedy – who was badly beaten by U.S. Sen. Edward Markey in a primary matchup – could wait until Markey retires.

Meanwhile, RFK Jr. certainly has a right to run as an independent, so what’s the big scandal about him doing that?

It’s because he could become the final nail in Biden’s political coffin.

Biden is already in an extremely weak position heading into 2024, losing or at best running even with Trump. He can’t afford to have anyone drawing more Democratic and independent votes away from him.

In one three-way matchup poll, Kennedy is already drawing 14% of the vote. That’s a significant chunk that will have a major impact on the election.

And while a third party bid is not likely to succeed, it seems that 2024 is the perfect time to do it given the widespread dissatisfaction and downright hatred of Biden and Trump.

Many Democratic and Democratic-leaning voters are alarmed at the left-leaning lurch of the party lately.

That could be the most dangerous sign that Biden is doomed.

While President Biden takes a hard line in strong support of Israel, other Democrats, including U.S. Rep. Ayanna Pressley and Sen. Ed Markey in Massachusetts, are calling for a de-escalation of fighting.

It’s a split that’s reflective of a long-simmering dispute over Israel and its “occupation” of Palestinian territory, with some liberals and progressive groups blaming Israel for igniting more violence.

Markey is not the only Democrat taking flak for not supporting Israel’s war posture.

Members of Pressley’s “Squad” are being criticized by fellow Dems for suggesting the U.S. should stop funding Israel and calling for an end to the occupation.

“As long as our country provides billions in unconditional funding to support the apartheid government, this heartbreaking cycle of violence will continue,” U.S. Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.) said. Tlaib even hung a Palestinian flag outside her Capitol Hill office, drawing widespread criticism.

U.S. Rep. Cori Bush (D-Mo.) made similar statements, triggering a blistering response from Republicans and some Democrats.

“It sickens me that while Israelis clean the blood of their family members shot in their homes, they believe Congress should strip U.S. funding to our democratic ally and allow innocent civilians to suffer,” U.S. Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-N.J.) said to Jewish Insider.

House leaders did not call out Gottheimer for his attack on Tlaib and in fact their silence speaks volumes.

The tension in the party spilled over to Monday’s rally for Israel on the Boston Common, where U.S. Rep. Jake Auchincloss pointedly called out Markey for calling for a de-escalation.

Progressive groups blame the split on Israel’s strong support in Congress and the power of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), which boosts many lawmakers’ fundraising coffers.

The lack of unity among Democrats is in contrast to the Republican Party, where members have all been strong backers of Israel.

The split could have fallout in the 2024 presidential race, where the Israel-Hamas war is expected to be a powerful issue.

But Biden’s relatively coherent speech in support of Israel could dampen Republican efforts to tie Democrats to the terrorists.

U.S. Sen. Edward Markey got loudly booed at a rally in support of Israel on Monday after suggesting de-escalation in the Middle East was the right response to Hamas’ vicious surprise assault.

Markey is urging the White House to encourage peace talks between Israel and Hamas – which appears ridiculous given Israel’s declaration of war.

Markey’s Democratic colleague, U.S. Rep. Jake Auchincloss (D-Mass.) strongly rebutted Markey while speaking directly after the senior senator at the rally.

“De-escalation is not possible when they are taking hostages,” Auchincloss said to cheers as Markey stood by awkwardly clapping.

Members of the leftist “Squad” and other critics of Israel are also being forced to condemn Hamas after the terrorist group launched its deadly attack, which some are comparing to the Japanese raid on Pearl Harbor.

U.S. Rep. Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.) – who skipped the Israel rally – called for a de-escalation of violence in the Middle East while terming the attacks on Israelis  as “deeply alarming.”

“It is long past time to stop this cycle of violence and trauma and work toward a just and lasting peace in the region,” Pressley said.

That seems naive and highly unlikely now given that Israel has declared war on Hamas and is defending itself against the terrorist group’s assault.

Congresswoman Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.), who has been the strongest critic of Israel, decried the “horrific” acts of violence against the Israeli state but also called for a cease-fire in the Middle East.

“I will keep advocating for peace and justice throughout the Middle East,” Omar said.

The leader of the Squad, U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) also called for an immediate cease fire while condemning Hamas’s attack “in the strongest possible terms.” But she also said the attack “will not solve the ongoing oppression and occupation in the region” – referring to Israel.

Gov. Maura Healey and Boston Mayor Michelle Wu spoke at a solidarity rally for Israel on Monday, and Wu ordered that City Hall be lit up in Israel’s blue and white colors tomorrow as some other cities like New York have done. City Council President Ed Flynn also said Israel “has the right to defend itself” against the attacks.

New York City Mayor Eric Adams called the Hamas assault “nothing more than a cowardly action by a terrorist organization seeking to undo that peace and divide us into factions. That won’t happen.”

Other lawmakers have come out strongly for Israel and even backed the country’s declaration of war against Hamas.

Auchincloss compared Hamas’s attack to the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor and 9-11 and cast doubt on other lawmakers’ calls for peace.

“Peace is the ultimate objective, but peace is not possible when terrorists take hostages,”  he said.

House Minority Whip Katherine Clark (D-Mass.) also backed Israel’s “right to defend itself.”

The new war in the Middle East has also thrown a wrench into President Biden’s hopes for peace and became a hot issue in the 2024 White House race.

Several GOP contenders blamed the Biden administration for recently transferring $6 billion to Iran – which has backed Hamas militarily – as part of a prisoner exchange.

“American taxpayer dollars helped fund these attacks,” former President Donald Trump said. “This would have never happened with me (as president).”

Healey in fact has called for smoothing the way for migrants to come into the state and work here while spending more than a million dollars a day contracting with hotels in overwhelmed cities and towns to house the migrants.

“All of her statements and actions indicate she is supportive of the resettlement of these migrants into Massachusetts,” said Jessica Vaughan, director of the Center for Immigration Studies. “She’s not interested in alleviating the effects of this influx on cities and towns in Massachusetts. She’s not interested in considering any negative effects on citizens of the Commonwealth.”

Healey’s position runs counter to some elected Democrats who have begun distancing themselves from the migrant crisis and even urging families to stop coming into their cities.

New York City Mayor Eric Adams – who only last year was welcoming migrants to his city with open arms – recently went to Mexico City and other Central American countries in a desperate attempt to persuade them to stop coming to the Big Apple.

He also asked a judge to void the city’s “right to shelter” law because of a state of emergency due to the migrant crisis.

The big city is being overwhelmed by asylum seekers and migrants – some 122,000 over the last 18 months and its services are strained to capacity.

Adams said he was “proud” New York was a sanctuary city last year and even traveled to the Port Authority to personally welcome migrants.

But his about face shows just how the political winds have shifted in the last few months as migrants have poured into the country at a record pace and cities like New York and Boston are spending millions every month just to keep pace to pay for food and shelter and school services.

“I don’t see an ending to this,” Adams said last month. “This issue will destroy New York City.”

Healey has also declared a state of emergency but has done nothing to try and reverse the state’s “right to shelter” law that is creating the migrant crisis.

All she’s done is complain about the Biden administration and Congress for creating the problem.

Healey’s office allowed her to be positioned against veterans in the fight for hotels for the Army-Navy game at Gillette Stadium while only her most liberal defenders are blaming it on hotels for canceling reservations or the “right wing” media.

As the Herald first reported, scores of military families and service academy members had their rooms taken back for the Dec. 9 game in Foxboro by local hotels that recently signed lucrative contracts with the state to house migrants.

The story drew national attention and forced Healey – who through the ineptitude of her office at first ignored the problem – to respond publicly.

In the eyes of military families across country Healey is perceived putting migrants ahead of veterans, and she now realizes it and is trying to spin it.

“She recognizes there’s a lot of apprehension among voters but she just wants to deflect that,” Vaughan said.

“All of these sanctuary politicians are getting mugged by the reality of mass immigration actually happening.”

Even top Democrats have differed from Healey’s approach, with House Speaker Ron Mariano saying he wants answers to how much the migrant crisis is costing to U.S. Rep. Jake Auchincloss, who wants the feds to do an assessment in the state.

The Democratic governor – a day after her press office ignored questions about the hotel room mess – directed her Veterans’ Services Secretary Jon Santiago to “reach out” to displaced veterans but deflected any blame for their reservations being canceled.

“I’m very distressed to learn that any veteran may have been moved from a hotel, who had booked a hotel for that game,” she said. “As I understand it, those decisions were made by area hotels.”

That’s somewhat deceptive on Healey’s part because the reason the hotel rooms were canceled was because the hotel chain got a much more lucrative offer from the state to house the migrants for an indefinite period.

And it’s because of the state’s “right to shelter” law that Massachusetts has contracted with dozens of hotels to deal with the sudden migrant influx.

That point was not lost on Florida governor and presidential candidate Ron DeSantis, who jumped into the fray to blame Massachusetts for stiffing the veterans.

“Our veterans and service academy graduates cannot find anywhere to stay for the Army-Navy game because hotels are housing illegal aliens on the taxpayers’ dime. What a farce,” Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis posted on X. “When I am president, the days of putting illegal aliens over Americans will be over.”

The Herald’s report on the migrants taking over hotel rooms meant for the big Army-Navy game Dec. 9 ricocheted quickly around the national political scene on Wednesday, forcing Healey — who has declared a state of emergency because of the migrant crisis – to address the problem.

The Herald reported that at least one travel agent who deals with military families had 70 rooms recently “taken back” by three hotels around Gillette in the Foxboro area, forcing frustrated ticket owners to scramble to find another place to stay for the game.

A spokeswoman for one hotel chain with properties around Foxboro said they were “delighted” to house the migrants and other homeless families.

No doubt they are delighted. They get to book all their hotel rooms for an indefinite period – probably many months – and for exorbitant prices.

Healey may have temporarily stopped the damage from the hotel fiasco but she still has a lot of questions to answer, for instance:

• How long will the migrants be staying at the dozens of hotels around the state?
• What is the state paying for the hotel rooms?
• What is the long-term plan for these hotel room contracts?

Healey’s press office once again refused to respond when the Herald posed those questions on Wednesday.

Healey has promised to be the most transparent governor in history, but she has fallen woefully short of that in her first year in office. On Wednesday, House Speaker Ron Mariano repeated that he has still not gotten specifics on the cost of the migrant crisis from the Healey administration.

Getting the iconic Army-Navy game at Gillette was a huge catch for the state, providing a much-needed short-term economic boost for area hotels, restaurants, retailers and small businesses for that weekend.

The game – which is being played for the first time ever in New England – is already sold out and attracts thousands of enthusiastic service academy graduates every year for one of the most patriotic displays in all of sports.

Now the game and the state’s reputation with military veterans has been somewhat tarnished because of the hotel room snafus.

Update: Ron DeSantis blasts cancellations…

A travel agent who handles hotel rooms for military families said at least 70 of his rooms at three hotels were “taken back” by the hotel management company because the state recently contracted to put newly arrived migrants there.

“That is correct,” said Mark Mansbach of Hillsdale Travel. “I have enough rooms to cover some of the people. Some people are looking around but pricing is very high. For many, the issue is safety … they are questioning the safety of remaining hotels located near those that are now filled with migrants. Lots of questions by my clients and most hotels are scrambling to come up with safety protocols.”

A spokeswoman for a hotel management company that operates the Comfort Inn in Foxboro and several other hotels near Gillette confirmed they are providing housing for “refugees” who recently arrived.

“We are delighted to confirm that we are indeed taking refugees at our hotels,” said Claire Mulholland, VP of Marketing for Giri Hotel Management.

A statement by Giri Hotel Management added they will “seamlessly relocate guests” who had booked rooms there to other nearby hotels.

“By providing shelter to refugees, we aim to be part of a global community that stands together in support of those in need,” Mulholland said. “We look forward to working with local authorities and organizations to ensure a smooth transition for all those who will call our hotels home during their time with us.”

The hotel room fiasco is yet another casualty of Massachusetts’ “right to shelter” law which ensures homeless and migrants have a place to stay.

Our veterans and service academy graduates cannot find anywhere to stay for the Army-Navy Game because hotels are housing illegal aliens on the taxpayers’ dime.

What a farce.

When I am president, the days of putting illegals aliens over Americans will be over. https://t.co/U6SGyHtC1L

— Ron DeSantis (@RonDeSantis) October 4, 2023

The state has been contracting with dozens of hotels across the state to give hotel rooms to hundreds of migrant families. But those who had previous reservations at those hotels are now out of luck.

Getting the Army-Navy game is a big deal, providing a much-needed boost to the Boston area and funneling millions of dollars into the local economy. The game will take place Dec. 9 at Gillette and is already sold out. Thousands of service academy graduates and families will be flocking to the state for the big game.

But a recent post by the Armed Forces Press said the Army-Navy game has turned into a “cluster” because Massachusetts canceled hotel rooms “to give to migrants as a ‘right to shelter’ state.”

It features reports from numerous frustrated service academy graduates who had their rooms canceled.

Karissa Hand, spokeswoman for Gov. Maura Healey, did not respond to a Herald email requesting comment on the Army-Navy game hotel problems.

Healey has declared a state of emergency because of the influx of migrants flooding into the Bay State looking for shelter. She has been aggressively pursuing contracts with hotel chains to put up the migrants. Healey blames the Biden administration and Congress for failing to act on a new immigration policy.

It may be an isolated case, but media skeptics and Donald Trump backers are bound to cite the sworn testimony of Everett Leader Herald publisher Joshua Resnek as proof that there is a “fake news” problem.

It’s not just a blow to the Leader Herald and Resnek – it’s a blow to the cause of local news and the sometimes misguided effort to save it.

Public officials need to be prepared for scrutiny. The journalist’s job isn’t to write press releases. But usually it’s the newspaper exposing corruption, it’s not the newspaper that’s corrupt.

Resnek admitted under oath while being deposed in DeMaria’s defamation lawsuit, that he sought to torpedo the mayor’s 2021 re-election bid by publishing a series of false stories in the Everett weekly accusing him of all kinds of corruption.

“The factual allegations you’ve just leveled at me, okay, for printing or making statements about the Mayor, I regret. I regret, I’m embarrassed by some of it, and I apologize to the mayor for it,” Resnek said during the fifth day of his deposition in the lawsuit, on Sept. 21.

“There were some articles, as I said earlier today, that upon reflection, I feel that I let my emotions get the best of me to a certain extent and it got too personal, and for that, I have regret, and I feel embarrassed by some of it, and to Mr. DeMaria, I apologize for that,” Resnek said in the deposition.

This is beyond reckless. It also destroys readers’ faith in local news.

It’s the rare case of a “journalist” admitting to fabricating articles and quotes from interviews that never took place and in fact had no basis for them. Resnak actually admitted manufacturing fake notes that he claimed were the basis of the articles.

In a particularly reprehensible exchange, he referred to the effort to damage DeMaria as a “holocaust.”

He also tried to lure the Boston Globe to report stories about DeMaria’s alleged corruption – which they wisely never did. But there are embarrassing emails between Resnak and a Globe reporter that were uncovered in the case by DeMaria’s sharp attorney Jeff Robbins, who also is a Herald columnist.

The bombshell adds to a growing perception that the media makes up fake stories to advance its agenda – which often includes targeting Trump.

It also could hurt the cause of the “save local news” campaign and exposes the Leader Herald as a savage, vendetta-driven organization that doesn’t need to be saved.

Unfortunately, the vast majority of the media out there that still tries to do its job – applying scrutiny to public officials – will be damaged along with the Everett weekly.

Two Boston city councilors bounced by voters in the preliminary election – and one who is about to leave on his own – are selfishly trying to torpedo Wu’s plan to clean up Mass and Cass.

Scandal-scarred Councilor Ricardo Arroyo, who Wu snubbed during the election, seems especially bent on getting revenge on the mayor who endorsed his opponent in the preliminary.

Defeated Councilor Kendra Lara, who lost her job because of slamming her car into a house while driving an unregistered vehicle without a license, is also opposing Wu’s Mass and Cass ordinance, calling it a “drastic” solution.

It’s not drastic. No one will be thrown onto the street. People at Mass and Cass would be offered shelter and transportation as well as a place to store their belongings before their camps would be removed. And it’s not really new because the city already has taken down some of the encampments, only to have them quickly spring up again.

Wu’s ordinance also would allow police to address the violence and crime that have plagued the South End neighborhood, which is near Boston Medical Center.

The mayor’s plan may not be perfect but at least it’s an attempt to clear away the drug and crime-riddled encampments at the infamous intersection of the state’s homeless and substance use crisis.

Arroyo already delayed Wu’s plan by waiting until this week to hold a hearing, and at a nine-hour meeting this week made clear he wouldn’t vote for it.

At the hearing, Arroyo treated Police Commissioner Michael Cox rudely, cutting him off and dismissing his testimony. The far left councilor questioned whether Wu’s order was legal and called it a “return to bad policy” that hasn’t worked in other cities.

“Nobody has produced any evidence that this has worked anywhere,” Arroyo said.

Besides progressives like Arroyo and Lara, even councilors on the other side of the political spectrum wouldn’t back Wu.

Conservative Councilor Frank Baker, who will also be leaving in a few months, accused Wu of trying to “spread blame” on the council for the Mass and Cass problems.

“If my voice were listened to in this conversation, I wouldn’t mind taking some of the blame, but my voice isn’t being listened to,” he said.

Other councilors said they didn’t think Wu’s ordinance was necessary because the city already has power to clear the tents.

The only ones supporting Wu’s ordinance appeared to be President Ed Flynn and Councilors Ruthzee Louijeune and Sharon Durkan. Louijeune is a frontrunner to become the next council president and doesn’t want to alienate herself from Wu.

This isn’t the first time the dysfunctional and embarrassing council has attempted to assert itself and push back against Wu. Councilors tangled with Wu over the city budget and attempted to cut back police overtime before Wu had to veto it.

Now the Mass and Cass ordinance looks dead on arrival thanks to self-serving councilors still stinging from their election losses.

The sense of social disorder – occurring primarily in Democratic-led cities – could come back to bite Democrats running for office.

The shocking ransacking of stores like Apple in Philadelphia this week by gangs of teenagers and others is just the latest example of urban unrest. Retail giant Target just announced it was closing nine stores in several cities due to rampant shoplifting and threats of violence.

“This was a sickening display of opportunistic criminal activity, and we will not stand for it,” Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney said.

Philadelphia police officials said about 20 people were arrested Tuesday night for the looting, which was captured on video for all to see the looters acting without seeming fear of being caught or punished.

Among the stores closed by Target was one in Philadelphia. The big box retailer is one of several that are struggling to deal with increased looting and thefts at their stores, causing millions in losses.

“We cannot continue operating these stores because theft and organized retail crime are threatening the safety of our team and guests, and contributing to unsustainable business performance,” Target said in a statement. Boston area Targets have not yet been affected by the closings.

Boston has not been immune to the random violence, with recent attacks on Asian Americans on the T and teenagers attacking police in the South Bay shopping center last month.

Last week a group of teenagers harassed an Asian American man and woman and smashed windows on a Red Line train.

“They were taunting her based on her ethnicity. They were trying to mimic an Asian accent,” MBTA Police Superintendent Richard Sullivan said.

Democrats like Boston Mayor Michelle Wu are going to have to grapple with the increased violence. They can no longer ignore it.

Wu talks a lot about bike lanes instead of fear on the T. Gov. Maura Healey talks global warming, ignoring the violence. President Biden, meanwhile, is spending his time trying not to fall down the steps of Air Force One and is seemingly oblivious.

But voters may blame politicians for failing to stem the attacks and looting and liberal law enforcement officials who have decided not to punish crimes like shoplifting.

Polls have shown that crime shows up as one of the top issues voters are concerned about.

And former President Donald Trump is poised to pounce on voters’ fears.

The latest polling shows only about two in 10 Americans approve of Biden’s handling of immigration, making it the most damaging issue to the president’s hopes of re-election – even more potent than his age, the economy or inflation.

A new Washington Post poll found that 62% of Americans disapprove of his handling of immigration – up several points from earlier this year.

What is the Democratic strategy? Right now the border is completely porous, and all the Democrats are doing is quietly panicking and trying to send Biden out to sea.

The warning signs have been around for a while, and now it’s even worse.

A poll in April of voters in seven swing states found 58% – both Democrats and Republicans – disapproved of the president’s immigration policy, and that was before the problems blossomed into a crisis and cities were swamped this summer with migrants.

A Newsweek poll in July found a majority of Americans – even those who voted for Biden in 2020 – don’t believe the Biden administration has control of the U.S. borders.

It’s clearly becoming the issue that’s going to sink Biden and the Dems.

If Michelle Obama or Hillary Clinton is the candidate, are they going to get immigration under control? Not likely. Vice President Kamala Harris was smart enough to refuse Biden’s offer to be immigration czar, but she has no answers, either.

Republicans are poised to pounce on the immigration issue in 2024 but they have a big problem too, and that’s Donald Trump.

There should be an emergency plan by the GOP to replace the former president on the ballot.

If Trump were to stumble because of his multiple indictments or be kept off the ballot, who is on the bench to replace him? Right now it’s pretty thin.

The GOP needs an emergency plan if Trump is blocked.

Who is the stand-alone candidate or running mate that could step in, in case of emergency?

It has to be a MAGA candidate hand-picked by Trump. Former Arizona gubernatorial candidate Kari Lake is still in the news, fighting in court to get access to the ballot return envelopes of 1.3 million voters in her unsuccessful 2022 race.

South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem is also on the list of MAGA devotees who could be a running mate for Trump or replace him in the top slot.

Among the current crop of 2024 candidates, whoever it is, former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley or Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis or someone else, that candidate should be ultra-focused on immigration.

Healey is also in a tough position that could come back to bite her political future.

With thousands of migrants pouring into the state and being funneled to unprepared communities, Healey is under pressure to do something and be more transparent.

Even Democratic lawmakers in liberal Massachusetts are questioning Healey’s actions or lack of action.

It will be an awkward and likely tense confrontation over DiZoglio’s ballot question asking voters to approve allowing her office to audit the powerful state Legislature.

The several thousand Democratic delegates could be actually voicing their opinion on the ballot initiative in Lowell Saturday because a progressive group has requested a vote during the convention. That could prove to be embarrassing to Spilka if it passes, or troublesome to DiZoglio if it fails.

DiZoglio — who lost the Democratic convention endorsement in 2022 — says she won’t shy away from pushing the ballot question during her scheduled 6-minute speaking slot – which she got only after Democratic officials appeared to try and keep her off the stage.

“It’s nothing new,” she said in an interview. “I am absolutely going to be speaking about the ballot initiative. It is a nonpartisan issue. We have received support from Democrats and Republicans alike.”

And that’s a problem. DiZoglio’s ballot referendum recently got a $10,000 boost from conservative businessman Rick Green – a former Donald Trump supporter now backing Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis.

DiZoglio consorting with Republicans and conservative groups like Mass Fiscal Alliance to get behind the ballot question has rankled Dem leaders. That’s heresy in their minds. The Fiscal Alliance especially has been a thorn in the side of the Democratic controlled Legislature.

At a convention that’s supposed to stress party unity, DiZoglio can expect to hear some groans led by the Senate president and House speaker but DiZoglio says she also expects support from rank and file delegates – who tend to be far left leaning activists and elected officials.

“I believe we’ll see a lot of support at the Democratic convention for this,” the Democratic auditor predicted.

DiZoglio is publicly pushing the Legislative audit despite the fact it could be harming her future chances of winning statewide office and possibly even of getting re-elected in 2024.

Spilka and Mariano are still the most powerful Democrats on Beacon Hill – even more powerful than the governor – and they could try to recruit an opponent to run against the auditor, who is perceived as a dangerous loose cannon and a threat to the two leaders’ power.

DiZoglio actively campaigning against the Legislature in 2024 – likely embarrassing them – could be the last straw for party leaders.

DiZoglio says despite Spilka’s assertion that auditing the Legislature is unconstitutional, her office has uncovered more than 100 times that has happened since the 1800’s.

She also notes that the Legislature routinely audits state agencies.

“They’re saying an audit for thee and not for me. That’s not acceptable,” she said.

So don’t expect DiZoglio and Spilka to be sharing a chardonnay at the after hours parties on Friday and Saturday.

Another good question at the convention will be whether Gov. Maura Healey supports DiZoglio’s initiative to open the Legislature’s books.

Healey has largely appeased Spilka and Mariano during her first year in office, even on issues like the governor’s tax cut proposal.

With an estimated 22,000 homeless people – half of them migrants – including children, crowded into shelters, motels and even colleges, and communities in an uproar, the seemingly unflappable Healey is under pressure to keep Massachusetts from becoming another New York City disaster.

BREAKING: Massachusetts lawmakers call on Congress to pass immigration reforms

The Democratic governor has been trying to use the crisis to raise her national profile but that could backfire if the Bay State becomes a poster child for migrant settlement gone wrong.

In what should be a warning to the Healey administration, a small fire broke out at a motel housing migrants in Sutton. The motel occupants were evacuated and it could have been much worse.

Even the Democratic Legislature is now raising questions about the real cost of housing tens of thousands of migrants and Healey’s transparency.

The Healey administration has shrouded the process in secrecy, providing scant information to lawmakers and communities that are bearing the brunt of the problem.

Lawmakers came out of a meeting with administration officials completely frustrated, saying they learned nothing new.

The Democratic governor’s response so far has been to blame the federal government for allowing the immigration crisis and for failing to give out enough work permits.

She has also declared a housing emergency — something that garnered national headlines in what seemed like a move to raise Healey’s profile.

Healey doubled down on the blame the feds solution on Wednesday, and downplayed any tension with the Legislature.

“The issue right now – and it is an issue facing Massachusetts, it is facing states around the country – we have a failure of the federal government,” she said in an interview on WBUR’s Radio Boston show. “We have people coming into this country over the border. They are escaping terrible, terrible, dire circumstances and they are coming into our states. And because of Congress’s failure to act on immigration reform, because of the federal administration’s failure to do things like give us expedited work permits…to reimburse us for what we’re incurring, states are holding the bag and bearing tremendous burden.”

But blaming it on Congress and Joe Biden is not a solution.

We haven’t seen Healey or the state articulate a real plan for how the housing emergency process should be going. It’s done under the cover of darkness with no transparency at extreme expense for the state.

Healey’s approach is fueling anxiety among communities that are sheltering the migrants. They are the ones bearing the toughest burden.

And not everyone is welcoming the migrants with open arms. Residents on Cape Cod are pushing back, creating more tension.

Healey is walking a fine line making sure the migrants are kept safe and assimilated into local communities and schools, and making sure they are properly vetted and they don’t cause issues.

Are these motels and shelters suitable, safe arrangements for migrant children? Probably not for the most part.

But right now it’s the best the state can offer. That’s not much of a plan.

But despite Nancy Pelosi and Hillary Clinton’s best efforts, it won’t be so easy to push Harris out.

The historic prospect of the first woman president – of Black and South Asian descent no less – taking office should buttress the vice president as she seeks the party mantle in the Oval Office.

If Biden is forced to leave the White House early, and that seems more and more likely as every day goes by, that will give Harris time to establish herself before the election and reestablish her credibility with voters.

The VP is a good debater – smacking down Biden in 2020, which Jill Biden has never forgotten – and was smart enough to refuse Biden’s offer to be border czar, leaving the president to shoulder the burden of the nation’s immigration disaster.

It’s true Harris right now is even more unpopular than Biden, but that could change quickly if Democratic voters rally around her – even if the party powers aren’t so quick to jump on the bandwagon.

Pelosi raised eyebrows last week with her less-than-supportive comments about Harris, and we all know what Hillary Clinton really wants – another chance to redeem herself.

Asked whether Harris would be the best running mate for Biden, the 81-year–old former House speaker said, “He (Biden) thinks so, and that’s what matters.”

Ouch. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) came out a few days later to back Harris, but the damage had already been done.

It’s clear that the Democratic hierarchy and the American public right now don’t have great confidence in Harris.

But that could change quickly. Democrats who attack her do so at their own risk.  It could be an ugly and very bloody fight.

How do you celebrate the first female Black president and then tear her apart?

As for 80-year-old Biden, calls continue to grow for him to abandon his second-term plans, and that is putting more focus on Harris.

In a column urging Biden to withdraw from the 2024 race, the Washington Post’s David Ignatius – a Biden favorite, by the way – said “it’s painful to say” that both Biden and Harris should quit the campaign now.

The Biden-Harris ticket “risks undoing his greatest achievement – which was stopping Trump,” Ignatius wrote.

Ticking off the list of mistakes Biden made, which includes selecting Harris as second in command, Ignatius wrote that “it might not be in character for Biden, but it would be a wise choice for the country” to give it up.

But if Biden does wise up and quit, Harris isn’t going anywhere. It’s not in her makeup to quit, nor should she.

She instantly becomes the Democratic front-runner the minute Biden leaves, and that’s a powerful incentive to stay in.

And anyone like Ignatius who suggests Harris should join Biden in quitting will do so at the risk of tremendous backlash.

State Treasurer Deb Goldberg’s incredibly bad decision to put former state Treasurer Shannon O’Brien at the helm of the Cannabis Control Commission has not surprisingly come back to bite her as O’Brien is now out just a year into her tenure.

In a shameless and cowardly move, Goldberg leaked the news of O’Brien’s surprise suspension in a Friday news dump while the state was in a hurricane state of emergency – refusing to face the music for her ill-fated move.

O’Brien’s ouster – which sounds permanent and ominous – signals new turmoil ahead for the CCC and the already reeling cannabis industry. The CCC has now lost all credibility and Goldberg has lost control.

Goldberg would give no details about the reason for O’Brien’s paid suspension, declining to address the reasons behind the decision or how long the suspension would be in effect. She would not reveal whether the intention was to remove O’Brien permanently but the decision does not portend well for the former Treasurer and failed Democratic gubernatorial nominee.

“During your suspension, you may not return to any of the Commission’s offices or conduct any work on behalf of the Commission,” the letter from Goldberg’s office sent to O’Brien said. “You will need to return all Commission property, including laptop, cell phone, keys, ID badge, and any Commission documents or files that you may have in  your possession, as soon as possible.”

Sounds like a great gig. Continue to pocket your $182,000 annual salary and be barred from actually working.

Under state law, Goldberg is allowed to remove a commissioner if he or she is “guilty of malfeasance in office; substantially neglects the duties of commissioner; is unable to discharge the powers and duties of the office; commits gross misconduct; or is convicted of a felony.”

In a statement, O’Brien said she was brought in because the CCC was “riddled with internal discord, lack of accountability and infighting.” But she declined to say why she was suspended.

Goldberg owes the public and O’Brien the real reasons for her suspension and will have to explain her move eventually to the governor and lawmakers who created the CCC.

The suspension comes just weeks after O’Brien blew up in public at a CCC meeting, declaring the agency in “crisis” because its chief executive was leaving – which turned out not to be true.

O’Brien later had to apologize for the outburst.

Goldberg picked O’Brien to chair the Commission a year ago despite the fact that the Herald reported O’Brien held an ownership stake in a cannabis growing company that had an application before the CCC. O’Brien left the company before her appointment, according to officials.

But it was not a good start for the chair. O’Brien had otherwise no experience in regulating or overseeing the marijuana industry – she was a pure political appointment from the Democratic treasurer.

O’Brien was a political commentator for a Boston TV station after being defeated for governor, and later led a lobbying firm.

What the preliminary election showed was that voters will tolerate some extreme left positions but not repeated above-the-law behavior exhibited by defeated incumbents Kendra Lara and Ricardo Arroyo.

Lara and Arroyo, both proudly progressive, made history Tuesday night as the first incumbents toppled in a city preliminary election in four decades – not an easy feat.

But it was their personal behavior that sank them, not their devotion to bike lanes, a fossil fuel ban and racial equity.

Boston, one of the bluest and most reliably liberal cities in the country, didn’t suddenly become un-woke overnight. This was not a realignment.

This was also not a repudiation of liberal Mayor Michelle Wu – in fact she showed her endorsement power by helping Enrique Pepen win one of the two finalist slots in District 5.

Pepen was the leading vote-getter in his district Tuesday night and will face ex-police officer Jose Ruiz in November in a battle of liberal vs. moderate. Wu took a victory lap of sorts on Wednesday to showcase her endorsement muscle.

But at this point, the council’s plunged so far into the mud and ethics violations and corruption that voters want something that’s a restore to order and accountability.

There’s always been a certain amount of craziness on the City Council but never to this level. People will tolerate some shenanigans but not repeated ethical lapses and brazen breaking of the law.

Voters applied the same standard of ethical conduct no matter what the ideology was.

Kendra Lara talking about fighting the system was not enough to save her. All the sympathetic last-minute interviews run by friendly media were not enough to save her.

Saying all the right things was not enough. Avoiding responsibility for their actions was clear even to Democratic voters.

Lara and Arroyo’s losses set up interesting two-way fights in the November election.

It could come down to a showdown between progressives supported by the mayor and moderates backed by a business super PAC.

Several of the candidates who won slots in Districts 3, 5 and 6 were independently financed by Forward Boston, a super PAC funded primarily by New Balance CEO Jim Davis.

Davis sunk $150,000 of his own money into the independent expenditure PAC, which funneled money to help John FitzGerald, who easily topped the field in District 3 in Dorchester, Benjamin Weber and William King, who will face off in District 6, and Ruiz in District 5 in Roslindale.

All of the candidates backed by the super PAC have disavowed the support of Davis, a Republican donor.

But it didn’t hurt FitzGerald and others to get a last-minute infusion of money to back their campaigns.

The super PAC will try to get Ruiz, an ex-police officer, across the line in November in his race against Pepen.

But it will be a tall order. Wu’s endorsement may hold more sway than a super PAC.

The new episode in Vietnam – with aides cutting off Biden’s microphone in mid-sentence – have only fueled fast-moving speculation about the president’s health and political prognosis.

“I don’t know about you but I’m going to go to bed,” the 80-year-old president declared after his ill-fated press conference in Hanoi.

That seems an apt description of Biden’s political future, too.

There are real questions not just about running again but whether he’ll be able to even serve out his term, leaving VP Kamala Harris in charge and leading to a mad scramble among potential contenders.

The media and Democratic diehards are clinging to President Biden like a life preserver but even they can’t hide it anymore.

Biden held a press conference after meeting with Vietnamese leaders which probably wasn’t a great idea given the president’s lack of stamina.

“We talked about stability, we talked about making sure the Third World, excuse me, Third World, the uh, southern hemisphere had access, it wasn’t confrontational at all,” Biden said of his meeting with the Vietnamese leader, mumbling some more.

“Thank you everybody, this ends the press conference,”  White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre suddenly interrupted.

Biden’s microphone was cut off but he kept speaking, apparently unaware no one could hear him over jazz music that was being piped in.

Then he walked offstage behind a curtain.

The press conference came at the end of a long trip through India for a G20 summit that not surprisingly tired Biden out. He had trouble answering questions and misunderstood a question about fossil fuels. He also rambled about an old John Wayne movie with cowboys and “Indians.”

This isn’t the first embarrassing performance by Biden and won’t be the last but it illustrates the day-to-day difficulty he’s having keeping up with his busy schedule.

Whether he gets lost in his train of thought, slurs words or gets Ukraine mixed up with Iraq, Biden is provoking even more speculation that he won’t run for re-election as he has promised. Even on the 22nd anniversary of 9/11, Biden ran into trouble by going to an Alaska military base and skipping the traditional 9/11 ceremonies back in New York and Washington, angering families of victims.

Forget the debates, it’s clear that Biden won’t even be able to campaign on a daily basis in what is usually a grueling schedule.

His poll numbers are worse than ever, with immigration fears fueling his latest nosedive. Cities like New York are in revolt after thousands of migrants are being bused and flown in without any access to services or schools.

And while Democrats are plotting to block Donald Trump from the ballot, already conservatives are ramping up anti-Obama rhetoric because they fear Michelle Obama stepping in to run.

That’s how bad things are in the Democratic Party, that they have to turn to a reject like Hillary Clinton or a fantasy like Michelle Obama.

The group of power brokers is funding a new super PAC that’s running ads supporting a slate of more conservative candidates.

But it’s questionable whether the strategy will work.

The old Boston — once controlled by politicians like Marty Walsh and Ray Flynn — is gone.

It’s been replaced by Michelle Wu’s Boston.

The first term mayor put together a coalition of progressives to win the last election and install a number of progressive Democrats like Kendra Lara and Ruthzee Louijeune on the council. They now run the city.

Southie’s Ed Flynn is still the council president for a few more months but he lost control of his more liberal colleagues a long time ago.

The Wu administration has effectively shut out the once powerful network represented by businessmen like New Balance’s Jim Davis.

Davis is now almost entirely funding the super PAC called Forward Boston which was formed last month and is spearheaded by PR maven George Regan. Davis contributed $150,000 to the super PAC, records show.

The name Forward Boston is ironic because Boston moving forward is the reason why politicians like Wu now control the city. Progressives and politicians of color now represent the new Boston, which has changed dramatically over the last few decades.

Wards in West Roxbury and South Boston still come out in force on election day but so do sections of Boston in Dorchester and Jamaica Plain, especially in general elections.

Davis and Forward Boston is counting on a less than stellar turnout of wards in JP and Roxbury and Beacon Hill in next week’s preliminary election to elect their slate of candidates.

Records from the Office of Campaign and Political Finance show that Forward Boston is supporting District 5 council candidate Jose Ruiz, a retired Boston police officer, in a tightly contested race that also includes incumbent Ricardo Arroyo and former Wu aide Enrique Pepen.

Ruiz, a conservative Democrat, has also been endorsed by Ed Flynn and former Mayor Marty Walsh. Wu has endorsed Pepen for the seat representing parts of Roslindale and Hyde Park.

Forward Boston is also backing two candidates, Ben Weber and William King, who are running to knock off liberal incumbent Kendra Lara of Jamaica Plain. The super PAC is also spending on behalf of John FitzGerald, a city of Boston official running for an open seat in District 3, which includes parts of Dorchester and the South End.

Davis, who has supported Republicans as well as Democrats like Walsh and the late Mayor Tom Menino, tried to insert himself and his money into the 2021 mayoral contest, backing Annissa Essaibi George over Wu.

Wu easily defeated Essaibi George to become Boston’s first ever non-white-male mayor. That election clearly signified the new Boston coalition has taken over, but not everyone wants to get the message.

The former president’s son has been a loyal pit bull for his father, serving as a key campaign surrogate and rousing up crowds.

But what if the GOP needs a “break glass in case of emergency” candidate?

This is just one of the key unanswered questions haunting the 2024 race.

Will a third party candidate like Robert F. Kennedy or perhaps even Trump emerge to become a serious contender? Will Donald Trump team up with Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. to run as a third party team?

Will Joe Biden really make good on his promise to run for re-election, or is the 80-year-old president just posturing?

If health or cognition problems prevent Biden from running again, who will emerge on the Democratic side to replace him? Michelle Obama is just one of the intriguing names that have surfaced in Democratic Party circles.

And with the advent of more and more early ballots, mail in ballots, voter fraud, illegal ballots, non citizens voting, and millions of mail in ballots, will we ever have a credible election again?

But the biggest questions right now surround Trump and whether he can survive his upcoming trials and 14th amendment challenges?

If Trump’s legal woes somehow prevent him from running or serving as president, there are few GOP candidates who could step up and be a legitimate threat to win the White House.

Entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy is the flavor of the month but likely won’t withstand the scrutiny over the next few months. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is dead in the water. Nikki Haley has yet to catch fire.

Who then will inherit the MAGA movement?

Then there’s Donald Jr.

He has his father’s name, his ear, his values and the same policies. It’s likely Trump supporters would look to his son to keep the movement going.

This is only an emergency scenario. Trump Jr. would have no delegates and no primary ballot access in most states if he came to the campaign late.

But Republicans could still break that emergency glass and clear a path for Trump Jr. in the general election if they really wanted him.

Some Republicans are already bringing up Trump Jr.’s name as an alternative if his father gets blocked from the ballot or health problems prevent him from running.

And if a weak Republican like Mike Pence somehow wins the nomination, look for MAGA loyalists to demand a third party candidate – and that could be either the former president or his son.

Lawmakers, politically-connected lobbyists and the public probably never imagined the industry would be in a financial and public health crisis just a few years later, with stores shuttering and ER visits from pot use skyrocketing.

The agency overseeing marijuana, meanwhile, is already desperately trying to loosen regulations to make it easier for stores to open. It’s like the Alcohol and Beverage Control Commission going easy on liquor stores.

The chairwoman of the Cannabis Control Commission – the former state Treasurer who cashed in on the business herself – imploded at a recent meeting and declared a “crisis” – alarming her fellow commissioners.

So we end up with a troubled industry, plummeting prices, pols cashing in, a public health issue, kids in the ER, gummies showing up in middle schools and little oversight.

Welcome to Dysfunctional Massachusetts, USA.

There are now more than 300 marijuana retail stores in Massachusetts and sales are close to $1 billion a year.

But after an initial burst leading to grand expectations by pot dealers, the novelty is wearing off.

A major cannabis business recently pulled out of the Massachusetts market, saying their profits would not be enough to sustain. Northampton – one of the first cities to open cannabis shops – saw several of its stores close in the last year.

Prices have come down in the last year while the business in some areas of the state appears to be saturated, jeopardizing the hopes of many retail dealers who saw big dollar signs.

And increased pot use, especially among kids and teens, has health professionals worried.

A recent study at Tufts Medical Center found hospitalizations related to pot use and costs have increased following the legalization of recreational marijuana in 2016.

Doctors are also sounding the alarm over an illness called Cannabinoid Hyperemesis Syndrome that’s been hitting hard long-term users of cannabis. Among the symptoms are violent vomiting and stomach ailments. Hospitalizations for CHS have doubled over the last few years.

But that hasn’t deterred pols from taking advantage of legalization to make some cash. O’Brien is just one of many pols who have gotten into the cannabis market. Former Boston City Councilor Tito Jackson, former state Public Safety Secretary Andrea Cabral, former state Rep. Marie St. Fleur, former Boston City Councilor Michael Ross, former House Speaker Thomas Finneran, and former Gov. William F. Weld have all hooked their political tentacles to the pot industry.

O’Brien seemingly melted down at a meeting in July and the CCC appears to be in disarray.

Last month she had to apologize for an outburst directed at her fellow commissioners on the Cannabis Control Commission when she said the CCC was in “crisis” after the agency’s executive director abruptly resigned.

O’Brien said the CCC is already understaffed and overworked.

During a following commission meeting O’Brien said she was sorry for “any confusion I created” with her remarks.

“I know it caught you off guard, and I know there was some concern about that,” she said.

Commission member Nurys Camargo said “everyone is in shock” over O’Brien’s comments, calling the meeting “disruptive and uncomfortable.”

She can still preside over City Hall and keep in touch with top aides whenever she wants to take her kids to the beach. The wheels of government don’t stop when she’s gone.

The century old city charter language that says the council president takes power in case of a mayoral absence or “vacancy” wasn’t intended to apply to short-term absences from the city or non-emergencies.

It was designed to put an acting mayor in charge if the elected mayor resigns or is gone for a long-term leave of absence, which has happened before – most recently when Marty Walsh resigned to become Secretary of Labor.

That’s when an acting mayor is needed to fill the void in power. But even then the powers of the acting mayor are limited – “only in matters not admitting of delay,” according to the charter.

Do you think former Mayor Tom Menino let the council president take power as “action mayor” — as Menino called it — every time Menino left the city? Or Ray Flynn gave the keys to the mayor’s office to Dapper O’Neil? That’s laughable. Flynn wouldn’t even let Dapper into the Parkman House when he was out of the city once in 1992.

Nor should Wu hand anything to Ed Flynn. Boston doesn’t need an acting mayor right now. Nobody elected Ed Flynn to be mayor. He got 15,000 votes in 2021 as District 2 City Councilor.

Wu got nearly 92,000 votes two years ago to win the mayor’s race.

Flynn risks looking like a cross between Macaulay Culkin in “Home Alone” and Al “I’m in charge, here” Haig if he pushes the issue further. He is also alienating himself from Wu, and that will hurt his clout on the council.

There are no real vacations when you’re mayor of Boston. Wu can make phone calls or participate in video conferences, effectively running the city when she’s on a short break.

She can still force feed her woke agenda on residents and take a few days away with her family. She can stay in touch with police when there are shootings or violent kids marauding the streets – as there was a few days ago.

“She is available and checking in with the team as usual,” a Wu spokesperson told the Herald on Tuesday.

Wu in fact announced several initiatives when she was away.

And Wu can always return to Boston City Hall in case of an emergency or major outbreak of violence or a serious storm threatening the city. If she can’t, and is expecting to take uninterrupted vacations, then she probably shouldn’t be mayor.

Run for Congress if you really want a vacation. U.S. senators and House members take plenty of them, and no one misses them when they’re gone. In fact the country is better off when they’re on break.

Fiandaca was clearly forced out after just eight months on the job — the first major shakeup of the first-term governor’s tenure — yet Healey attempted to praise the MassDot boss on the way out the door.

The governor “wishes her well in all of her future endeavors” – a statement that usually means someone has just been pushed out. But the statement says nothing about why she’s leaving. No explanation whatsoever.

“She hit the ground running and has delivered on many of our key transportation priorities,” Healey said in her statement.

In reality, Fiandaca never delivered on the most important priority – improving the T and holding the agency accountable.

Healey spokeswoman Karissa Hand refused to even respond to repeated inquiries by the Herald about Fiandaca on Friday evening when word was leaking out the decision had already been made to let her go.

This from the supposed “transparent” Healey administration is just the latest move by the governor to withhold important information from the public, including emails from top brass. Healey has been a huge disappointment when it comes to transparency.

Some believe Fiandaca’s departure was engineered by “shadow GM” Tom Glynn, the chair of the MBTA Board of Directors and the former Massport boss.

Glynn critics say he has had a larger than expected role in all transportation matters and has the governor’s ear – something Fiandaca apparently didn’t have. Does he want to be transportation secretary himself?

Whether it was Glynn or T GM Phillip Eng or Healey herself who pushed Fiandaca isn’t clear but the Transportation boss clearly had a rocky few months on the job.

The T continued its miserable performance under Fiandaca and it certainly didn’t help that she gave a nearly $1 million no-bid contract to her former brother-in-law, William Bratton. Healey was not happy with that contract and it may still be under investigation – again we don’t really know.

Except for the Sumner Tunnel closure, Fiandaca has been virtually invisible on important transportation issues since the story first came out about Bratton’s contract. That did not bode well for her future.

The next question is how much taxpayer money will go out the door to give Fiandaca the door.

Healey officials say the Transportation chief will remain on the payroll as an “adviser” for the rest of the year but it’s unclear if she will still be earning her full $181,722 salary, and if she will be handed a golden parachute package.

We’ll see how the “fully transparent” Healey administration delivers on that one.

Louijeune is expected to compete for the presidency with at-large Councilor Julia Mejia, who is more on the far left and is also angling for the top spot, sources said. District 4 Councilor Brian Worrell also might be a potential candidate.

Current Council President Ed Flynn – the target of sniping from his fellow councilors – is prohibited by term limits from running again in January, but he could cast a key vote in determining the next leader.

It’s unclear if Mayor Michelle Wu might try to tip the race by throwing her weight behind someone.

A lot will depend on the outcome of this year’s council election. All 13 councilors will be on the ballot for the September preliminary contest, and the top vote-getters will hold more clout.

The top two vote-getters in each district will face off and the top eight in the at-large race will be on the November ballot for four spots.

The council presidency is highly coveted because the person holding that office becomes acting mayor in case of any vacancy – which has happened several times over the last few decades.

Louijeune was just elected in 2022, finishing third in the at-large race and getting more votes than any other non-incumbent in the field. But she has emerged as a fast-moving leader of the body in less than two years.

Louijeune describes herself in her council bio as a “grounded, thoughtful and inclusive leader.”

“Thoughtful” and “grounded” are not two words the public usually associates with the Boston city council.

Louijeune is seen as more of a moderate who can possibly corral the out-of-control council, which has been hampered by bitter infighting and division. She is a lawyer and the first Haitian American to serve on the council and was a key figure in passing a new redistricting map, which had been bogged down in fierce debate and legal roadblocks.

Louijeune herself has been the target of criticism from some councilors who didn’t like the redistricting map she proposed and that eventually passed.

“I respect your legal eagle status, but it’s not a matter of just cause you’re a woman of color we’re all gonna fall in line,” Mejia told Louijeune.

Several councilors this year have been embroiled in legal and ethical scandals, most notably Councilor Kendra Lara, who has been charged with traffic and motor vehicle offenses in a crash where she slammed her car into a Jamaica Plain house.

There have also been angry outbursts in council meetings among feuding members, and a near fight broke out after one meeting. Flynn has lobbed criticism at some councilors and has also been on the receiving end recently of attacks from his colleagues.

Louijeune gently chided some of her fellow councilors for the “very disappointing” headlines they were generating in a televised interview recently.

“Voters and residents deserve elected officials that serve with integrity and can trust their decision-making,” she said on the “On the Record” talk show.

A spokeswoman for Louijeune said she would not be making any comment on the battle for president and would not say whether she is considering becoming a candidate.

But it’s widely believed inside Boston City Hall that she will be a candidate for president and is in fact already quietly lobbying for support.

Trump’s first appearance in court to face his charges, which will come sometime before Aug. 25, could be the Super Bowl of politics, drawing hundreds of millions of viewers around the world.

It will be the first time live cameras have been permitted in Trump’s long legal saga.

Prosecutors and the judge want the optic of treating Trump like any other criminal, complete with mug shots and showing up at the jailhouse.

There are obvious disadvantages to Trump fighting his case live on TV.

Every minute he has to spend in court is a minute he can’t be out there campaigning.

Every dollar he spends defending himself, will be money he can’t spend on the campaign.

Whether they stop him running for president they’ve already tried tying his hands behind his back and bogging down his candidacy.

But Trump – never one to shy away from cameras – could try to make the courtroom his stage in proving the charges against him are bogus and an attempt to stop his 2024 presidential campaign.

No matter what prosecutors do, it’s going to seem political, especially when the lawyers and judge are Democrats.

As much as Democrats in a twisted way will enjoy seeing him humiliated, most of the country may see it differently.

It could take on a Kangaroo court feel and the people with the credibility problem could turn out to be prosecutors.

Much like Trump’s poll numbers have gone up after his indictments, a trial – if it even comes before the election – could boost his chances.

The Georgia case could turn out to be one indictment too far, putting a face to the notion that this is simply a stop Trump effort.

Trump could act indignant, taking the Al Pacino, “I’m not out of order, you’re out of order, this whole court is out of order” approach. He could become a martyr to his supporters.

The kitchen sink indictment against the former president for trying to overturn the Georgia election may not withstand scrutiny once Trump is allowed to present his defense.

It could show how ludicrous it is trying Trump like an organized crime kingpin with RICO charges. Did he try to corral enough votes to win the state? Yes. But he can argue that he didn’t rig the election because he didn’t win.

There will be an initial wow factor when Trump first appears in court, but as they slog through other appearances and the trial it could quickly become mundane – much like the Jan. 6 hearings.

The reality is most courtroom proceedings are slow-moving and boring – even with Trump at the center.

But if Trump plays his cards right, he could walk away as a political martyr – not the crooked mobster prosecutors are trying to portray.