THE MASS BRIEF

Wednesday, September 30, 2026

THE LEAD

A state investigation finds nearly 1,000 children were abused in three Massachusetts dioceses.

Attorney General Andrea Campbell released a long-awaited report Wednesday concluding that more than 270 Catholic clergy members abused nearly 1,000 children across the Fall River, Springfield, and Worcester dioceses over roughly a century. The investigation began in 2019 under then-AG Maura Healey. It found that diocesan leaders repeatedly failed to act on allegations and warning signs, and in some cases moved accused priests to other parishes without disclosing why. Most of the known abuse predates 2002, the year the Globe's reporting cracked open the scandal in the Archdiocese of Boston. Campbell's office calls this the first comparable public accounting for the three western and southeastern dioceses.

The report stops short of indictments, but it isn't toothless. Campbell called out the Worcester diocese as the only one in the state that has never released a list of credibly accused priests, and she wants it to do so. She's also pushing legislation to make it easier for survivors to bring civil claims against their abusers. "This investigation was not about demonizing a faith or a church," she said at a press conference. "Rather, it was about seeking justice."

What to watch: whether Worcester bends on the list, and whether the Legislature takes up the survivor-lawsuit bill. For survivors who have waited years for this document, the report is validation. For the dioceses, it's a reputational reckoning with a clear to-do list attached.

Full story at Boston Globe →  |  Read the full report via Boston Globe →  |  WBUR coverage →

WHAT ELSE YOU SHOULD KNOW

Voters blame Trump and utilities, not Healey, for sky-high energy bills. A new CommonWealth Beacon/MassINC poll of 800 likely voters finds 32 percent pin energy costs on President Trump and 28 percent on the utilities. Just 13 percent blame the governor. That's notable in an election year dominated by affordability, in a state where residents pay double the national average for electricity. CommonWealth Beacon →

The ballot question picture: a tight race on all-party primaries, little appetite for a cannabis ban. MassINC polling shows 43 percent of voters plan to vote yes on all-party primaries for state elections, a slight plurality. On other questions, including ending the recreational cannabis program, respondents favor the status quo by wide margins. WBUR →

Auditing the Legislature: still 72 percent, still not budging. Despite two years of pushback from legislative leaders, support for letting the state auditor examine the House and Senate is exactly where it was in 2024: 72 percent in favor, 7 percent opposed. Auditor Diana DiZoglio's reaction to the poll was, reportedly, a chuckle. CommonWealth Beacon →

Nursing home oversight rules get a push after a Spotlight investigation. The Globe reported that DPH hasn't denied a nursing home acquisition or revoked a license in at least seven years, repeatedly approving deals by RegalCare, a New Jersey chain whose owner acknowledged a role in a Medicare/Medicaid fraud scheme. Homes in Quincy and Taunton fell from five-star to one-star federal ratings after the takeovers. The Healey administration says regulations implementing a 2024 law will go to the Public Health Council on Oct. 14. WBUR →

Question 5, explained: what happens to your tax refunds? The ballot measure would change how the state calculates its tax-revenue cap under the 1986 law known as Chapter 62F, resetting the baseline each year to the prior year's actual collections. That could mean more frequent taxpayer rebates, but less predictable ones. The cap has been exceeded only twice, in 1987 and 2022. Boston.com →

Worcester's schools take on racism in student sports. Six months after online racist attacks targeted a girls' basketball team, Worcester Public Schools, the local NAACP, and the YWCA launched a Stand Against Racism campaign at a rally with more than 700 students. Superintendent Brian Allen said the district is drawing "a line in the sand," and AG Campbell joined in support. GBH News →

WORTH YOUR ATTENTION

• Oct. 14: The Public Health Council is expected to take up the nursing home oversight regulations. WBUR →
• Nov. 2: Lindsay Clancy's Plymouth Superior Court hearing on motions, including a defense bid to dismiss, a request to investigate the holdout juror, and a prosecution request for a gag order. Both sides also discussed a retrial date. WBZ / CBS Boston →
• Election Day is five weeks out, and treasurer candidate Elizabeth Dionne (R) is pitching herself as a "bullhorn" for local aid against incumbent Deborah Goldberg. CommonWealth Beacon →

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Yesterday's Biggest Contributions

Big Spending This Week

Data from the MA Office of Campaign & Political Finance

Full hearing schedule →

Recent filings with the Massachusetts Office of Campaign and Political Finance:

Candidates

• Diego Leonardo — House, 16th Essex — Filed: 9/28/2026
• Emily Doran (Democratic) — City Councilor, Somerville — Filed: 9/28/2026
• Raymond Boutin (Democratic) — City Councilor, Lowell — Filed: 9/28/2026

PACs

• Recall Mayor Brian Depena Political Action Committee — N/A, N/A — Filed: 9/24/2026

OCPF →

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