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THE MASS BRIEF
Sunday, June 14, 2026
Good morning. Here's what matters in Massachusetts today.
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The Lead
Andrea Campbell Is Having a Moment — But Where Does It Go?
Attorney General Andrea Campbell has filed more than 50 lawsuits against the Trump administration since January 2025, staffed up her office with millions in additional taxpayer funding, and built a public dashboard tracking her wins. The scoreboard, more often than not, favors Massachusetts. And the political dividends are starting to show — at last month's state Democratic convention, people were literally lining up in hallways to get a photo with her.
The comparisons to Maura Healey are already being made out loud, and they're not crazy. Healey built her own profile fighting Trump 1.0 in court and rode it to the corner office. But as the Globe's story makes clear, Campbell's path isn't a carbon copy. Healey was operating in a less crowded field; the landscape now is different, and the novelty of AGs suing the federal government has worn off nationally even if the wins haven't. Whether Campbell can convert courtroom victories into something more durable — name recognition outside the activist base, trust in communities that don't follow politics closely — is the real question.
For now, she's the most interesting figure in Massachusetts Democratic politics not currently sitting in the governor's office. Where she aims next — a Senate run if something opens up, a 2026 gubernatorial campaign down the road — will define whether this is a launching pad or a ceiling.
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What Else You Should Know
Boston's $4.9B Budget Is Done — For Now
The Boston City Council approved Mayor Michelle Wu's FY27 operating budget on a 12-1 vote last Tuesday, but don't call it settled. The council's $11.8 million in amendments — a tiny 0.2% of the total — drew a warning from Wu's chief financial officer that some changes could trigger layoffs or service cuts, particularly at the Boston Transportation Department. Wu could veto; the council has the votes to override. Watch this space.
Dorchester Reporter →
Boston Police Oversight Agency Pushes for Bodycam Rules
After two fatal officer-involved shootings this spring, the city's Office of Police Accountability and Transparency has formally asked Police Commissioner Michael Cox to release bodycam footage to OPAT within seven days and to the public within 30 — bringing Boston in line with many other major city departments. The March killing of Stephenson King Jr., which led to manslaughter charges against an officer, put the issue front and center. Whether Cox acts on the recommendation is now the story.
Boston Globe →
A Springfield Student Died on a Field Trip. A Community Is Grieving.
Fourteen-year-old Emari Marshall-Woodard, an eighth-grader in Springfield Public Schools, died Wednesday after a medical emergency in a pool during a field trip to a resort in North Granby, Connecticut. Investigators say it appears to be a drowning; no foul play is suspected. His classmates who witnessed it were "overcome with emotion," according to Granby police. Counselors are being made available to Springfield students and staff.
Boston.com →
New High School or Housing? A Roxbury Land Fight Heats Up
Boston's largest undeveloped city-owned parcel — the 7.7-acre Roxbury Parcel 3, vacant for 50 years after a highway that was never built displaced an entire neighborhood — is at the center of a fresh battle. The BPDA reversed course earlier this year, scrapping plans for lab space and affordable housing in favor of a new home for Madison Park Technical Vocational High School. Housing advocates are furious. A CommonWealth Beacon opinion piece argues the city doesn't have to choose — build up, put housing over the school — but that requires political will Boston hasn't shown much of lately.
CommonWealth Beacon →
State Invests $17.9M to Train Workers Across Massachusetts
The Healey-Driscoll administration announced nearly $18 million in workforce training grants reaching 1,255 businesses and more than 15,900 workers statewide. Western Massachusetts — often last in line for this kind of investment — is among the regions included. In an economy where employers keep saying they can't find skilled workers, this is the state putting money where its mouth is.
WWLP Western MA →
Marshfield Is Searching for Stability — and a Town Administrator
The Marshfield Select Board interviewed four finalists last week for a town administrator post that's been vacant for over a year, grilling candidates on a fiscal situation board members described as being in an "intractable place." Meanwhile, a solar project at the former town landfill could start generating $1 million in annual revenue by July 2027 — which would help. South Shore towns navigating leadership vacuums while managing tight budgets is a recurring theme; Marshfield is just the latest.
South Shore News →
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Worth Your Attention
Cape Cod shooting court date:
The man taken into custody after a patron was fatally shot inside Moonfish Restaurant & Tavern in Dennis is scheduled to be arraigned Monday in Orleans District Court — watch for charges to be announced.
Boston Globe →
South Boston lemonade stand robbery:
A 14-year-old has been arrested in connection with the armed robbery of two kids' lemonade stand on West Ninth Street; a second suspect remains at large and Boston Juvenile Court proceedings are expected this week.
Boston.com →
eBay stalking lawsuit back on:
A federal judge has re-opened the lawsuit filed by Natick couple David and Ina Steiner after settlement talks with eBay collapsed — the case involves a months-long corporate harassment campaign that included live bugs, a bloody pig mask, and a surveillance team sent to Boston. One to watch.
Universal Hub →
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💰 Money Watch
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Yesterday's Biggest Contributions
Data from the MA Office of Campaign & Political Finance |
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New on the Ballot
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Recent filings with the Massachusetts Office of Campaign and Political Finance: Candidates
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One More Thing
Boston is having a genuinely good World Cup weekend. Twenty thousand people packed MBTA express trains to Foxborough on Saturday — and by all accounts, the trains ran fine. Scottish fans in kilts reported no complaints. A Boston police officer juggling a soccer ball in a pirouette for a circle of cheering Scots went viral. Meanwhile, Kevin Cullen's Globe piece on Boston's Cabo Verdean community finally seeing their national team in a World Cup — after 62-year-old Manny Coleta waited his whole life for the moment — is worth every minute of your Sunday morning.
Boston Globe →
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