Chris Van Buskirk
@bychrisvan.bsky.social
Covering Massachusetts state politics for WBUR | [email protected]
SHELTER SPENDING: Months after Gov. Maura Healey's administration stopped regularly publishing shelter data, public records released to @wbur.org show the state has so far shelled out roughly $109M in FY26 on the emergency assistance program and related services. #mapoli www.wbur.org/news/2025/11...
The state has spent $109 million on emergency shelter services since July
There were 2,047 families in emergency shelters this week, down from more than 7,600 at the peak in July 2024, according to state data. As a result, costs are falling.
www.wbur.org
November 6, 2025 at 10:46 PM
SHELTER SPENDING: Months after Gov. Maura Healey's administration stopped regularly publishing shelter data, public records released to @wbur.org show the state has so far shelled out roughly $109M in FY26 on the emergency assistance program and related services. #mapoli www.wbur.org/news/2025/11...
Quincy Mayor Thomas Koch’s campaign has paid a $55K penalty to resolve allegations that it received thousands of dollars in illegal corporate contributions, anonymous donations, prohibited checks and donations where the true source of the money was not clear. #mapoli www.wbur.org/news/2025/11...
Quincy mayor's campaign pays $55K to resolve campaign finance violations
State campaign finance regulators found that in 2022 to 2023, Quincy Mayor Thomas Koch's campaign received thousands of dollars in illegal corporate contributions, anonymous donations, prohibited chec...
www.wbur.org
November 5, 2025 at 9:42 PM
Quincy Mayor Thomas Koch’s campaign has paid a $55K penalty to resolve allegations that it received thousands of dollars in illegal corporate contributions, anonymous donations, prohibited checks and donations where the true source of the money was not clear. #mapoli www.wbur.org/news/2025/11...
LEGISLATIVE AUDIT: A year after voters gave State Auditor DiZoglio the green light to audit the Legislature, she remains locked in a stalemate with lawmakers who oppose the effort and with AG Campbell, who has yet to agree to let DiZoglio file a legal challenge. #mapoli www.wbur.org/news/2025/11...
State legislative audit stuck in limbo one year after voters approved ballot initiative
At the crux of the deadlock: Democratic lawmakers’ refuse to participate in an audit — they argue it violates separation of powers principles. DiZoglio wants to sue them into compliance, but Attorney ...
www.wbur.org
November 5, 2025 at 4:38 PM
LEGISLATIVE AUDIT: A year after voters gave State Auditor DiZoglio the green light to audit the Legislature, she remains locked in a stalemate with lawmakers who oppose the effort and with AG Campbell, who has yet to agree to let DiZoglio file a legal challenge. #mapoli www.wbur.org/news/2025/11...
MINOGUE MONEY: Michael Minogue, a wealthy former biotechnology executive, poured $1.5M of his own money into his campaign for governor and raised more than $373K from individual donors during his first month in the race, according to state records and his spox. #mapoli www.wbur.org/news/2025/11...
GOP mega-donor Michael Minogue pours $1.5 million into his own Mass. gubernatorial campaign
The former biotech executive's funding far outpaced his Republican opponents last month, his first in the race. All three are well behind Gov. Maura Healey’s $4.4 million campaign war chest.
www.wbur.org
November 4, 2025 at 10:13 PM
MINOGUE MONEY: Michael Minogue, a wealthy former biotechnology executive, poured $1.5M of his own money into his campaign for governor and raised more than $373K from individual donors during his first month in the race, according to state records and his spox. #mapoli www.wbur.org/news/2025/11...
BEACON HILL EFFICIENCY? With just weeks left before they close out formal business for the first half of the two-year term, legislative Democrats have managed to send a brief list of major bills to Gov. Maura Healey's desk. Critics expected more. #mapoli www.wbur.org/news/2025/11...
State legislators pledged efficiency, but critics expected more amid Trump's attacks on Mass.
Legislative leaders in Massachusetts kicked off this session with pledges to get more business done. But a WBUR analysis found that most of the major bills that cleared the House or Senate have sat un...
www.wbur.org
November 4, 2025 at 12:56 PM
BEACON HILL EFFICIENCY? With just weeks left before they close out formal business for the first half of the two-year term, legislative Democrats have managed to send a brief list of major bills to Gov. Maura Healey's desk. Critics expected more. #mapoli www.wbur.org/news/2025/11...
Reposted by Chris Van Buskirk
Gov. Healey raised thousands of dollars for her reelection from a group of Florida lawyers from Morgan & Morgan @wbur.org @bychrisvan.bsky.social
www.wbur.org/news/2025/10...
www.wbur.org/news/2025/10...
Healey raised thousands from Florida lawyers last month, records show
Gov. Maura Healey traveled to Miami for roughly 24 hours last month to hold a pair of fundraisers for her campaign and the state Democratic party, a trip that appeared to net tens of thousands of doll...
www.wbur.org
November 2, 2025 at 11:56 PM
Gov. Healey raised thousands of dollars for her reelection from a group of Florida lawyers from Morgan & Morgan @wbur.org @bychrisvan.bsky.social
www.wbur.org/news/2025/10...
www.wbur.org/news/2025/10...
HEALEY’S CABINET: Gov. Maura Healey’s cabinet has seen major turnover this year, in roles from veteran services to transportation, as the first-term Democrat faces reelection in 2026 and a continuing onslaught from the Trump administration. #mapoli www.wbur.org/news/2025/10...
Nearly half of Gov. Healey's cabinet has turned over as she heads into an election year
Gov. Maura Healey’s cabinet has seen major turnover this year, in roles from veteran services to transportation, as the first-term Democrat faces reelection in 2026 and a continuing onslaught from the...
www.wbur.org
October 27, 2025 at 11:47 AM
HEALEY’S CABINET: Gov. Maura Healey’s cabinet has seen major turnover this year, in roles from veteran services to transportation, as the first-term Democrat faces reelection in 2026 and a continuing onslaught from the Trump administration. #mapoli www.wbur.org/news/2025/10...
Reposted by Chris Van Buskirk
Mass. state lawmakers want to investigate sheriff spending - and withhold $120 million in supplemental funding. Sheriffs say they went over budget for union raises, medical care for prisoners + free phone calls @wbur.org @bychrisvan.bsky.social
www.wbur.org/news/2025/10...
www.wbur.org/news/2025/10...
Mass. sheriffs point to labor, medical, phone call expenses amid budget scrutiny
Massachusetts street lawmakers threatened to withhold funds from county sheriffs and investigate their spending last week amid scrutiny on overspending. But sheriffs said budget overruns were largely ...
www.wbur.org
October 20, 2025 at 6:52 PM
Mass. state lawmakers want to investigate sheriff spending - and withhold $120 million in supplemental funding. Sheriffs say they went over budget for union raises, medical care for prisoners + free phone calls @wbur.org @bychrisvan.bsky.social
www.wbur.org/news/2025/10...
www.wbur.org/news/2025/10...
Reposted by Chris Van Buskirk
Trump admin pauses Cape Cod bridge funding @wbur.org @bychrisvan.bsky.social www.wbur.org/news/2025/10...
Trump administration pauses Cape Cod bridge funding
The federal government said the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers would be “immediately pausing over $11 billion in lower-priority projects and considering them for cancellation” as a result of the federal...
www.wbur.org
October 18, 2025 at 11:09 AM
Trump admin pauses Cape Cod bridge funding @wbur.org @bychrisvan.bsky.social www.wbur.org/news/2025/10...
Reposted by Chris Van Buskirk
Republican super PACs bringing in big bucks to oppose @massgovernor.bsky.social @wbur.org @bychrisvan.bsky.social
www.wbur.org/news/2025/10...
www.wbur.org/news/2025/10...
Super PAC targets Gov. Healey as Republican race ramps up
The super PAC, dubbed Commonwealth Unity, has more than $1 million since it was created in May, records show. It has spent just over $34,000 to oppose Healey thus far.
www.wbur.org
October 16, 2025 at 12:29 PM
Republican super PACs bringing in big bucks to oppose @massgovernor.bsky.social @wbur.org @bychrisvan.bsky.social
www.wbur.org/news/2025/10...
www.wbur.org/news/2025/10...
SHELTER DATA: Gov. Healey’s administration no longer publishes a public, regular accounting of how much the state is spending in the current fiscal year on emergency shelters housing homeless families because a state law mandating the data expired. #mapoli www.bostonherald.com/2025/10/12/g...
Healey stopped publishing regular accounting of state-run shelter spending
The lack of information about fiscal year 2026 spending comes as the Healey administration spent $978.2 million in fiscal year 2025 on the emergency assistance program and related services.
www.bostonherald.com
October 12, 2025 at 2:16 PM
SHELTER DATA: Gov. Healey’s administration no longer publishes a public, regular accounting of how much the state is spending in the current fiscal year on emergency shelters housing homeless families because a state law mandating the data expired. #mapoli www.bostonherald.com/2025/10/12/g...
LOAN LIMIT: GOP gov hopeful Mike Kennealy plans to continue ignoring a state law that limits the amount of cash a candidate for governor can loan themselves each election, even after regulators started to scrutinize the money, his lawyer said. #mapoli www.bostonherald.com/2025/10/07/m...
Mike Kennealy plans to continue ignoring Mass. loan limit law, lawyer tells regulators
Republican gubernatorial hopeful Mike Kennealy plans to continue ignoring a state law that limits the amount of cash a candidate for governor can loan themselves each election, even after regulator…
www.bostonherald.com
October 7, 2025 at 1:26 PM
LOAN LIMIT: GOP gov hopeful Mike Kennealy plans to continue ignoring a state law that limits the amount of cash a candidate for governor can loan themselves each election, even after regulators started to scrutinize the money, his lawyer said. #mapoli www.bostonherald.com/2025/10/07/m...
📻📻 I’m very excited to say that in a few weeks I’ll be starting at @wbur.org as their state politics reporter. I’m looking forward to continuing to cover power and policy on Beacon Hill and the 2026 elections. I’m also excited to work with a very talented group of editors and reporters. #mapoli
October 3, 2025 at 2:31 PM
LOBBY $$: Applegreen, an Irish company at the center of a now-defunct deal to redevelop travel plazas along state highways, shelled out tens of thousands of dollars between 2024 and 2025 to a powerful Beacon Hill lobbying shop, state records show. #mapoli www.bostonherald.com/2025/09/28/a...
Applegreen spent tens of thousands on lobbyists amid controversial travel plaza deal
Applegreen, an Irish company at the center of a now-defunct deal to redevelop travel plazas along state highways, shelled out tens of thousands of dollars between 2024 and 2025 to a powerful Beacon…
www.bostonherald.com
September 28, 2025 at 11:25 AM
LOBBY $$: Applegreen, an Irish company at the center of a now-defunct deal to redevelop travel plazas along state highways, shelled out tens of thousands of dollars between 2024 and 2025 to a powerful Beacon Hill lobbying shop, state records show. #mapoli www.bostonherald.com/2025/09/28/a...
STATE FLAG: Senate President Karen Spilka said she believes Massachusetts needs a “more inclusive” flag, throwing her support behind an effort to replace the version that features a colonist’s arm holding a sword over a Native American. #mapoli www.bostonherald.com/2025/09/25/s...
Senate President Karen Spilka says Massachusetts needs a ‘more inclusive flag’
Senate President Karen Spilka said she believes Massachusetts needs a “more inclusive” flag, throwing her support behind an effort to replace the version that features a colonist’s arm holding a sw…
www.bostonherald.com
September 25, 2025 at 5:45 PM
STATE FLAG: Senate President Karen Spilka said she believes Massachusetts needs a “more inclusive” flag, throwing her support behind an effort to replace the version that features a colonist’s arm holding a sword over a Native American. #mapoli www.bostonherald.com/2025/09/25/s...
POLL WARS: A top advisor to Republican candidate for governor Mike Kennealy lashed out at a poll conducted by MassINC that found favorable approval numbers for Gov. Maura Healey. #mapoli www.bostonherald.com/2025/09/14/p...
Pols & Politics: Kennealy advisor lashes out at Healey approval numbers
A poll testing Gov. Maura Healey’s approval ratings drew a testy response from one of her Republican opponents, Mike Kennealy.
www.bostonherald.com
September 14, 2025 at 1:55 PM
POLL WARS: A top advisor to Republican candidate for governor Mike Kennealy lashed out at a poll conducted by MassINC that found favorable approval numbers for Gov. Maura Healey. #mapoli www.bostonherald.com/2025/09/14/p...
TRAVEL TIME: Elected officials across Massachusetts government were treated to thousands of dollars’ worth of trips this summer on other organizations’ dimes, including an excursion to St. Thomas, according to ethics records released to the Herald. #mapoli www.bostonherald.com/2025/09/14/t...
Thousands spent for Massachusetts politicians to travel this summer, records show
Elected officials across Massachusetts state government were treated to thousands of dollars’ worth of trips this summer on other organizations’ dimes, including an excursion to St. Thomas in…
www.bostonherald.com
September 14, 2025 at 1:54 PM
TRAVEL TIME: Elected officials across Massachusetts government were treated to thousands of dollars’ worth of trips this summer on other organizations’ dimes, including an excursion to St. Thomas, according to ethics records released to the Herald. #mapoli www.bostonherald.com/2025/09/14/t...
Gov. Maura Healey’s technology secretary spent thousands on taxpayer-funded credit cards last fiscal year to stay at a four-star hotel in Barcelona and hire on-demand chauffeur services that promised to “upgrade your travels.” #mapoli www.bostonherald.com/2025/08/24/h...
Healey’s tech secretary used taxpayer-funded credit cards to hire high-end chauffeurs
Gov. Maura Healey’s technology services and security secretary spent thousands on taxpayer-funded credit cards last fiscal year to stay at a four-star hotel in Barcelona and hire on-demand chauffeu…
www.bostonherald.com
August 25, 2025 at 1:43 PM
Gov. Maura Healey’s technology secretary spent thousands on taxpayer-funded credit cards last fiscal year to stay at a four-star hotel in Barcelona and hire on-demand chauffeur services that promised to “upgrade your travels.” #mapoli www.bostonherald.com/2025/08/24/h...
CASINO CASH: Massachusetts law enforcement agencies and state offices used taxpayer-funded credit cards to collectively spend tens of thousands of dollars last fiscal year at casinos across the country, according to public data. #mapoli www.bostonherald.com/2025/08/25/p...
Public agencies in Mass. spent thousands at casinos using taxpayer-funded credit cards
Massachusetts law enforcement agencies and state offices used taxpayer-funded credit cards to collectively spend tens of thousands of dollars last fiscal year at casinos across the country, accordi…
www.bostonherald.com
August 25, 2025 at 1:42 PM
CASINO CASH: Massachusetts law enforcement agencies and state offices used taxpayer-funded credit cards to collectively spend tens of thousands of dollars last fiscal year at casinos across the country, according to public data. #mapoli www.bostonherald.com/2025/08/25/p...
DRIVING RECORDS: Gov. Maura Healey filed a bill Thursday that would give the public access to driving records more than two years after Beacon Hill Democrats sealed off motor vehicle histories as part of an immigrant driver's license law. #mapoli www.bostonherald.com/2025/08/14/g...
Gov. Healey pitches public driving records after immigrant license law sealed access
Gov. Maura Healey filed a bill Thursday that would give the public access to driving records more than two years after Beacon Hill Democrats sealed off motor vehicle histories as part of a law that…
www.bostonherald.com
August 14, 2025 at 5:08 PM
DRIVING RECORDS: Gov. Maura Healey filed a bill Thursday that would give the public access to driving records more than two years after Beacon Hill Democrats sealed off motor vehicle histories as part of an immigrant driver's license law. #mapoli www.bostonherald.com/2025/08/14/g...
TOMPKINS + RCC: Suffolk County Sheriff Steve Tompkins resigned from the Roxbury Community College Board of Trustees, where he serves as chair, days after he was arrested in Florida on charges that he extorted a Boston-based cannabis company. #mapoli www.bostonherald.com/2025/08/13/s...
Suffolk County Sheriff Steve Tompkins resigns from college board amid extortion charges
Suffolk County Sheriff Steve Tompkins resigned from the Roxbury Community College Board of Trustees, where he serves as chair, days after he was arrested in Florida on charges that he extorted a Bo…
www.bostonherald.com
August 13, 2025 at 4:16 PM
TOMPKINS + RCC: Suffolk County Sheriff Steve Tompkins resigned from the Roxbury Community College Board of Trustees, where he serves as chair, days after he was arrested in Florida on charges that he extorted a Boston-based cannabis company. #mapoli www.bostonherald.com/2025/08/13/s...
ANOTHER MARKEY CHALLENGER? A former town councilor from West Springfield and candidate for Congress is considering running against U.S. Sen. Ed Markey as a Republican during the 2026 midterm elections. #mapoli www.bostonherald.com/2025/08/10/p...
Pols & Politics: Another potential Republican challenger to US Sen. Ed Markey emerges
Nathan Bech, a former town councilor from West Springfield and candidate for Congress, is considering running against U.S. Sen. Ed Markey as a Republican in 2026.
www.bostonherald.com
August 11, 2025 at 2:31 PM
ANOTHER MARKEY CHALLENGER? A former town councilor from West Springfield and candidate for Congress is considering running against U.S. Sen. Ed Markey as a Republican during the 2026 midterm elections. #mapoli www.bostonherald.com/2025/08/10/p...
2026 CASH DASH: Republican candidate for governor Mike Kennealy, a former cabinet secretary under Gov. Charlie Baker, raised the most cash last month, but most of that money came from a $200K loan he gave his campaign. #mapoli www.bostonherald.com/2025/08/05/m...
Mike Kennealy leads July fundraising in 2026 governor’s race because of loan to campaign
Republican candidate for governor Mike Kennealy, a former cabinet secretary under Gov. Charlie Baker, raised the most cash last month, but nearly all of that money came from a $200,000 loan he gave…
www.bostonherald.com
August 5, 2025 at 8:27 PM
2026 CASH DASH: Republican candidate for governor Mike Kennealy, a former cabinet secretary under Gov. Charlie Baker, raised the most cash last month, but most of that money came from a $200K loan he gave his campaign. #mapoli www.bostonherald.com/2025/08/05/m...
Gov. Baker’s administration warned Gov. Healey about a surge of migrants and dwindling shelter capacity in 2022, or months before she took office, according to a doc approved by Mike Kennealy when he was secretary of housing and economic development. #mapoli www.bostonherald.com/2025/08/05/g...
Gov. Maura Healey received written warning about surge of migrants in transition document
It painted a bleak picture of a struggle to build enough housing as the cost of living was putting Massachusetts at a “significant disadvantage.”
www.bostonherald.com
August 5, 2025 at 2:29 PM
Gov. Baker’s administration warned Gov. Healey about a surge of migrants and dwindling shelter capacity in 2022, or months before she took office, according to a doc approved by Mike Kennealy when he was secretary of housing and economic development. #mapoli www.bostonherald.com/2025/08/05/g...
2026 BALLOT Q: A group focused on transparency in elections plans to pursue two ballot questions in 2026 that would require voter identification at the polls and strip away MA residents’ ability to participate in no-excuse mail-in voting. #mapoli www.bostonherald.com/2025/08/04/e...
Election transparency group eyeing voter ID, mail-in voting ballot questions for 2026
A group focused on transparency and accountability in elections plans to pursue two ballot questions in 2026 that would require voter identification at the polls and strip away Massachusetts reside…
www.bostonherald.com
August 4, 2025 at 2:45 PM
2026 BALLOT Q: A group focused on transparency in elections plans to pursue two ballot questions in 2026 that would require voter identification at the polls and strip away MA residents’ ability to participate in no-excuse mail-in voting. #mapoli www.bostonherald.com/2025/08/04/e...