Contrarian Boston’s Scott Van Voorhis has a fascinating interview with Jack Lu, a retired Massachusetts Superior Court judge and an adjunct professor at local law schools, who says the entire Karen Read case would have been over and done with by now if prosecutors hadn’t “overcharged” Karen Read with second-degree murder, rather than easier-to-prove manslaughter. … And you have to wonder if prosecutors did so because the case involved the death of a cop. … Check out Scott’s excellent newsletter.

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The Herald’s Joe Battenfeld writes that President Trump may yet decide to attend local festivities this weekend marking the 250^th anniversary of the Battle of Lexington & Concord, noting the U.S. Army has said a “special guest” would be attending the celebrations. As Battenfeld points out, a Trump appearance could spark “massive protests” against the president. I can only hope local, state and federal officials are ready for any short-notice visit.

But Concord, where a potential Trump visit seems most likely (if it takes place at all), did successfully host a presidential visit and massive demonstration during the Bicentennial celebrations of 1975. I know. I was there as a youth, watching a little awe-struck as President Ford walked by toward the North Bridge and hearing the distant roar of thousands of “People’s Bicentennial” demonstrators located across the Concord River. It was a special day, with patriotism and protests on full display, side by side. It was classic Americana.

In 1975, event organizers pulled it off. But they had plenty of advance notice of a presidential visit and planned protests, as this 50-year-old NYT piece makes clear. From the Concord Bridge earlier this week: “1975 record bears warnings, lesson for region’s 250^th.”

Fyi – The “People’s Bicentennial” poster above was found here. And the photo of President Ford at Concord’s North Bridge in 1975 via the Concord Free Library.

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GBH’s NOVA is getting into the spirit of the upcoming 250^th anniversary of the Battle of Lexington & Concord with a new show on the technology behind the American Revolution’s war weapons. As a colonial-era history buff, I loved it. … More on this coming weekend’s Patriots’ Day festivities can be found here. 

Btw: Most Patriots’ Day events in Massachusetts will be held this year on Saturday, April 19^th (the actual anniversary of the battle), rather than the traditional third Monday in April; the Boston Marathon and the Red Sox’s annual late-morning holiday game will still be held on Monday.

I was going to write that Donald Trump has lost some his mojo as a result of last week’s tariff’s debacle. But others have written about Trump’s mojo levels after various setbacks in 2015, 2016, 2022, 2023 and 2024, etc. And he’s always bounced back. So let’s just say, as I did last week, that he wounded and weakened himself with his crazy tariff moves of late. … The WSJ’s Holman Jenkins thinks so too. … Dana Milbank at the Post lovingly recaps this past week’s seeming non-stop squabbling and finger-pointing among Republicans. … And, of course, there was Peggy Noonan’s epic tariff-reversal column on Friday: “Trump’s Climbdown for the Ages.” … The NYT’s Ross Douthat is more cautious about discounting Trump, considering Ross once pronounced the president’s political demise back in 2017. But he is wondering if failure is now an option.

Update — More signs of weakening, via the Hill: “Republicans fear Trump’s trade war could lead to political wipeout.”

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Like the old Chiffon Margarine commercial (‘It’s not nice to fool Mother Nature’), it’s not nice to stiff Howie Carr. … Scott Van Voorhis at Contrarian Boston explains the Herald columnist’s ongoing merciless bashing of Jim “Jones” Lyons, the disastrous former chairman of the MassGOP who ran the party’s political prospects and finances into the ground. It apparently has to do with some unpaid bills. …

There’s so much news swirling around higher-ed these days that I decided to stuff all the related items into this one post. Here goes. … The Globe’s Jon Marcus has a good story on why dozens of Mass. colleges may close soon – and it has little to do with Trump. … From the BBJ: “Harvard borrows $750M after funding threats from Trump.” … Boston.com reports student visas are being revoked at Berklee and Emerson. … And there’s yet more revocations at WPI and Harvard, NBC Boston reports. … A lot more local students will likely see their visas yanked, if this Globe piece is any indication: “Massachusetts has, by far, the most international students of any New England state.” … Pity the parents who have to tap into their 529 College Accounts these days, as the WSJ reports. … Former Harvard president and economist Larry Summers asks at the NYT: “If Powerful Places Like Harvard Don’t Stand Up to Trump, Who Can?”

And last but not least, from the WSJ’s Jason Riley: “Obama Has Some Advice for the Post-Obama Democrats.” … And it’s wise advice about how campus progressives need to reflect more on their own intolerances.

If you’re tired of all things Trump, there’s always Bill Belichick news floating around. … Try resisting this one, via NBC Boston: “Bill Belichick’s girlfriend Jordon Hudson competing for Miss Maine USA.” … Hmm. She’s from Maine. Didn’t know that. … Then there’s this, from the Globe’s Dan Shaughnessy: “Bill Belichick shows no love for Patriots owner Robert Kraft in new book, and other thoughts.” … Meanwhile, Bill now has his own version of HBO’s Hard Knocks. From the NY Post: “Fans get rare look at Bill Belichick’s UNC practice in new behind-the-scenes video.” … And if you run out of Bill B news, there’s always the upcoming NFL draft to mull. It’s not a glamorous pick, but the Pats really do need a Will Campbell-like tackle.

Update — 4.11.25 – From a HB reader: “I’m curious about BB’s book but I can’t believe it goes as deeply as his occasionally revealing off-the-cuff conversations during late season press conferences about the history of special teams and his adoration of lacrosse.   This book does the most explaining.”

Well, what do you know. There really is a Republican party in Massachusetts. Earlier this week, Mike Kennealy, a former private equity manager and former housing and economic development secretary under Gov. Charlie Baker, declared his candidacy for governor, the first Republican to officially challenge Gov. Maura Healey. And he may not be the last. The Herald reported yesterday that Republican “mega donor” Michael Minogue spoke with MassGOP officials about possibly running for governor. And, as reported by SHNS at WBUR, other potential GOP candidates include Worcester County Sheriff Lew Evangelidis, former MBTA Chief Administrator Brian Shortsleeve, former U.S. Senate candidate John Deaton, and state Sen. Peter Durant.

This isn’t exactly an A list of gubernatorial candidates. Come to think of it, do state Republicans have a theoretical A list of any kind for any office in Massachusetts? Democrats hold all statewide constitutional offices in Massachusetts, all 11 Congressional seats, and huge legislative majorities on Beacon Hill. Still, the GOP’s list of real and potential gubernatorial contenders ain’t that bad. As far as B lists go, it’s a B +. Maybe I’m being a little generous. But remember that Mitt Romney, a former private equity honcho, never held elected office until he won the governorship in ’02. And Baker’s big claim to fame prior to becoming governor in 2015 was serving as a star cabinet member under former Govs. Bill Weld and Paul Cellucci (setting aside his monumental three years as a Swampscott selectman)… 

As things stand now, I don’t think any Republican is going to knock off Healey in ‘26. But at the least the party is showing some signs of life. Not a lot. But the EKG bleeps are there. … WGBH has more on Kennealy here, btw. And for all you biz types out there, he formerly worked in PE at TA Associates and Spectrum Equity.

It’s not going to survive the legislative process. Even if it does,  they’ve attached too many trip wires to prevent its implementation. But it is interesting that the Democratic-controlled Massachusetts House, in this bluest of blue states, has actually passed, very quietly, on a non-recorded vote, without even mentioning transgender athletes, a measure that would ban public schools from allowing athletes to play on a team of the opposite sex, the Globe reports. … As Gavin Newsom goes on trans athetes, so goes Massachusetts? … I’d love to know more about the behind-the-scenes machinations that led to the House passage of this provision. Is its passage just a legislative sleep-at-the-switch fluke? Is there a sizeable number of Dems who privately want to get rid of this political pain-in-the-neck issue? How much does recent Trump administration pressure on the MIAA factor into this, if at all? …

I happen to agree with Newsom and our very own U.S. Rep. Seth Moulton, both Democrats, that allowing trans athletes to play in women’s sports is bad policy and bad politics for Dems. The party needs to tack to the center on this and other issues. So I’m hoping there’s at least some legislative substance behind this measure. 

Update — This is interesting, via the Globe: “Gavin Newsom is following Ronald Reagan’s playbook.”

Update II — Though I like the fact he’s tacking to the center, I’m no big fan of Newsom. It’s not just his slicked-back Michael Douglas hair. (It’s so ’80s). It’s something else. A Hub Blog reader compared him to John Kerry, another pol with a bad case of Potomac Fever. I wouldn’t go that far. But I know what he means.

Update III –– 4.11.25 – At the Globe, N.H. Rep. Jonah Orion Wheele, a Democrat, writes that transgender people shouldn’t be isolated from society, but women concerned about their privacy and rights need to be listened to as well.

It’s not quite man bites dog. But it is an unusual story these days when a major company signs a major office lease expansion in Boston’s Financial District. BisNow and the BBJ have more on Klaviyo’s lease of 256K sf at 125 Summer St. …But here’s more proof that Newton’s Third Law applies to CRE too. From Bisnow: “Fidelity Puts 800K SF Boston Headquarters Up For Sublease.” B&T has more on Fidelity’s move from 245 Summer to its refurbished CommonWealth Pier.