Chris Van Buskirk

📻📻 I’m very excited to say that in a few weeks I’ll be starting at @WBUR as their state politics reporter. I’m looking forward to continuing to cover Beacon Hill and the 2026 elections. I’m also excited to work with a very talented group of editors and reporters. #mapoli

IMMIGRATION BILL: House Speaker Ron Mariano and House budget chief Aaron Michlewitz say the House will vote Wednesday on the "PROTECT Act," or legislation that in-part bans warrantless civil immigration arrests at courthouses. More background here: wbur.org/news/2026/03/1… #mapoli

House Speaker Ron Mariano offers parting words for Jones: "In the 32 years that I’ve known Rep. Brad Jones, I’ve found him to be a thoughtful and pragmatic leader who preferred compromise over obstructionism. It was often Brad’s willingness to listen and work through disagreements that led to bipartisan legislation on a number of important issues, even when those disagreements appeared to be irreconcilable." #mapoli

HOUSE MINORITY LEADER BRAD JONES: House Minority Leader Brad Jones announces he will not seek re-election this fall. He has served 32 years in the House and as a minority leader since 2002. #mapoli

@DianaDiZoglio LATEST: Auditor Diana DiZoglio’s lawsuit to force the Massachusetts Legislature to hand over financial records for an audit will head to the full Supreme Judicial Court, after a single justice decided against issuing a solo ruling. #mapoli wbur.org/news/2026/03/1…

LEGISLATIVE AUDIT: @DianaDiZoglio's lawsuit to force the Legislature to hand over documents as part of a voter-approved legislative audit is heading before the full Supreme Judicial Court after Justice Dalila Argaez Wendlandt decided against making a solo ruling. #mapoli

As I reported yesterday, Mass. lawmakers are coalescing around the push to bar warrantless civil arrests at courthouses, teeing up a debate this year over new protections for immigrants amid President Trump’s immigration enforcement crackdowns. #mapoli wbur.org/news/2026/03/1…

PROTECT ACT: House lawmakers on the Public Safety and Homeland Security Committee are polling the "PROTECT Act," the immigration bill that would in-part ban warrantless civil arrests in courthouses. This is a key procedural step that typically sets up a floor vote. #mapoli

IMMIGRATION ARRESTS: Massachusetts lawmakers are coalescing around a push to bar warrantless civil immigration arrests at courthouses, teeing up a debate this year over new protections for immigrants amid Trump’s immigration enforcement crackdowns. #mapoli wbur.org/news/2026/03/1…

Last year, The Atlantic gave me $10K to gamble with. What started as a journalistic gimmick turned into something more... unnerving. My cover story on the online betting boom warping sports, culture, politics, and the psyches of millions of young men: theatlantic.com/magazine/2026/…

NEW: Massachusetts GOP has so far built a seven-candidate slate for statewide constitutional offices this fall. This time last year, nearly half of those candidates weren’t Republicans. w/ @MattPStout #mapoli bostonglobe.com/2026/03/05/met…

A hearing over a proposed public records ballot question at the State House laid bare the acrimony between former legislator and State Auditor Diana DiZoglio and her one-time colleagues. #mapoli wbur.org/news/2026/03/0…

MINOGUE POLL: Michael Minogue, a wealthy former biotechnology executive, holds a lead over his two Republican opponents in the race for governor among primary voters and GOP convention goers, according to a poll paid for by his campaign. #mapoli wbur.org/news/2026/03/0…

SHERIFF SPENDING: The budget process for the state’s 14 sheriff departments is “opaque, chaotic and deeply flawed,” Inspector General Jeffrey Shapiro said in a report released Friday, laying blame on both state lawmakers and sheriffs themselves. #mapoli wbur.org/news/2026/02/2…

“In unprecedented decision, The Boston Globe will not print a paper for Feb. 24 delivery” via ⁦@BostonGlobe⁩ bostonglobe.com/2026/02/23/bus…

HEALEY BANS SOME TRAVEL: Gov. Maura Healey signed an executive order today immediately banning “non-essential motor vehicle travel” in Bristol, Plymouth, and Barnstable counties because of the blizzard. Speed on Mass Pike also reduced to 40 MPH. #mapoli

NOT SO FAST: AG Andrea Campbell asked the state's highest court to toss out a lawsuit Auditor Diana DiZoglio filed last week that seeks to force the Massachusetts House and Senate to hand over documents as part of an audit of their inner workings. #mapoli wbur.org/news/2026/02/2…

Some bittersweet personal news: today is my last day at @politico. I’m heading to the @BostonGlobe next month, where we’ll be launching a new politics newsletter this spring.

@kellygarrity3 @politico @BostonGlobe Congrats! Bad day for Kelly haters … they’re gonna need to regroup…

ANOTHER ONE LEAVES: Housing Sec. Ed Augustus is stepping down from his post 2/27 to become the CEO of UniBank, which is headquartered in Central Massachusetts. This is just the latest turnover in Healey's cabinet as she enters into the final stretch of her first term. #mapoli