At Norfolk DA’s office, the criticism is coming from inside as prosecutor goes for top job

Norfolk DA Michael Morrissey’s decision to pass on a reelection run nearly two months ago reshaped the race to replace him. But he appears to be keeping a hand in local politics as several, including a longtime employee, jockey to become the county’s next top prosecutor.

On Sunday, Morrissey made an appearance at Sen. Mike Rush’s St. Patrick Day fundraiser and took the opportunity to introduce attendees to Greg Connor, his chief trial counsel. Rush’s event, held inside the Corrib Pub in West Roxbury, also drew Boston Mayor Michelle Wu, Senate President Karen Spilka, Rep. Stephen Lynch and other local elected officials.

Two of Connor’s rivals in the Democratic primary, and critics of Morrissey, were also there: former federal prosecutor Adam Deitch and former state prosecutor Djuna Perkins. The event is part of what’s sometimes called “St. Patrick’s Fortnight,” a series of gatherings hosted by politicians as the holiday approaches. (The most famous is, of course, the long-running South Boston roast typically hosted by the area’s state senator.)

“If Michael is telling people that I’m his candidate, that’s up to him,” Connor said in a phone interview. “I haven’t asked for his endorsement. I’m running my race.”

Rush’s event came ahead of Connor’s last day at the office this Friday, ending 25 years of employment that began when he was an intern for Bill Delahunt. He has hired Courtney Perdios, a Quincy School Committee member, as his campaign manager.

But as Connor throws himself into the campaign, his close ties to the office will almost certainly be fodder for his rivals. The office’s controversial handling – or mishandling, critics say –  of the Karen Read and Sandra Birchmore cases was already being litigated on and off the campaign trail before Morrissey’s decision against another run at 71 years old. (Deitch notably has pulled in donations from Read and her lawyers, as first reported in MASSterList.)

The situation may bring to mind another longtime prosecutor who ended up running, somewhat awkwardly, for her boss’s job: Vice President Kamala Harris. She notably ran into trouble on the 2024 trail when she was asked what she would do differently from President Biden, and she couldn’t come up with any major issues.  “That’s not the case here,” Connor said when asked about the similarities. “One of the reasons I’m running is because mistakes were made in the office and I want to fix them.”

Connor, a 50-year-old Milton resident, said he was not involved in the Read and Birchmore cases, though he acknowledged watching the first Read trial. He said Read was “overcharged,” In the Birchmore case, there should have been what’s called a judicial inquest.

The Read case drew in true-crime obsessives, and put Canton and one of its restaurants, the Waterfall Bar & Grille, on the map. (A place that was, as Boston Magazine put it, “pivotal and peripheral—a crucial point on the timeline, but not the crime scene itself.”)

“I think there’s been a crisis, people losing faith in our office, and I want to restore it,” Connor said, echoing a pitch he’s making to Democratic Party voters at the caucuses that are underway.

This weekend, a day after formally resigning from Morrissey’s office, he’ll be making that same pitch to Democrats caucusing in Canton. The location? The Waterfall Bar & Grille.

What are you seeing and hearing at the caucuses, Democratic and Republican, as they’re underway? If you see something, say something: [email protected].

Join Senate President Spilka, Speaker Mariano, Senate Majority Leader Creem, Event Hosts Senator Payano, and Representatives Consalvo, Garballey, and Williams, other leaders of legislature, advocacy,and  medicine for Virtual 17th Annual Prostate Cancer Awareness Day, held on March 24th, 10 am to 2 pm. You will take part in expanding a Massachusetts model of national leadership in prostate cancer awareness, medical education, research and reducing health disparities. You will learn about the cutting-edge advances in prevention, diagnosis and treatment – and Prostate Cancer Resource Project, bringing the best available quality care to Massachusetts men and supporting them every step of their medical journey. This event is organized by AdMeTech Foundation, in cooperation with the Prostate Cancer Action Council.

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.....The Department of Revenue is due to report on February tax collections. The Healey administration has set its monthly benchmark for February at $2.277 billion, which would be $149 million more than was collected last February….

9:00 | The Supreme Judicial Court hears arguments in five cases. The docket features an appeal from the Town of Marshfield concerning the controversial MBTA Communities Act. | John Adams Courthouse, Room 1, 1 Pemberton Sq., Boston | More Info

11:00 | Gov. Maura Healey chairs an assembly of the Governor's Council, a task usually performed by the lieutenant governor. Generally speaking, the governor only presides when the lieutenant governor is either absent or needed to break a tie among councilors. | Council Chamber, State House, Boston

11:00 | House members of the Joint Committee on Public Safety and Homeland Security hold a rescheduled "hybrid public forum" to solicit written and oral testimony on Rep. Andy Vargas' PROTECT Act (An Act promoting rule of law, oversight, trust, and equal constitutional treatment). | Room B-1, State House, Boston | Livestream

A majority of Bay State voters say they’d vote in favor of a proposed ballot question that would ease the construction of single-family “starter homes,” according to a poll commissioned by a pro-housing group.

YouGov conducted the poll for Abundant Housing Massachusetts and surveyed 800 registered voters between Feb. 13 and Feb. 24. Fifty-eight percent said they would vote yes, and 21 percent said they’d vote no, according to a memo from the pollster.

Democrats are most supportive at 64%, followed by Republicans at 50%, and independents at 48%, the memo said. 

The ballot question committee is chaired by Andrew Mikula, a senior housing fellow at the Pioneer Institute. As of the end of last year, the committee pulled in just $1.3 million, much of it from the Greater Boston Real Estate Board and the Mass. Association of Realtors.

A University of New Hampshire poll, conducted between Feb. 12 and Feb. 16 and released on Feb. 24, found a plurality of residents supporting the ballot question. Thirty-six percent said they would vote yes, while 21% had no opinion, 17% opposed and 27% didn’t know. The same poll found 56% of Republicans supporting the ballot question, and just 32% of Democrats and 29% of independents.

The UNH poll showed the most popular ballot question proposal allows for same-day voter registration, with 61% in support.

AUDIT BATTLE: In a legal setback for Auditor Diana DiZoglio, a justice on the Supreme Judicial Court denied her request for an outside attorney to represent her in DiZoglio’s push to audit the Legislature. The justice said the auditor hadn’t pointed to a statute or rule allowing for the appointment of an outside attorney. – WCVB

SNAP ERRORS: Gov. Maura Healey blamed changes under the Biden administration during the pandemic that caused SNAP payment errors, and said the error rate is on a downward trajectory. – Boston Herald

PUBLIC RECORDS FIGHT: The ballot question placing the Legislature and the governor under the state public records law was first up before a special committee reviewing initiative petitions headed to the 2026 ballot. Tuesday’s hearing featured Auditor Diana DiZoglio facing off against lawmakers, who sought to question her on the proposed law. But even under the law as it currently stands, public records can be hard to crowbar out of cities and towns. – WBUR and Boston Globe

GOP GOV PRIMARY: The GOP candidates for governor are sparring over a poll paid for by Michael Minogue’s campaign, which shows him leading the race. – WBUR

HOWARD WINS: Democratic Rep. Vanna Howard won a special state primary to replace Sen. Ed Kennedy, beating out Republican candidate Sam Meas and unenrolled contender Joe Espinola. – Lowell Sun

WORLD CUP WOES, CONT’D: Members of Foxborough’s select board appeared to still be at odds with World Cup organizers over security and equipment for seven matches set to be played at Gillette Stadium this summer. The two sides met and quarrelled last night as they face a March 17 deadline to get to an agreement. Rep. Stephen Lynch, co-chair of the Congressional FIFA World Cup Caucus, said he stands with Foxborough on the matter. – Boston Business Journal and Boston Globe

TOYS AND TARIFFS: Toymaker Hasbro, which is moving its headquarters to Boston, filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration, demanding a refund of the tariffs it paid last year. The U.S. Supreme Court recently ruled that the administration tariffs are illegal. – MassLive

THE PATRIOT WAY: The owner of a downtown bar appeared before Boston’s licensing board to explain what happened after New England Patriots players recently rolled into his place, having beaten Denver in a football game. They apparently brought in strippers, a DJ, hookahs, marijuana and booze, but left him with a headache, as Boston police responded to a noise complaint. – Universal Hub

DISPOSAL SITE: Residents in Lee and others close to the Housatonic Valley are eyeing with unease the planned construction of a PCB disposal site, raising concerns about the release of the toxic chemicals into the air. – CommonWealth Beacon

HOLDING OFF IN HOLDEN:  Holden residents voted to stay out of compliance with the MBTA Communities law, essentially keeping them on a track for a legal battle with Attorney General Andrea Campbell, who is enforcing the law. – MassLive

Healey: Mass. high school students broke record in passing AP exam scores

Appeals court says Boston waited too long to sue prescription providers

Vaccine maker Moderna agrees to nearly $1 billion payment as part of settlement

Quincy councilors vote to establish 20-minute public comment period before meetings

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