BY DAN VALENTI

PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY

(FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, THE WEEKEND EDITION, DEC. 8-10, 2017) — The piranhas sense the bull being tossed into the river. The feeding frenzy has begun.

Since Statehouse Democrats in Boston forced chamber president Stan Rosenberg to “temporarily” step down, Beacon Hill has undergone an unprecedented battle for a leadership spot.  After Rosenberg got caught in the sexual harassment net that snagged his husband, Bryon Hefner, panicked Senate Dems held a caucus, tossed Rosenberg aside, and named Harriette Chandler as acting, or temporary, Senate president. Rather than act statesmanlike, party factions have been furiously jockeying for position, sensing an opportunity for the chamber presidency. The job, not so coincidentally, has an $80,000 stipend to go along with the usual comps and gratuities, to say nothing of the enormous power the position confers.

That type of inside fisticuffs isn’t unusual. It takes place every time a leadership post opens in either chamber. What’s startling, however, is how the battle for leadership in the Senate has been publicly declared, breaking unwritten House and Senate “rules.” Protocol has been ostracized. Forget the circus. This is even better. There are elephants.

Three people have openly lusted for Rosenberg’s seat. All three, interestingly enough, are women. They seem to be the only ones immune from sexual tarnish or suspicion these days. They are Sen. Linda Forrey of Dorchester, Eileen Donoghue of Lowell, and Karen Spilka of Ashland. Listen to what they declared at various press conferences Wednesday:

Forrey: “I do intend to pursue [the] opportunity.”

Donoghue: “I will run.”

Spilka: “I will seek the Senate presidency.”

Short and sour. And have you noticed how quiet local Democrats have been in Pittsfield?

This outward display has caused a procedural nightmare for acting prez Chandler. She expressed her frustration at having to spend most of her energies trying to separate internal Democrat catfights rather than seeing to the business of We the People, ghostly entities who, long ago in a galaxy far away, once mattered. Chandler is 80 years old, and the stress can’t be a good thing for her or for any citizen of the Commonwealth.

Chandler took the office only as a transitional figure, a bridge between Rosenberg and his successor … or Rosenberg and Rosenberg. Party members in the Senate still speak publicly as if Rosenberg has a realistic chance of coming back. Actually, he doesn’t. Barring an unforeseen development, and nothing should surprise anyone familiar with the political toxicity of official Boston, Rosenberg will not be back. You got that from THE PLANET‘s spies on Beacon Hill.

Don’t tell anyone, but you’re getting this first. Sources say it’s going to play out this way:

(1) Following the investigation into Hefner, and particularly the question of whether he used his marriage to Rosenberg to compromise legislative matters in exchange for sexual favors, Rosenberg will be out at president. Don’t be fooled by talk of bringing him. Such talk is either whistling past the boneyard by Rosenberg’s many supporters or it’s an attempt by everyone else to either pretend that decision hasn’t been made or to convey some measure of stability not at the moment present. Rosenberg will be lucky if he retains his Senate seat, depending on what the Senate Ethics Committee investigators uncover.

(2) Forrey will be the next Senate president. She appears to have wide backing, and, according to sources, is better organized to win what will be a bruising internal battle.

(3) Sources also say that the next president will be a woman. That would leave out Sen. Sal DiDomenico of Everett, who has kept his powder dry on his intentions. Sources close to DiDomenico say he’s intends to run but is carefully biding his time for an announcement.

(4) Sources say the nod will go to Forrey because of one edge she holds over Donoghue and Spilka. Forrey is black. Skin color shouldn’t matter one way of the other, but this is Massachusetts, a league leader in political correctness. If that’s the determiner in an otherwise dead heat, it would not only be unfair to citizens and Beacon Hill but especially to Forrey herself. If she’s capable for a leadership spot, she doesn’t need to artificial boost.

None of this will happen, of course, until the Senate concludes its investigation and presents its findings. That could take some time.

Stay tuned, folks, because this is, as we say in the business, a story with legs.

Have a great weekend, everybody.

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“An early morning walk is a blessing for the whole day” — Henry Thoreau.

“OPEN THE WINDOW, AUNT MILLIE.”

LOVE TO ALL.

The Usual Disclaimer.