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Futile Wrath – February 7, 2018
Gov. Kim Reynolds
2018 Iowa caucuses will be held on Monday night
Normally, Iowa caucuses during years without a presidential race are sedate, even dull, affairs focused on party policy issues and selecting local party leaders. But thanks to a crowded field for the Democratic Party nomination for governor some of this year’s caucuses may prove to be more lively and more important than normal. […]
Gov. Reynolds sued for ‘unlawful misuse of state funds’
The ranking Democrat on the Appropriations Committee in the Iowa House of Representatives, Chris Hall of Sioux City, is suing Gov. Kim Reynolds for her use of $13 million from the State Economic Emergency Fund to balance the state budget in September. In the lawsuit filed on Tuesday in the state district court for Polk County, Hall alleges that Reynolds actions constituted an “unlawful misuse of state funds.” The lawsuit also names Director of Iowa Department of Management David Roederer for his role in carrying out the transfer of funds the governor ordered. […]
Seeing red and getting called ‘unhinged’: Iowa politics in 2017
Republican took full control of state government in Iowa in 2017, and moved quickly to enact an intensely ideological agenda, making major changes that reduced women’s access to health care, reduced union bargaining rights, expanded access to guns and decreased support for public education. But it was liberals Gov. Kim Reynolds called “unhinged,” at her first campaign fundraiser. Public statements by Sen. Chuck Grassley and Sen. Joni Ernst called in question how well-hinged Iowa’s two U.S. Senators are. Meanwhile in the Iowa State Senate, Senate Majority Leader Bill tried to convince the public there’s no problem with sexual harassment in the Republican caucus (a jury disagreed). The Democratic state Senate caucus, on the other hand, made news by replacing Cedar Rapids Sen. Rob Hogg as its leader, even though Hogg had held the position for less than a year. […]
Gov. Reynolds keeps Steve King as campaign co-chair, won’t say if King’s comments are racist
At her weekly press conference on Tuesday, Gov. Kim Reynolds said Steve King’s recent comment declaring diversity to be a weakness that is damaging America has not changed her mind about having King as a statewide co-chair of her campaign for governor. […]
Gov. Kim Reynolds offers a new explanation for why she called Iowa liberals ‘unhinged’
At her weekly press conference on Tuesday, Gov. Kim Reynolds offered an explanation for why she called Iowa liberals “unhinged” during a speech last month. Her explanation, however, didn’t address what she actually said during that speech, and didn’t match the explanation her campaign spokesperson had already provided for the remark. […]
Gov. Kim Reynolds calls Iowa liberals ‘unhinged’
Speaking at a fundraiser on Saturday, Gov. Kim Reynolds said, “As we all know as we travel the state, the liberals are unhinged and they are out for us.” The remarks came at the end of Reynold’s Harvest Festival in Des Moines, her first public fundraiser since becoming governor. […]
Protesting by ‘taking a knee’ comes to Iowa high school football
Last week, the controversy over athletes kneeling during the national anthem to protest racial injustice that began in the NFL reached high school football in Iowa. […]
‘So disrespectful’: Gov. Reynolds criticizes the silent protests of NFL players
During her Monday press conference, Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds came out strongly in favor of the American flag and against NFL players silently protesting during the national anthem. But judging by her remarks — which included references to respecting the military and those who died in the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks — it’s unclear if Reynolds knows why there are protests or anything about the players who are protesting. […]
Cathy Glasson formally kicks off gubernatorial campaign, vowing to fight for everyday Iowans
Cathy Glasson, who up until now had been running an exploratory campaign, formally announced her official candidacy Tuesday evening in Cedar Rapids, with simultaneous events in seven additional Iowa towns. The announcement kicked off a Day of Action, with volunteers striking out in those towns to knock on doors on behalf of her campaign. […]
Iowa Commission of Latino Affairs calls Trump’s DACA decision ‘callous’ and a violation of Iowa values
On Monday, the Iowa Commission of Latino Affairs issued an official statement opposing President Trump’s order to terminate DACA. […]
Recent college grad Gov. Reynolds passes on chance to work on funding problems at Iowa universities
The governor’s office was one of several state agencies that declined to participate in a Tuition Task Force meeting. The Board of Regents cancelled the planned meeting due the lack of participation. […]
