An overwhelming majority of state senators have voted to confirm the governor’s public safety commissioner.
K. Brian London got the votes of 42 senators, while eight voted against his confirmation. Senator Jeff Danielson, a Democrat from Cedar Falls, was the only senator to speak about London during Monday’s confirmation vote.
“It would be a stretch to say the morale of the Department of Public Safety right now is at a high level. It is not,” Danielson said.
“Given the feedback a lot of senators have gotten over the last couple of months, I would say it is at an all-time low.”
The Division of Criminal Investigation, the Fire Marshal’s office and the Iowa State Highway Patrol are part of London’s agency. According to Danielson, he and seven other senators voted against London’s confirmation to “send a message” to the commissioner.
“The troops are not happy. The gentleman made a number of changes in a short amount of time which I would consider unprecedented for somebody new to Iowa,” Danielson said. “…It’s unusual for the troops to be as vocal as they have been with senators about the decisions that have been made.”
AUDIO of senate discussion of London nomination (mp3 runs 6 min.)
None of the senators who supported London spoke during senate debate this afternoon. Governor Branstad appointed London to the job last fall. London has worked for the CIA, the Secret Service and Interpol.