May 23, 2012

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Party official warns without “media buy-in” Iowa Caucuses a non-event (audio)

May 15, 2012 By

A member of the Iowa Republican Party’s state central committee suggests party officials need to ensure the results of the party’s presidential caucuses are shared equally with all media.

The former chairman of the party decided in January to release the certified Caucus results to The Des Moines Register a day before releasing the results to other media. Iowa GOP state central committee member Wes Enos suggests snubbing the national media could damage the future of the Caucuses.

“For the party itself, conspiring to give exclusive election results to one outlet over another, I think, is unfair and I think it does actually hurts our process across the board because it makes different media outlets think they can’t play here unless they are, you know, part of a ‘good old boys club.’” Enos said this morning. “We don’t want to see that happen because the Iowa Caucuses without the media buy-in, without the media input, the Iowa Caucuses wouldn’t be what they are. People would pay no attention to them.”

Preliminary results announced on Caucus night showed Mitt Romney as the winner of the 2012 Iowa Caucuses, by eight votes. Certified results released in mid-January, though, showed Rick Santorum the victor, by 34 votes. Jamie Johnson of Fort Dodge, a Santorum supporter, said this morning that releasing the results to one media outlet first was a “stunning” mistake by the former Iowa GOP chairman.

“One of the things that is going to come out of the Iowa Caucus Review Committee is a pledge to never allow that to happen again, where one media agency, be it print media or electronic media or broadcast media, be able to get the jump on an official release of Caucus results,” Johnson said.

Johnson and Enos are two of the members of a panel the new Iowa GOP chairman appointed to review what went right and what went wrong with the 2012 Iowa Caucuses. Dave Busiek, news director of KCCI TV in Des Moines, testified before the panel this morning.

“Please note that I do not blame The Register. Any of us in journalism would try to get an exclusive like that, but I do fault those in the party who made this decision,” Busiek said. “…I didn’t then and I don’t know understand how the party could play games with election results like this.”

Carol Hunter, an editor at The Register, suggested Busiek and others in the media are just jealous of good reporting.

“At times there can be some competitive juices at work,” Hunter said, turning to look at Busiek, “and at times no one of us likes to be beaten on a story and I would humbly suggest that, perhaps, some of the complaints might have to do with that.”

Hunter told the four-member panel of Republican activists “there should be no question about the ethics of The Register’s procedures” in obtaining the results and she urged party officials to avoid an edict that would prevent a party official from providing a media outlet with exclusive Caucus results before those tallies are released to others.

AUDIO of 21-minute hearing

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125 state legislators on the campaign trail now (audio)

May 14, 2012 By

The 2012 legislative session finally ended in the middle of last week, giving 125 state lawmakers a chance to return to their districts — and focus on getting reelected in the fall. 

Eight state senators and 17 members of the Iowa House are retiring from the legislature and last week was an ending for them. Nostalgia ran high in the Senate last Wednesday, where Senate President Jack Kibbie, one of the retirees, said farewell.

“It’s time to go home,” Kibbie said, to applause.

But it was a different story in the Iowa House as the party leaders there gave speeches, laying out campaign strategy.

“The election will be just under six months from now,” House Democratic Leader Kevin McCarthy said to open his remarks. “…I think the case that House Democrats are going to be making to voters, the question that I hope is on the voter’s mind is the following: is there too much partisanship and a focus on divisive issues occurring in our capitol in Des Moines?”

Meanwhile, House Speaker Kraig Paulsen of Hiawatha — the highest-ranking Republican — made clear Republicans on the 2012 campaign trail plan to promise voters tax cuts: “$390 million should be returned to the taxpayers through broad-based tax relief and this will be this body’s first order of business next year…All Iowans deserve to see tax relief. It helps Iowa’s economy and puts people back to work. House Republicans will not be deterred or distracted from this goal. We will be back next year continuing our fight for the hard-working taxpayers of Iowa.”

AUDIO of speeches from McCarthy, House GOP Leader Linda Upmeyer & House Speaker Kraig Paulsen (in the order they were delivered last Wednesday); mp3 runs 18 minutes.

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Top leaders won’t rule out bringing lawmakers back in “special” session

May 11, 2012 By

The top two leaders in the Iowa legislature aren’t shutting the door on the idea of reconvening the legislature if a deal can be reached on property tax reform. However, House Speaker Kraig Paulsen, a Republican from Hiawatha, and Senate Democratic Leader Mike Gronstal of Council Bluffs did joke about it with reporters this afternoon.

“We finished session 48 hours ago,” Paulsen said, with a laugh, and Gronstal added: “Yeah, it’s a little early to talk about a special session.”

But about 16 hours after the leglslature adjourned on Wednesday evening, Republican Governor Terry Branstad indicated he would be willing to call legislators back for a “special session” if Senate Democrats agree to pass a bill that’s nearly identical to what House Republicans crafted. Gronstal’s willing to continue negotiations.

“We are completely open to working with the governor,” Gronstal said this afternoon. “And I’m happy to meet with the governor.”

Paulsen said there is a “gap” between the two parties, but he’s not going to declare an end to negotiations either.

“We’re a ‘glass half full people,’” Paulsen said. “…This is something that’d be good for Iowans and good for Iowa’s economy and we’ll cotinue to see if we can bridge that gap.”

However, Gronstal said it appears to him Governor Branstad has already moved on.

“From my perspective, the governor started the campaign three or four days before the end of the session,” Gronstal said. ” As I was in offices with his people, talking about what we might do on property taxes, he was on the campaign trail criticizing everything the Senate had talked about, so I think…in the end he decided he’d prefer the issue over actually getting something accomplished.”

Paulsen said it’s “very clear” the two sides struggled to reach an agreement.

“There were three big issues that we walked into: education reform, mental health reform, property tax reform. I think probably, arguably, the most important to all of us — at least for Republicans — was reforming the property tax system and providing some relief there,” Paulsen says. “We didn’t quite get over that threshold. We’re still going to keep working on that. I don’t know quite what that means, but we did get some substantive education reform done, some substantive mental health reform — still more to do in both those areas.”

The two legislative leaders made their comments during taping of a joint appearance on the “Iowa Press” program which airs tonight at 7:30 on Iowa Public Television.

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Lead shot to be allowed for mourning dove hunting season (audio)

May 11, 2012 By

mourning dove

The governor has used his authority to veto a state agency rule so dove hunters will be able to use lead ammunition in September when the dove hunting season opens.

The governor’s Natural Resources Commission, after its chairman checked with Branstad, voted last summer to ban lead shot, as critics say the lead that doesn’t reach its target poses environmental harm to both animals and humans.

But then Branstad said he learned the Iowa House had voted against the idea of banning lead shot when the bill establishing a dove hunting season was passed in 2011.

“The law, I think, is pretty clear is that the responsibility of the Natural Resources Commission was to set the seasons, not determine what kind of shot can be used in hunting,” Branstad said this morning.

A legislative committee that reviews the regulations drafted by state agencies put a hold on the rule banning lead shot, giving the full legislature an opportunity to weigh in on the issue. The Iowa House voted to nullify the rule, but the Senate didn’t take up the issue — which means the ban on lead shot went into effect Thursday. Today Branstad used his authority to veto the rule.

“I believe it is important — not only on this issue, but on other issues — that we intend to abide by the law and not let administrative agencies exceed their authority and do something beyond what the legisalture has delegated to them,” Branstad said. “The determination of whether hunters should be forced to stop using traditional shot is something that should be decided by the legislature, not by administrative fiat.”

AUDIO of Branstad’s executive order signing ceremony, followed by Q&A with reporters.

Senator Dick Dearden, a Democrat from Des Moines, is a long-time backer of the move to allow dove hunting in Iowa,. Dearden attended the ceremony Branstad held to sign the executive order vetoing the ban on lead shot.

“I’m just happy with the result, not necessarily the process,” Dearden told reporters.

The Iowa House voted this past February to allow lead shot for dove hunting but the Senate never took up the measure. Dearden is unwilling to say whether the senate’s inaction on the issue was intentional or accidental. Dearden intends to hunt doves in Iowa this September, using lead shot.

“Absolutely,” Dearden said. “You know, if you’re walking across a field pheasant hunting and a dove comes over, you don’t have time to change shot..The lead thing is more anti-hunting. It’s a way of, ‘if we make is more and more difficult to hunter, there’s going to be less and less hunters.’”

Earlier this year the Sierra Club’s Iowa chapter filed a lawsuit to try to get a court to uphold the Natural Resources Commission’s decision to ban lead shot and require “non-toxic” steel shot for the dove hunting season. 

“Not sure you can air my thoughts,” Neilla Seaman, a spokeswoman for the group, quipped when asked by Radio Iowa for her reaction to Branstad’s decision. “I’m very disappointed that this is happening like this.”

Seaman said Branstad’s reasoning doesn’t make sense.

“You know, he said it was up to the legislature to make the decision about how to proceed with this and when he didn’t like what the legislature did — which was the Senate did nothing — now he’s issued an executive order that rescinds the ban on lead ammunition for hunting mourning doves,” Seaman said. 

Governor Branstad argues his veto of the Natural Resources Commission rule makes the Sierra Club’s lawsuit “moot.” Seaman says she’s consulting with a lawyer to determine what the Sierra Club’s next step will be.

Filed Under: Environment & Conservation, News, Politics & Government Tagged With: , , , ,

Amendment to defense bill could save Iowa Guard F-16′s

May 10, 2012 By

An amendment to a defense spending bill cosponsored by Iowa Congressman Dave Loebsack that would prevent the retirement or transfer of Air National Guard aircraft was approved by the House Armed Services Committee early this morning.

 Loebsack, a Democrat from Iowa City, says the amendment would prevent the shut down of the 132nd Fighter Wing in Des Moines.

Loebsack says the amendment would also ensure that the F-16 jets in Des Moines aren’t retired without a full review.

“Any plan to retire them, there would have to be a review ahead of time, both by the Department of Defense and by the general accountability office. So there are those requirements in there, and those are good requirements to have of course,” Loebsack says.

“I’m hopeful that this is going to work out well in the end. I was really happy to do this, I did it in a bipartisan fashion. There were folks from all around the country concerned about these issues.”

The bill containing the amendment will now go to the full House of Representatives. “I feel very good about it moving forward on the floor next week. And I will be in touch with folks on the senate side to do everything I can make sure that we can do everything we can to get it in the legislation on the senate side as well,” Loebsack says.

Iowa’s entire congressional delegation spoke out against the Air Force plan to shut down the fighter wing in Des Moines and move its mission to unmanned drones. They argued that the Iowa unit is one of the most efficient in the nation and should not be shut down.

Loebsack is the only Iowan on the House Armed Services Committee, and says there will likely continue to be challenges on the use of National Guard units versus those from the regular Air Force. “That’s an issue that a number of us have talked to the Air Force about…and that may very well be something that we have to continue to confront as we move forward on this,” Loebsack says.

The Iowa Air National Guard says the proposed change in the Des Moines unit would lead to the loss of 378 jobs if it went through.

 

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Governor says “stay tuned” in dispute over lead shot for dove hunting

May 10, 2012 By

Governor Branstad may be stepping in to ensure that dove hunters can get the lead shot out when the season opens in September. 

Last year the state commission that writes hunting rules decided to ban lead shot, which means dove hunters would have to use non-toxic steel shot. But earlier this year the Iowa House voted to nullify that rule, and allow lead shot during dove hunting season. The Senate adjourned Wednesday, though, without taking up the issue. Governor Branstad has asked his legal counsel to see what his options are now.

“Stay tuned,” Branstad said this morning. “We’re researching that.”

In a conversation with reporters, Branstad would not speculate on whether he has the executive authority to override the Natural Resources Commission and allow lead ammunition for dove hunting season.

“They just adjourned last night,” Branstad said, with a laugh, “and we’re trying to figure out what didn’t get done.”

The governor will make an announcement at 8:15 Friday morning. His staff says Branstad will be “correcting a senate failure” on this issue, but they’re not sharing how that will be done.

Senator Rob Hogg, a Democrat from Cedar Rapids, supports the ban on lead shot.

“That commission made the decision that it was important to protect the health and safety of people and animals and the environment and they saw that this was a moment in time when the amount of lead in our environment might increase significantly,” Hogg said this morning. “The data shows that dove hunting involves a lot more ammunition than other forms of hunting.”

Critics say steel shot is not as accurate as lead ammunition, and dove hunting requires more precise shooting because of the size of the bird. Others argue heirloom or antique guns can be damaged by steel shot. On the other side are those who say lead shot poses an environmental hazard to both animals and humans.

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Branstad willing to consider special session, if iron-clad deal is struck

May 10, 2012 By

Governor Terry Branstad says he’s willing to call lawmakers back to Des Moines for a “special” legislative session to pass a property tax relief package, but only if there is an iron-clad deal. Branstad says Senate Democrats would have to agree to pass a plan that’s fairly close to the bill that passed the Republican-led House earlier this week.

“I’m willing to to bring ‘em back, but I want an assurance that they have the votes to do it,” Branstad told reporters this morning. “I don’t want to call ‘em back unless we feel confident that they have the votes and they’re going to come in and do it. Otherwise we call ‘em back and it costs the taxpayers money and we wouldn’t get something done. I’ve seen that happen before, too.”

Branstad said the House bill is “basically the framework” he would accept.

“It could be tweaked a little bit, but we think it needs to be very close to that,” Branstad says.

Senate Democratic Leader Mike Gronstal suggests the main sticking point throughout the negotiations has been what the state’s role would be in dealing with the losses when commercial property taxes are reduced.

“If we’re going to reduce the amount of taxes that local governments get from commercial properties, the state ought to reimburse that,” Gronstal told reporters Wednesday.

According to Gronstal, Republicans balked at making a promise to permanently provide $140-million, each year, to local governments to make up for the reduction in commercial property taxes. Branstad said Republicans are focused on “protecting taxpayers” while Democrats are focused on “protecting local governments.”

“The Senate, well, they couldn’t even pass their own proposal, so they just seem don’t to have the committment to property tax relief that Iowans are looking for,” Branstad said. “I think that tells us we need a new, Republican majority in the senate to get this done.”

Gronstal, during an interview with reporters on Wednesday, said he had “offered up” a variety of options to the governor’s staff, but Branstad himself attended just one of the negotiating sessions with legislators.

“It seems to me they’re turned the corner and decided it’s time to play politics. I think that’s unfortunate,” Gronstal said.

According to Branstad, the “framework” for a deal was reached in mid-April, but Senate Democrats could never commit to passing it.

“If the senate decides they want to get serious about this and they come to me and tell me they have the votes to pass permanent property tax relief along the lines that we’ve been discussing, I’m willing to call ‘em back to do it,” Branstad said.

Branstad spoke with reporters this morning on the lawn of Des Moines East High School where he waiting for the start of a ceremony to open the school’s time capsule. Last night the 2012 Iowa legislative session ended just before 6:30 p.m. when the House passed its final bill. The senate had adjourned about an hour earlier.

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