Governor Vilsack says there need to be changes in state law to ensure he has the authority to call out the National Guard in case of a terrorist incident here. Vilsack already has the authority to mobilize the Guard in certain circumstances.Vilsack, a democrat who opposes the death penalty, ridiculed Iowa Republican Party chairman Chuck Larson’s call last week for a limited death penalty in Iowa for acts of terrorism. He says it’s clearly a federal offense and says it’s beyond the criminal system and falls under the justice used for an act of war.Vilsack says Iowa already has a death sentence for serious crimes — a life term in prison that means the convict will die behind bars.
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