For the first time since taking office in January, Governor Chet Culver has vetoed a bill. Culver struck down a bill that passed the Iowa House and Senate this year without a dissenting vote.
The legislation would have limited the appeal process for someone convicted of a simple misdemeanor — which can range from a speeding ticket to domestic abuse.
Iowa Attorney General Tom Miller, who like Culver is a Democrat, had pushed for the change, arguing it would save the state’s higher courts the time of having to deal with frivolous appeals. But Culver nixed the idea, saying the ability to appeal a conviction all the way through the courts is a cherished legal right.
Culver’s veto message even quoted the state motto which is: "our liberties we prize and our rights we will maintain."