A key Republican does not expect the four justices on the Iowa Supreme Court to be removed from office by legislators.
“I don’t believe there’s any likelihood of impeachment,” said Representative Richard Anderson, a Republican from Clarinda who is chairman of the House Judiciary Committee.
Three Republican lawmakers in the Iowa House are drafting articles of impeachment. During an interview early this afternoon, Anderson called them a “passionate” minority.
“Clearly, any legislator who is elected has the freedom to file any bill they want,” Anderson said. “That’s true with respect to these articles (of impeachment), but what has to happen is that has to go through a process.”
Before the full, 100-member House could consider impeaching the justices for misdemeanors or malfeasance, the articles of impeachment would have to clear Anderson’s committee.
“I haven’t done any kind of person-by-person inquiry….but I do not believe from the feedback I’m getting from colleagues that there’s a majority of House Republicans that think impeachment is an appropriate remedy in this case,” Anderson said.
Anderson, a lawyer, submitted an initial application for one of the three vacancies on the Iowa Supreme Court, vacancies created by Iowa voters’ decision to remove the justices from the court in last year’s retention election. But Anderson said he’s decided against pursuing an appointment to the state’s highest court because of his legislative duties, coupled with his effort to meet the demands of his law practice in Clarinda.