• Home
  • News
    • Politics & Government
    • Business & Economy
    • Crime / Courts
    • Health / Medicine
  • Sports
    • High School Sports
    • Radio Iowa Poll
  • Affiliates
    • Affiliate Support Page
  • Contact Us
    • Reporters

Radio Iowa

Iowa's Radio News Network

You are here: Home / Education / Democrats see no problem with nominee to Board of Regents

Democrats see no problem with nominee to Board of Regents

February 28, 2011 By O. Kay Henderson

Two key Democrats see no real obstacles to having one of Republican Governor Terry Branstad’s major campaign contributors serve on the Board of Regents. Late last week Branstad nominated Bruce Rastetter for the board that governs Iowa, Iowa State and U.N.I., an appointment that must be confirmed by at least 34 of the 50 state senators.

Senate Democratic Leader Mike Gronstal of Council Bluffs has heard no objections from his fellow Democrats. “You know, anytime you end up with an appointee that has a high level of political activity there are a few people whose eyebrows are raised,” Gronstal says. “The fact is if political activity disqualifies you from serving in the executive branch, there wouldn’t be many left to serve, so I don’t see it as a disqualifier.” Senate President Jack Kibbie, a Democrat from Emmetsburg, says there’s “nothing new” about appointing political contributors to state boards and commissions and he sees “no reason” Rastetter shouldn’t serve on the Board of Regents.

“I personally don’t have a problem with that,” Kibbie says. “He likes ethanol and so do I.” Rastetter is the C.E.O. of Hawkeye Energy Holdings, a company based in Ames with . Senator Jack Hatch, a Democrat from Des Moines, has a “business relationship” with Rastetter.

“Over the last couple of years the only thing we’ve really agreed on is our business ventures. We don’t talk about politics too often,” Hatch says. “There’s no question, though, that Bruce loves the state and loves the universities, has contributed money to the universities, has an entrepreneurial spirit that I think the Regents would benefit from.”

There’s no Senate rule that would prevent Hatch from voting to confirm Rastetter to the Board of Regents, but Hatch says it may have the appearance of a conflict and he may not vote on Rastetter’s nomination. Rastetter donated nearly $163,000 to Branstad’s 2010 campaign.

Photo courtesy of the Governor’s office.

Share this:

  • Facebook
  • Twitter

Filed Under: Education, Politics / Govt Tagged With: Board of Regents, Iowa State University, University of Iowa, University of Northern Iowa

Featured Stories

Congresswoman Axne favors Biden pandemic relief plan, Hinson not ruling out a ‘yes’

DOT plow crews struggling against blizzard conditions

Death penalty proposed for specific child murder cases

Iowa delegation breaks along party lines on Trump impeachment vote

Two northeast Iowa men admit to illegally harvesting ginseng

TwitterFacebook
Tweets by RadioIowa

UNI adds two nonconference games to basketball schedule

Iowa State-Kansas postponed

Iowa-Michigan State postponed

Fire damage to Riverfront Stadium electrical system will cost Waterloo thousands

Iowa State at Kansas State postponed

More Sports

eNews and Updates

Enter your email address:

Delivered by FeedBurner

Archives

Copyright © 2021 ยท Learfield News & Ag, LLC