• 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 / Crime / Courts / Ernst and Senate’s Democratic leader feud over Violence Against Women Act

Ernst and Senate’s Democratic leader feud over Violence Against Women Act

November 21, 2019 By O. Kay Henderson

Senator Joni Ernst.

Republican Senator Joni Ernst and the top Democrat in the senate are hurling accusations at one another over a bill to reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act.

Ernst accuses New York Senator Chuck Schumer of blocking Democrats from supporting the bill to hurt her bid for re-election. Schumer accuses Ernst of blocking gun-related provisions because she’s afraid of the National Rifle Association.

Ernst was with some of her staffers as she spoke with Iowa reporters today from a booth in Washington, D.C. “I do not need to be mansplained by Chuck Schumer,” Ernst said and a member of her staff yelled: “Woo!”

Ernst continued: “Yeah, I heard that little woo. Thank you very much. I am a survivor. I’m not afraid of anyone, folks. I’ve been through the worst of the worst and I’m here today.”

Ernst and her husband divorced last year and Ernst said this past January that in addition to an abusive spouse, she was raped in college by someone else.

“Going through these situations is already extremely trying for anyone, but having that lifeline of support was so important to me and it helped me find my way through dark and difficult times,” Ernst said. “That’s why this bill, the Violence Against Women Act, has been a priority for me this year.”

The bill passed by Democrats in the U.S. House prohibits people convicted of domestic violence or stalking from owning a firearm. Ernst said the House made that retroactive and she told reporters that’s not what the law said at the time of those convictions — and the move could violate plea agreements of the past.

“That would be someone who was guilty of assault 30, 40 years ago, but has since been, you know, having good behavior,” Ernst said. “…What we can’t do is go back, change the law as it existed in 1975 and expect that is due process. It is not.”

Ernst said she plans to continue working with the top Democrat on a key committee in hopes of coming up with a bipartisan solution to reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act.

(Photo courtesy of Senator Ernst’s office)

Share this:

  • Facebook
  • Twitter

Filed Under: Crime / Courts, News, Politics / Govt, Top Story Tagged With: Democratic Party, guns, Joni Ernst, Republican Party

Featured Stories

DOT plow crews struggling against blizzard conditions

Iowa delegation breaks along party lines on Trump impeachment vote

Two northeast Iowa men admit to illegally harvesting ginseng

Do you have to pay tax on your stimulus check?

All six in Iowa’s congressional delegation confirm Electoral College results

TwitterFacebook
Tweets by RadioIowa

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

Iowa State’s Foster to miss remainder of the season

More Sports

eNews and Updates

Enter your email address:

Delivered by FeedBurner

Archives

Copyright © 2021 ยท Learfield News & Ag, LLC