• 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 / News / Democrats warn Iowa legislature may be ‘super spreader’

Democrats warn Iowa legislature may be ‘super spreader’

January 14, 2021 By O. Kay Henderson

Democrats are warning about the potential spread of Covid-19 in the Iowa Statehouse this week as the 2021 legislative session gets underway.

Senator Joe Bolkcom, a Democrat from Iowa City, is accusing Republican leaders of acting like Covid is “no big deal.”

“Your lame reasoning about not being able to require legislators to wear masks is a joke,” Bolkcom said. “I’m mandated to wear this tie and this jacket to be able to stand at this microphone and speak.”

The top GOP leaders in the legislature are “strongly encouraging” lawmakers to wear masks when they can’t socially distance, but they say the Constitution doesn’t give them the power to force elected officials to cover their faces.

Democrats have tried, but failed this week to get their Republican colleagues to agree to mask mandates in committee rooms. And Bolkcom singled out GOP leadership for allowing a few hundred people who were not wearing face coverings to protest inside the statehouse Monday.

“You’re making the Tyson managers look like they had their act together,” Bolkcom said.

Bolkcom also blasted President Trump and Governor Reynolds during a speech on the Senate floor Wednesday. A spokesman for Governor Reynolds said the governor has taken “a balanced approach” to the pandemic that “has protected the lives and livelihoods of Iowans.”

Share this:

  • Facebook
  • Twitter

Filed Under: News, Politics / Govt Tagged With: Coronavirus, Democratic Party, Legislature, 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