The three members of a state forecasting board agree state tax receipts will grow, but not by much in the next 18 months. "In the eight weeks since we met last, little has changed economically. The underlying fundamentals of the national and state economy remain sound. The economy continues to be … [Read more...]
Senator Ernst touts the passage of Farm Bill, rollback of WOTUS rules
Iowa Senator Joni Ernst says she is pleased to see the five-year Farm Bill passed even though there are some compromises in the bill. The Republican from Red Oak voted for the bill, while fellow Senator Chuck Grassley voted against it. "I know that Senator Grassley had his own concerns and the … [Read more...]
Congressman King questions Google CEO about alleged political bias in search results
Iowa Congressman Steve King, a republican from Kiron, questioned the Google CEO Sundar Pichai Tuesday about alleged political biased search results. King asked during a House Judiciary Committee hearing why Google isn't more transparent about the roughly 1,000 member team which handles search … [Read more...]
Governor Reynolds talks about department heads leaving, nominating process for judges
Several department heads have announced their resignations in recent days, but Governor Kim Reynolds says that's a normal thing as she prepares to take over for her first full term. "We're going to be making further announcements in January," Reynolds says, "we are working through the transition … [Read more...]
Senator Grassley doesn’t expect any issues in confirming new Attorney General
Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley expects a swift confirmation process for President Trump's nominee for U.S. Attorney General. Grassley calls William Barr a "talented, well-respected lawyer" who has served in that post before -- from 1991 to '93 under President George H.W. Bush. "I think he had an … [Read more...]
Lawyer examined archives, says Bush definitely won 1980 Iowa Caucuses
A controversial episode in Iowa Caucus history has apparently been solved. The Iowa Republican Party's computer crashed on Caucus Night back in 1980. George H.W. Bush was declared the winner, but Ronald Reagan's supporters have long maintained that if all the straw poll ballots had been counted … [Read more...]
Senator Ernst running again in 2020, welcomes any challengers
Iowa Senator Joni Ernst, a Republican from Red Oak, says there is no doubt she will seek a second term in 2020. Ernst says, "I am running again, so to anyone who would like to step up and enter into that race, I say 'bring it on.'" Ernst became the first woman elected to Congress from Iowa in 2014 … [Read more...]
Bar codes show 29 uncounted ballots in Northeast Iowa race were mailed on time
Court documents indicate 29 uncounted ballots in a close legislative race in northeast Iowa were mailed by the deadline. Kayla Koether, a Democrat from Decorah, asked for a recount in her race against Republican Representative Michael Bergen of Dorchester. She finished nine votes behind Bergen … [Read more...]
Senator Grassley doesn’t like farm payment provisions in Farm Bill
Reports that the compromise Farm Bill loosens restrictions on farm program payment eligibility are raising the ire of Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley. Grassley says Farm Bill negotiators have apparently adopted House provisions making it easier for nieces, nephews and cousins of farmers to become … [Read more...]
Reynolds names charities for excess inaugural funds
Governor Kim Reynolds is designating four charities as the beneficiaries for any left-over donations to her inauguration celebration. Reynolds, who has been governor since May of 2017, will be sworn into her first, full four-year term as governor on January 18, 2019. There will be an inauration … [Read more...]