Iowa Independent

Local detention of terror suspects not cause for concern, says Colorado publisher

As communities in Iowa and Illinois consider the possible transformation of the Thomson, Ill., prison into a federal “supermax” facility, Florence, Colo. journalist Bob Wood’s insights about his own community’s supermax facility shed light on the proposal’s potential impacts.

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Immigration-related charges against Rubashkin dismissed

Sholom Rubashkin won’t be heading back to court to face 72 counts of immigration-related charges after all.


Harkin hopes GOP will make health reform a campaign issue

Not only is U.S. Sen. Tom Harkin confident that the Senate Democratic Caucus will be able to block filibuster attempts on a health care reform bill, but he is looking forward to the jockeying that will come from both political parties once the bill is signed.

Harkin said he “can only hope” that Republicans who have opposed reform efforts will make the legislation a theme in their speeches on the campaign trail.

“I hope it is an issue next year,” he said.


Health officials: Adult Iowans hit hardest by H1N1

According to health department officials, deaths in Iowa have mirrored the state population, with age groups and all major racial and ethnic groups being impacted. Nearly half of the deaths have occurred in adults between the ages of 25 and 49. Five of the deaths were among adults from age 50 to 64, while three deaths were in the 18 to 24 age group. In Iowa, there has only been one child death and one death for persons over the age of 64.


Report: Iowa tax code favors wealthiest residents

Moderate- and low-income Iowans pay a greater share of their income in state and local taxes than the rich do, according to a new report from two non-partisan research organizations.


Harkin promises long nights of health care debate

Not only will the Senate be working weekends through December on health care reform legislation, but it could also spend the upcoming weekend in session, Sen. Tom Harkin told D.C.-based newspaper The Hill.


Iowa study finds worrisome arsenic levels in private water wells

Iowa’s rural private drinking water wells “have several contaminant problems, some long-standing and some emerging,” according to the results of a two-year study released last week.


First Rubashkin trial ends with 86 guilty verdicts

A jury in Sioux Falls, S.D., returned to the courtroom late Thursday afternoon and delivered judgment on former Agriprocessors manager Sholom M. Rubashkin: Guilty on 86 of 91 possible counts.

Rubashkin, who is the 50-year-old son of company founder and president A. Aaron Rubashkin, was convicted of all possible money laundering and mail, wire and bank fraud charges. He was also convicted on 15 out of 20 counts of failing to provide timely pay to livestock auctions and providers.


Effects of coal ash contamination go beyond health risks

As the federal government weighs stricter rules governing the disposal of coal ash, and as awareness of the potential dangers in Iowa continues to increase, it is important to note that while health risks are a major concern, there are many others that must be considered.


Survey: Iowa LGBT students still unsafe

There’s some good news, but there is also bad news in the way some students perceive their safety at Iowa schools.


Harkin: Stupak’s abortion amendment is slippery slope

A last-minute amendment to the health care reform bill that passed the U.S. House on Saturday is disruptive to the current ban on federal funding for abortion services and could lead down a slippery slope that prevents women from accessing services with their own money as well, U.S. Sen. Tom Harkin said Tuesday.


Des Moines activist happy with Roeder’s ‘necessity defense’ plan

Des Moines anti-abortion activist Dave Leach said Monday he was surprised but happy to hear from the media that Scott Roeder would pursue a necessity defense after confessing to the murder of Kansas doctor George Tiller.


Suspect admits to Tiller murder, will attempt necessity defense

Scott Roeder has confessed to the murder of Kansas abortion doctor George Tiller and plans to go forward with a legal defense promoted by Des Moines anti-abortion activist Dave Leach.


VIDEO: Conlin announces candidacy against Grassley

Des Moines civil rights attorney Roxanne Conlin has kicked off her 2010 campaign for the chance to take on Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley with a new Web video released Monday.


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Rubashkin will remain behind bars

Government asserts that Rubashkin aided flight of Agriprocessors co-worker to Israel

U.S. District Court Chief Judge Linda R. Reade has ordered that the Iowa meatpacking manager found guilty on 86 counts of fraud and money laundering will remain behind bars. Continue reading »


Private planes descend on Chuck Norris’s ranch for Vander Plaats fundraiser

A TV and film star is throwing a $100,000+ fundraiser for a candidate for Iowa governor tonight, but the beneficiary isn’t the bleeding-heart Hollywood liberal you might expect. Continue reading »


RNC targets Lincoln and Nelson in last-minute push to stop health reform

Instead of asking conservatives to call home-state senators with pleas for votes against health care reform, the Republican National Committee is asking its membership to contact the offices of two Democratic senators deemed “critically important” to squashing any up-or-down vote on the reform bill. Continue reading »


Harkin skips the JJ

The Register’s Kathie Obradovich reports that U.S. Sen. Tom Harkin will not make it to the Iowa Democratic Party’s Jefferson-Jackson dinner in person tomorrow night because he’ll be busy trying to pass health care reform in Washington, D.C. In his absence, the party will play a video greeting from him during the event.

Perhaps more notably, Vice President Joe Biden will still headline the dinner (as far as we know). That will put him pretty far outside the Washington beltway as the Senate’s health bill is finalized.


Boswell gets two new challengers

Former Iowa State University wrestling coach Jim Gibbons and state Sen. Brad Zaun, R-Urbandale, both announced intentions Thursday to challenge Democratic U.S. Rep. Leonard Boswell in 2010. Continue reading »


Grassley aide: Kiernan insults Iowans who disagree with president

Iowa Democratic Party Chairman Michael Kiernan’s attacks against U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley are simply “insulting Iowans who disagree with the [Obama] administration’s political decision to bring terrorists to the United States,” an aide to the senator told the Iowa Independent Thursday. Continue reading »


Kiernan slams Grassley for comparing terror trial to O.J. Simpson

U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley’s comparison of civilian trials for terrorists to the murder trial of O.J. Simpson is “false and disrespectful,” Iowa Democratic Party Chairman Michael Kiernan said Thursday. Continue reading »


VIDEO: Harkin: No Dem wants to be the one to stop health care reform

Now that Democratic leaders in the Senate have unveiled their health care reform plan, Democrats have “rounded third [base] and we’re heading to home,” U.S. Sen. Tom Harkin, D-Cumming, said Wednesday night.

During an interview with MSNBC host Rachel Maddow, Harkin said no one in the Democratic caucus wants to be the person who derails health care legislation. Continue reading »


Grassley opposed to detainees even coming to U.S.

The question of possibly housing Guantanamo Bay detainees at a prison facility on the Iowa-Illinois border isn’t something that deserves consideration, according to U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley, who said today that he opposes such individuals ever entering the country. Continue reading »


Hawkeye Poll: Slight majority of Americans oppose health care reform

A little more than half of Americans believe health care reform would do more harm than good, according to a University of Iowa Hawkeye Poll released Wednesday.

The national phone survey of 772 adults, with a margin of error of plus or minus 3.5 percent, found that 52 percent believe government action would do more harm than good, and the remaining 48 percent supported change.

The poll showed a distinctly partisan split, as government action was preferred by 54 percent of Democrats, compared to only 40 percent of Republicans. Continue reading »


Braley: Don’t politicize debate over location of terror suspects

Those who immediately voiced opposition to a possible plan to move detainees currently housed at a military prison in Guantanamo Bay into a revamped facility on the Illinois-Iowa border should take time to research instead of offering knee-jerk reactions, U.S. Rep. Bruce Braley said today.

“I’m not going to engage in political fear mongering about something that is very serious to the safety and security to the people I represent,” Braley said Wednesday afternoon on a conference call with reporters. Continue reading »


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