Wednesday was a difficult day for The American Independent News Network, which is the larger entity that operates The Iowa Independent. Our chief executive and founder announced two of our sister sites would close and their content would be moved to The American Independent.
A recently introduced bill could have far-reaching impact on the U.S. sugar industry, including American Crystal Sugar, a farmer-owned cooperative that locked out 1,300 Midwest workers on Aug. 1.
The chairman for Herman Cain’s Iowa effort says the campaign “relied more on the word of farmers than Washington regulators” in deciding to run an ad containing claims the Environmental Protection Agency says are false.
The Iowa Senate will remain under the control of a slim 26-25 Democratic majority when it reconvenes in January 2012.
Six out of the seven members of Iowa’s congressional delegation will jointly host a reception for Iowans in Washington, D.C. following the swearing-in of President-elect Barack Obama. U.S. Rep. Steve King, a Republican representing the state’s 5th District, is the lone holdout.
The official announcement concerning the reception was made jointly Thursday by the offices of U.S. Sens. Tom Harkin (D) and Chuck Grassley (R). A spokeswoman in Harkin’s Washington office said King, like all Iowa members of the U.S. House, was extended an invitation to also host the reception. King declined, she said, without offering an explanation.
Iowa Independent’s request for further information from King’s office has not been answered.
“The presidential inauguration shows the rest of the world how a peaceful transfer of power works and demonstrates the great power of each Americans’ rights and responsibilities of citizenship,” Grassley said in a prepared statement. “This historic event is exciting for all of us and I look forward to seeing all the Iowans who are visiting our nation’s capital to attend an occasion none of us will forget.”
In addition to Grassley and Harkin, U.S. Reps. Leonard Boswell (D), Bruce Braley (D), Tom Latham (R) and Dave Loeback (D) will host the reception scheduled for Tuesday, Jan. 20, from 2 to 4 p.m. in the Dirksen Senate Office Building.
All Iowans who will be visiting Washington on that date are invited to attend the reception.
“The swearing in of the next president of the United States is an exciting time for Iowans and all Americans,” Harkin said in a prepared statement. “I look forward to meeting with those who have traveled to Washington to witness this historic event.”
Last March, King warned that if Obama won, terrorists “would be dancing in the streets in greater numbers than they did on Sept. 11 because they would declare victory in this war on terror.”
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