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.
Tension appears to be rising in the House Democratic caucus in the wake of the failed bid to pass prevailing wage legislation, as at least one lawmaker says he is getting the cold shoulder from his colleagues.
Rep. McKinley Bailey, D-Webster City, was one of five Democrats to oppose the measure, which fell one vote short of passage. However, Bailey had earlier indicated that he would support the bill, only later changing his mind when an amendment to exempt some school board, community college and public hospital projects did not come up for a vote.
Now, Bailey tells The Des Moines Register that he is being stripped of some of his authority in the House, a move some view as punishment for changing his vote.
“I’m no longer the chair of any of my veterans bills. I’ll just leave it at that. That’s public knowledge right there,” said Rep. McKinley Bailey of Webster City. He declined to answer further questions about the matter.
Rep. Ray Zirkelbach, D-Monticello, chairman of the Veterans Affairs Committee, said Bailey is misinformed and that bills haven’t even been assigned yet. However, he admitted Bailey’s switch on the prevailing wage vote did create “trust issues” with the rest of his party, and his statements to the Register did not appear to hold much back.
Earlier in the week, Bailey told IowaPolitics.com that he expected his vote to affect party unity for a few weeks, but eventually everyone will get back on the same page and work together again.
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