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.
In his first direct email to supporters since leaving the race for the White House, Sen. Sam Brownback, R-Kansas, has used the 35th anniversary of Roe v. Wade as a fund-raising catalyst for his political action committee (PAC).
The email, prepared and paid for by the Restore America PAC, a group identified as Brownback’s “leadership fund,” describes the ruling “that haunts us to this day” as being perpetrated by “activist judges.”
“Like many of you, I pray for the day that the highest court in the land overturns that decision, and this long dark night of abortion on demand comes to an end,” reads the message.
Brownback says in the email that he has faith Chief Justice John Roberts and Associate Justice Samuel Alito would be “a vote on the side of life.” Because of that belief, Brownback says the court is just one vote away from overturning Roe.
The email, after outlining the need for both a Republican president and U.S. Senate majority, makes a direct money pitch for the PAC.
“We have all been focused on the first goal [of electing a Republican president] — the primary season has been wild and unpredictable thus far. However, the second goal is just as important. If the Democrats maintain control of the U.S. Senate in 2008, no pro-life nominee to the Supreme Court will be confirmed,” he writes. “I have decided to commit my time and energy this year to achieving these two goals. However to do so, I need your help.”
The email contains five donation links in all, the final two suggesting a $51 amount — to elect 51 Republicans to the U.S. Senate. The money donated, according to the email, will be used to elect anti-abortion candidates to the U.S. Senate and to allow Brownback to travel and speak on behalf of such candidates.
In 2008, of the 10 Senate races highlighted by The National Journal as being hotly contested, eight are seats currently held by Republicans. Even in the traditional Republican strongholds of Alaska and Nebraska, the Republicans are expected to have to launch real campaigns if they want to hold on to existing seats.
According to Federal Election Commission filings, the Restore America PAC began 2007 with just over $10,000. It ended the third quarter with just over $1,000 in cash. In the past, however, Brownback has used PAC funds to support Iowa candidates. Contributions of $1,000 were made to congressmen Steve King and Tom Latham and former state Sen. Jeff Lamberti during his unsuccessful bid for Congress.
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