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.
The Iowa attorney general’s office has filed criminal charges against the former head of the Iowa Film Office alleging non-felonious misconduct in office. Two filmmakers involved with a 2008 movie that received state tax credits are also facing charges of felony theft.
Allegations of misconduct surrounding the state’s film tax credit emerged last September. The allegations, which involve misuse of the credits and lack of oversight by the state, led to resignations from the top two officials at the Iowa Department of Economic Development and the firing of Tom Wheeler, who was running the tax credit program almost single-handedly. Gov. Chet Culver also suspended the tax credits while an investigation was conducted.
Wheeler is now facing serious misdemeanor allegations that could mean up to one year in jail. He’s accused of failing to verify eligibility of applicants for tax credits. His attorney released a statement Monday calling the decision by the attorney general to file criminal charges “disappointing.”
“The state has decided to pursue a novel theory of criminal liability and it is our position that their decision is a mistake that is not supported by the facts or the law,” attorney Gordan Fischer said. “However, because they have chosen this path, Tom’s focus must now necessarily shift from trying to help the state develop a functional, and economically beneficial, tax incentive program to defending against the criminal charges.”
Also charged is Wendy Weiner Runge, who was executive producer of a 2008 film, “The Scientist,” and Matthias Alexander Saunders, a photography director involved with “The Scientist.”
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