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.
Retired U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor will be in Iowa Wednesday to defend three Iowa Supreme Court Justices currently under fire for their support in legalizing same-sex marriage, according to the Associated Press.
Speaking on a discussion panel run by a “coalition of legal, business and labor advocates” defending the same-sex marriage ruling, O’Connor will speak on behalf the embattled justices in hopes of curbing the growing politicization of court elections.
“She has been outspoken about what she sees as an effort to politicize the judicial process, something supporters of the Iowa Supreme Court justices said is happening in the state,” AP reported.
The three justices, who are up for retention votes in the fall, have come under fire from former Republican gubernatorial candidate Bob Vander Plaats, who called last year’s ruling “judicial activism.” Since dropping out of the race, Vander Plaats has made it a priority to see the justices ousted from the Iowa Supreme Court.
Additionally, The Iowa Independent reported last week that the American Family Association (AFA) will spend “couple of hundred thousand dollars” on a campaign to oust the three justices.
O’Connor will take part in a panel discussion at the Hotel Fort Des Moines sponsored by the Iowa State Bar Association. There are no more seats available.
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