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 an interview with conservative radio host Hugh Hewitt at the Republican Governor’s Association convention in San Diego on Friday, Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty said U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder should resign because he wasn’t able to prosecute a Guantanamo Bay prisoner effectively in civil court.
Ahmed Ghailani was acquitted of more than 280 charges last week in connection to the 1998 bombings of U.S. embassies in East Africa. Ghailani was convicted of conspiracy and faces a sentence of 20 years to life.
Pawlenty, who is considering throwing his hat into the 2012 race for president, called on Holder to resign because he doesn’t feel taking cases to federal civilian court is effective for trying those accused of terrorism.
Here are Pawlenty’s remarks:
TP: Well, I think we should all pause and make sure we understand the lessons of that. And I think President Obama made, and the Justice Department made a huge mistake in transferring that case to the civilian court. You have somebody who amongst other things, Hugh, was taken down in a ten hour firefight in Pakistan, in an al Qaeda safe house, allegedly. And you had somebody who clearly tried to kill and injure dozens or more people. And the only conviction they get out of him is relating to destruction of property. Now there’s a lot of underneath the hood of that, but the point is there is a major disconnect between that conclusion and his behavior. And the big problem in that regard was bringing that into civilian court, because of the way they couldn’t consider the other things that are under the hood.
HH: Should that end? Should that practice end?
TP: Absolutely. Yes.
HH: Okay, and should Eric Holder resign?
TP: You know, I think Eric Holder and the Justice Department made a fundamental mistake, and they put the country, almost put the country at risk, and may still have done it if they continue down this path. And I don’t think you can just stay in that position and have those kinds of outcomes.
HH: That’s a yes.
TP: Yes.
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