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.
Three Iowa women, all with distinguished legal careers, have been recommended by U.S. Sen. Tom Harkin to fill an upcoming vacancy on the Southern District of Iowa federal bench.
The three women are:
Following confirmation by the U.S. Senate, an individual will fill a vacancy created on the U.S. District Court when Judge Robert Pratt retires on July 1, 2012. It is customary for the senator of the same political party as the President to make recommendations on behalf of his/her state. The senator from the opposing party, in this case U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley, has an opportunity to review the recommendations and offer or withhold his/her approval of the individual. Grassley also serves as ranking member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, which will have first opportunity to discuss the nominee forwarded by the Obama administration.
There was no indication by Harkin that his selection of three women was by design, only that he was recommending the people most qualified for the bench.
“After carefully reviewing the records and qualifications of many outstanding attorneys in Iowa, talking to many members of the Iowa bar and community and interviewing a number of candidates, I am confident that these three are highly qualified and each would make an outstanding federal judge,” Harkin said in a statement, adding that he takes his constitutional role of providing advice to the White House on this nomination very seriously.
District Judges are appointed for a life term, and may take senior status when they reach a combined age and years of service that equals 80, are at least 65 years of age and have served at least 10 years. The U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Iowa has three District Judges and three Senior Judges — all of whom are men.
In fact, no woman has ever served on the federal bench as District or Senior Judge in the Southern District of Iowa.
There is one woman, Celeste F. Bremer, who serves as a Magistrate Judge. Pratt currently serves as the Chief Justice for the District.
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