The Iowa Progress Project, a politically conservative non-profit based in Des Moines, commissioned Duffy to draw a cartoon critical of Gov. Chet Culver’s ties to labor unions, specifically the American Federation of State County and Municipal Employees. The group believes non-union state employees will be asked to sacrifice more than their union counterparts during the upcoming budget discussions.

Iowa Progress Project (IPP) was formerly known as Iowa Future Fund and shares an organization history with American Future Fund, a conservative non-profit based in Des Moines that operates on the national level. Since changing names, IPP has run several radio ads critical of Culver and Democrats in the legislture.

Duffy will now have a weekly cartoon in the paper, ensuring his work continues to be seen by a Des Moines audience.

We offered space to former Des Moines Register cartoonist Brian Duffy in last week’s issue to publish his farewell cartoon, as the daily did not provide him with that opportunity. The page has now turned, and I am pleased to let you know that you will find Duffy’s cartoons each week in this paper.

Duffy’s job was one of 56 eliminated by the Register as part of an across the board payroll cut by its parent company, Gannett Co. According to Cityview gossip columnist Civic Skinny, since the announcement of Duffy’s dismissal the paper has had 700 cancelled subscriptions.

In this week’s issue of the Des Moines alternative newsweekly Cityview, Duffy was given a full page to publish a cartoon of his choice, according to the paper’s editor and publisher Shane Goodman.

“The Register lost an Iowa icon by dropping Duffy from their staff, and they are quickly finding that out… the hard way,” Goodman said in his note to readers.

The piece shows Duffy walking towards the horizon and away from the paper he worked at for a quarter century uttering the phrase “Sunset? No, a new sunrise.”

Duffy was one of 56 Register employees who lost their jobs last week. In subsequent interviews with Des Moines television stations he made it clear he did not appreciate the way in which his dismissal was handled.

While still syndicated in 400 newspapers around the country, Duffy said he has cancelled his Register subscription and will not allow his former employer to use his work ever again.

Duffy, whose job was one of 71 eliminated last week, spoke with Des Moines NBC affiliate WHO and CBS affiliate KCCI about his departure from the Register.

Despite working for the paper since 1983, Duffy said he was given the cold shoulder in his final moments of employment.

[They told me to] just stay here. We’ll bring your coat down and your bag.  We’ll escort you out of the building.

Duffy said he’s canceled his Register subscription and will no longer host RAGBRAI, something he’s done for 20 years, nor allow the paper to run his cartoons, which will continue to be syndicated in 400 papers around the country.

His biggest concern, however, is what message his firing sends to young journalists.

If they can take people out who have given their heart and soul to a company without batting an eye,  that means they are not safe either.

Duffy’s departure ends a century-long tradition at the Register of a front-page editorial cartoon. Three of the paper’s Pulitzers were for editorial cartoons.

From WHO-TV:

The paper is expected to lay off several more people today.

Duffy’s departure could mean the end of a tradition at the paper of front-page editorial cartoons dating back to 1906. The paper has won numerous Pulitzers for its editorial cartoons, including work by Jay Norwood Darling and the legendary Frank Miller. The Register is currently the only paper in the country that still runs a cartoon on its front page.

According to Duffy’s profile on The Register’s Web site:

Brian Duffy has been the Register’s editorial cartoonist since 1983. He has been working as a cartoonist and illustrator for more than 30 years. He has received two Best of Gannett awards, two World Hunger Media awards and was a finalist for the prestigious John Fischetti Award for editorial cartooning. His two books are “A Decade of Duffy” and “More of Duffy,” published in 1995. His cartoons are syndicated by King Features Syndicate. Duffy attended the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and the Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design. He lives in Des Moines with his wife and four children.

The names of the others let go by the paper are still not available.