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.
With more than a year to go before the 2010 Congressional elections, Iowa’s representatives have already amassed sizable campaign war chests. All five combined have raised more than $900,000, with First District Democratic Rep. Bruce Braley leading the way with $283,660 cash on hand, according to reports filed in March with the Federal Election Commission.
As the saying goes, once elected, a member of Congress must raise $10,000 a week to get re-elected. It sounds like hard work, but it doesn’t always have to be.
The nonprofit Sunlight Foundation, which was founded with the goal of increasing transparency in the United States Congress, has tracked down invitations to many of the exclusive get togethers that help fill a member of Congress’ campaign coffers and posted them on PoliticalPartyTime.org for the public to see. It’s surely not an exhaustive list, since the group relies on tipsters sending in their invites. But it does offer a glimpse of the D.C. lives of the Hawkeye State’s congressional team.
The most prolific party host in Iowa’s delegation, according to the Sunlight Foundation, is Fourth District Republican Rep. Tom Latham. He has started hosting his own “Supper Club” every month at different D.C. hotspots. The parties are limited to 10 attendees and feature a different special guest each month, which so far include congressmen from Kentucky, Georgia and California. To attend this months’ event, scheduled for Wednesday night at the ritzy Oceanaire Seafood Room in downtown D.C., will cost $2,500 per PAC and $1,500 for individuals. Latham will also host a golf outing to raise money for North Carolina Sen. Richard Burr and Georgia Sen. Saxby Chambliss on July 17.
Next up is Third District Democratic Rep. Leonard Boswell. The six-term incumbent has not always been the best fundraiser, a fact that landed him a spot on the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee’s “Frontline Program,” which seeks to protect incumbents in potentially vulnerable districts by assisting with organizing and fundraising. Boswell has hosted two fundraising party’s this year at the National Democratic Club Townhouse in D.C., with another scheduled June 3 that could cost as much as $5,000 to attend.
First District Democratic Rep. Bruce Braley has hosted two parties this year, with the last on April 29 at Johnny’s Half Shell in D.C. The “suggested” contribution for those who attend was $1,000. Braley, who this year earned himself a leadership position in the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, helped a fellow Democrat from Oregon raise money in March as part of a fundraiser titled “Comedy Bailout: CEO’s get in Scot-free.”
Second District Democrat Dave Loebsack has hosted two parties in 2009, with a third scheduled for June 16 at the National Democratic Club Townhouse in D.C. Expected contributions range from $500 to $5,000.
Fifth District Republican Steve King hasn’t hosted a D.C. party since September. Before that it was July.
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