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.
The Rev. Morris Hurd, chairman of the Iowa Christian Alliance said Monday that his emotions got the best of him when he told people at a political rally in Burlington last weekend that he planned on voting for Mitt Romney in the upcoming Iowa Caucuses.
Hurd said he’d accept any actions that board wished to take due to what Hurd termed his “poor judgement.” He also said that his statements shouldn’t be construed as an official endorsement.
“I would like to apologize to the Iowa Christian Alliance board and to those who support our organization for letting my emotions run away with me at a recent Romney event,” he said in a statement distributed by the ICA. “I did not mean to endorse Mitt Romney and want to make sure that all those who support our organization understand that fact.
As a non-profit, tax-exempt organization, the ICA is prohibited from supporting a specific candidate. ICA stays busy during the caucuses holding various debates to give its members an opportunity to learn more about candidates, but has refrained from working for specific candidates in the past.
Hurd said he would support Romney while introducing him at a campaign event, a move that campaign officials knew nothing about in advance.
“I’ll tell you a little secret. I haven’t told anybody else this. I’ll tell this secret out here,” Hurd told the crowd. “Next Thursday, when I go to the caucuses, I’m going to cast my vote for Governor Mitt Romney.”
Hurd said that he would be satisfied seeing many of the candidates do well on Thursday.
“I have deep respect for many of the candidates running and wish to clarify that no matter what I said on that day, I do not wish my statements to be viewed as an endorsement,” he said. “ICA officers are prohibited by board resolution from making endorsements so I wish to make it clear that I have not, nor will endorse any candidate.
“If the board wishes to take action due to my poor judgment, I will be happy to accept whatever consequences they suggest. I love this organization and its leadership and sincerely look forward to rectifying this unfortunate error on my part.”
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