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.
Less than a week after a group calling itself “Iowans for Truth and Honest Government” distributed fliers around the Des Moines area and at the Iowa State Fair assaulting former Gov. Terry Branstad’s 16 years in office, an anonymous Web ad along the same lines has emerged.
The video, titled “Terry & Chet: What’s the Difference,” is the only video posted by someone using the name “TerryAndChet.” It runs through a series of issues and compares the current and former governor’s stances, eventually drawing the conclusion that Branstad is not a true conservative. The ad hit on several of the same themes as the fliers, including sales tax increases, nominating the Supreme Court Justice that authored the same-sex marriage decision and increasing state spending.
Republican Party of Iowa Executive Director Jeff Boeyink said he would ask the Iowa Ethics and Campaign Disclosure Board to look into the group behind the fliers, since “Iowans for Truth and Honest Government” is not registered with the state. That could prove tricky, however, since Branstad is not yet a declared candidate for elected office.
Branstad has not ruled out entering the race, saying he will make a final decision by October. Many are predicting a Branstad run for governor could lead to a bloody primary, and the latest attacks appear to support that theory.
Follow Jason Hancock on Twitter
Do you know where to vote on Election Day? Do you know what to bring with you? Get comprehensive voter information for your state here.
Sign up for our email newsletter