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.
An option on the Web site of the Department of Health and Human Services that allows users to send an e-mail to President Barack Obama praising his efforts towards health care reform should result in a formal investigation, U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley told the agency’s leader in a letter.
According to a story in the Washington, D.C.,-based Roll Call, Grassley’s letter that a button on the site asking visitors to “state your support” for passing heath insurance reform this year could constitute a violation of rules against government-funded propaganda.
In a letter sent to HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius Tuesday, Grassley warned that “any possible misuse of appropriated funds by the executive branch to engage in publicity or propaganda in support of an Administration priority is a matter that must be investigated and taken seriously,” noting that in 2005 Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) argued that “the use of official funds for similar activities were ‘underhanded tactics’ and that these tactics ‘are not worthy of our great democracy.’”
HHS spokesman Nick Papas told Roll Call that the agency looks forward to discussing the matter with Grassley.
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