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.
A Linn County supporter of presidential candidate Sam Brownback told Iowa Independent that she made an “honest mistake” in forwarding an e-mail that asked pointed questions about rival Mitt Romney’s Mormon faith to Republican leaders.
Nemecek
“I didn’t intend to smear anyone,” said Emma Nemecek of Mt. Vernon, who chairs the 2nd Congressional District committee for Brownback. “I don’t think people should choose based on how a person worships — I have six Mormon family members myself.”The e-mail included statements such as “Theologically, the only thing Christianity and the LDS church has in common is the name of Jesus Christ, and the LDS Jesus is not the same Jesus of the Christian faith.” Nemecek said it originated with an organization of conservative Asian Americans, and she simply forwarded it last month “with no opinion of my own or anything.”
“If people go after anyone, it should be the originator,” she said. “The (Brownback) campaign was not involved at all.”
The Brownback campaign has distanced itself from the e-mail and offered an apology to the Romney campaign, which was accepted. The campaign also “reprimanded” Nemecek.
Nemecek, who lost an Iowa House race to Rep. Ro Foege, D-Mt. Vernon, last year, says she will continue to support Brownback whether or not she continues to play an official role in the campaign. “He stands for what I believe in — pro-life, pro-traditional marriage, pro-gun, and he strongly opposes amnesty.” She also cited his personal style on the several occasions she’s met Brownback. “If a guy treats a waiter decently, that’s a sign of his character.”
Thanks to Iowa Independent colleague Lynda Waddington for assistance with this story.
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