Reporter, commentator covering Iowa politics for the progressive website Bleeding Heartland. Co-host of "KHOI's Capitol Week," available on podcast platforms.
Apr 11 • 59 tweets • 12 min read
Thread: I'm at the Iowa Supreme Court building, where justices will soon hear oral arguments related to Iowa's near-total abortion ban (now blocked by Polk County District Court order). Arguments set to begin at 1:30 pm Central. I will be live tweeting. 1/
Some background reading: here's the District Court's temporary injunction from last July, soon after #ialegis approved new ban.
The state is appealing that decision, asking Iowa Supreme Court to allow near-total abortion ban to be enforced. 2/bleedingheartland.com/static/media/2…
Apr 4 • 7 tweets • 2 min read
Iowa Senate Rs are trying again to give @IAGovernor more control over judicial appointments by removing judges from district nominating commissions and giving governor one more appointee to those bodies.
Senate has approved this before; House Rs have not acted. 1/ #ialegis
Senate Rs introduced their judicial branch appropriations bill today, and it includes language giving governor de facto control over the commissions that send her District Court nominees.
Iowa House is debating governor's proposal to extend postpartum Medicaid coverage from 60 days to 12 months, but keep it "budget neutral" by cutting thousands of women and babies off from Medicaid coverage.
Floor manager, State Rep Devon Wood, delivering closing remarks now. 1/
State Rep Devon Wood read partial list of organizations registered in favor of bill to extend postpartum Medicaid coverage.
What she didn't mention: at the House subcommittee on bill, many of those groups urged lawmakers NOT to reduce income threshold. 2/legis.iowa.gov/lobbyist/repor…
Jul 11, 2023 • 100 tweets • 15 min read
Iowa House gaveled in a couple of minutes ago. Republican State Rep Shannon Lundgren is floor managing the near-total abortion ban (she also did that for the 2018 bill). She denies bill would affect anyone having miscarriage, says "medical emergency" is "defined broadly".
@StaedArt State Rep @AustinBaeth speaking now. America is not a theocracy. Iowa is not a theocracy governed by narrow Christian views.
People with strong religious faith are on different sides of this issue.
Jun 16, 2023 • 7 tweets • 3 min read
Breaking: Abortion remains LEGAL in Iowa as Iowa Supreme Court splits 3-3 on @IAGovernor's effort to reinstate 2018 abortion ban.
The split ruling leaves the lower court decision in effect under operation of law. So 2018 ban is still enjoined: iowacourts.gov/courtcases/183…
That Polk County District Court decision rejected the state's effort to lift an injunction on 2018 law that would ban almost all abortions after about 6 weeks.
My post from last December: bleedingheartland.com/2022/12/12/cou…
Jun 15, 2023 • 8 tweets • 4 min read
The Iowa Supreme Court will announce its decision in a major abortion case tomorrow morning. @IAGovernor asked the court to reinstate a 2018 abortion ban that was struck down in 2019. She didn't appeal at that time but has since appointed 4 new justices.
Almost exactly a year ago, the Iowa Supreme Court majority overturned a 2018 abortion rights precedent (which was the main reason @IAGovernor didn't try to fight for the 6-week ban in 2019).
Background on that decision: bleedingheartland.com/2022/06/20/iow…
Iowa Senate now taking up bill that would drastically reduce the ability of state auditor to obtain info relevant to an audit.
In committee, this bill was presented as all about protecting Iowans' private info.
Today @MBousselot offered amendment that drastically changed bill.
This is the bill that the Senate State Government Committee approved: legis.iowa.gov/legislation/Bi…
This is what Republicans want to do now: legis.iowa.gov/legislation/Bi…
.@ZachWahls offering amendment with language suggested by State Auditor @RobSandIA.
Mar 8, 2023 • 34 tweets • 8 min read
Republican Senator Jeff Edler now presenting the bill that will literally kill Iowa children: the ban on gender-affirming care (meds, hormones, surgery).
Says state has a duty to protect children and every child deserves a "natural" childhood including going through puberty.
Edler says the state already regulates other "harmful" behavior, e.g. doesn't allow children to get a tattoo, even with parental permission.
The flaw in this argument is that EVERY major medical, public health, and psych organization supports gender-affirming care. Not harmful.
Mar 7, 2023 • 28 tweets • 7 min read
I'm watching the Iowa Senate debate on the state government reorganization bill. A couple of Democratic amendments have been voted down.
The Senate approved a GOP amendment that removed the proposal to change confirmation votes from 2/3 to 3/5 majority. legis.iowa.gov/dashboard?view…
One of the Dem amendments would have preserved independence of community-based corrections. Bill puts them under direct control of Dept of Corrections.
Another amendment would have kept vocational rehabilitation services in Dept of Education (they're moving to Workforce Devel)
Mar 5, 2023 • 5 tweets • 2 min read
One of the best signs I’ve seen at the rally for trans rights outside Iowa’s state capitol.
So many people, so many great signs.
Feb 17, 2022 • 28 tweets • 6 min read
I'm listening to Iowa Senate subcommittee meeting on the bill to discriminate against #trans girls and women in sports.
One of the teenage girls who spoke in favor of the bill claimed letting "biological males" play girls sports would violate Title VII (SCOTUS wd say otherwise).
I missed first few minutes of meeting (Zoom issues) but so far I've only seen speakers in favor of bill.
Sometimes #ialegis committees alternate speakers in support/opposed.
Curious to see how much time Rs give opponents to speak.
Meeting scheduled w/less than 24 hrs notice.
Aug 17, 2021 • 17 tweets • 6 min read
Meeting scheduled to start in less than 10 minutes. Only agenda item is electing a fifth member (the other four members were selected by the top Republicans and Democrats in the Iowa House and Senate). #Iowa#redistricting
Ian Russell (one of the Democratic members of the Temporary Redistricting Advisory Commission) nominated Sue Lerdal to be the 5th member and chairperson of TRAC. Seconded by David Roederer, one of the Republican members.
Aug 11, 2021 • 7 tweets • 7 min read
New post: #Iowa's largest advocacy group for #Latinos, @LulacIowa, is asking @IowaSOS to let auditors in all 99 counties accept Spanish-language versions of voter registration and absentee ballot request forms.
I reviewed the petition & legal context: bleedingheartland.com/2021/08/11/adv…
A Polk County judge ruled in 2008 that it was illegal under #Iowa's English-only law for then @IowaSOS Michael Mauro to provide voter registration forms in other languages. @LulacIowa contends that's incorrect b/c the 2002 had an applicable exception: bleedingheartland.com/2021/08/11/adv…
Feb 10, 2021 • 19 tweets • 9 min read
An #Iowa Senate Education subcommittee will soon consider one of the many anti- #LGBTQ bills Republican lawmakers have introduced this year. Details on meeting: legis.iowa.gov/committees/mee…
Bill designed to stop #Iowa schools from accommodating #trans students: legis.iowa.gov/legislation/Bi…
Really unfortunate that some lawmakers are so hung up on bathrooms. The younger generation by and large does not care. #ialegis
Sep 16, 2020 • 29 tweets • 20 min read
Thread on attempts to influence #media coverage or intimidate journalists by using non-state actors w/close ties to government officials.
We will begin with a review of @ddkochel's furious attempts to throw #Iowa reporters off the scent of a big political story in July 2019. 1/
.@IAGovernor forced out #Iowa DHS Director Jerry Foxhoven in June 2019, giving no explanation for her decision. He kept quiet for weeks, then began hinting at reasons for his ouster. Naturally, political reporters closely followed the story. Background: 2/ bleedingheartland.com/2019/07/25/why…
Jun 22, 2020 • 6 tweets • 4 min read
Senator @joniernst has:
-never parted ways with Leader McConnell on any significant vote or issue
-never held the Trump administration accountable for anything
-either remained silent about abuses of power by POTUS or echoed White House talking points to downplay them #IASen
Since joining Senate GOP leadership team shortly after 2018 election, bleedingheartland.com/2018/11/14/gra… @joniernst has appeared on tv more frequently to promote talking points from Mitch McConnell or the White House.
Literally echoing what other people told her to say on a regular basis.
Jun 6, 2020 • 45 tweets • 26 min read
Iowa House about to debate SF 2338, the bill that would give employers immunity from lawsuits related to workers getting #COVID19. House Majority Leader Matt Windschitl used rare procedural move to limit debate to less than 40 minutes. Final vote will occur at 11 pm. #ialegis
Livestream of #Iowa House debate here: legis.iowa.gov/dashboard?view…
Democrats not happy Rs are limiting debate on this bill. #ialegis
Jun 9, 2019 • 93 tweets • 74 min read
Biggest cheer during @iowademocrats chair @troymprice's opening remarks came after he predicted #Iowa Ds will "send @joniernst into an early retirement." #IASen#HallofFame
Sen @CoryBooker is 1st candidate to speak at #HallofFame event. (19 candidates will each have 5 minutes)
"We are being tested. This is a moral moment in America, and we must meet this test. I'm running for president because we can't take 4 more years of Donald Trump." #iacaucus
