Tempers flare in gun debate

At this hour the Iowa House is in the midst of a debate about guns.  Representative Matt Windschitl, a Republican from Missouri Valley, is a former Marine and he is also a trained gunsmith.  He works in the family business in Missouri Valley, the Double Barrell Shooters Supply.

Windschitl has offered a new plan as an alternative to a bill that would take guns away from people who’ve been convicted of dometic violence.  Instead, Windschitl proposes a state tax credit for domestic abuse victims who buy a new gun.  And he also wants to create a new state fund that would provide self-defense training to domestic abuse victims, including the technique of shooting “to wound” rather than shooting to kill.  That new state fund would be financed by fines assessed to those who are convicted of domestic assault.

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Former Mason City rep endorses Roberts

Bill Schickel, a former state representative from Mason City who is manning The Bean Walker website, announced this evening that he is resigning as secretary of the Republican Party of Iowa in order to formally endorse Rod Roberts, one of three Republicans seeking the GOP’s 2010 gubernatorial nomination.  This means eight former or current House members have endorsed Roberts in the past two weeks.  The time frame is significant as former House Speaker Chris Rants — a long-time leader of House Republicans — had been running for governor himself until February 18 when he dropped out of the race.  The eight current or former House members were likely unwilling or reluctant to publicly endorse Roberts with Rants in the race.

Read the news release about Schickel’s endorsement after the jump:

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Santorum addresses attack on his pro-life record

Former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum was the keynote speaker at an Iowa Christian Alliance event this evening and much of his 32-minute speech was spent talking about his pro-life record as a member of the U.S. House and then the U.S. Senate.  As Santorum told the crowd, he felt compelled to talk about it because of some “robocalls” which were made into Iowa preceding his visit, accusing him of being a “pro-life fraud.”

AUDIO: Santorum’s speech

“It wasn’t what I was planning on talking about, but I have to do a little aside because I understand that there have been some robocalls being made to people, talking about my pro-life convictions,” Santorum said about two minutes into his speech.

At the 16 minute mark of the speech, Santorum was addressing the specific criticism of his decision to endorse Senator Arlen Specter’s reelection bid in 2004.  “That was against the advice of my wife.  You would think after 20 years I would know better, but I was wrong in retrospect.  Now, the odd thing is I actually did it was for the pro-life cause…The reason I did was because he gave us a promise as chairman of the judiciary committee….to support two Supreme Court picks that the president was going to have after 2004 — Justice Roberts and Justice Alito.  Good intentions, not always a good result.”

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Iowa Christian Alliance event features Santorum, three GOP candidates for governor

The Iowa Christian Alliance is hosting an event this evening at a church in Windsor Heights and what follows is a live blog of the festivities.  Former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum is the keynote speaker.  Ralph Reed, formerly of the Christian Coalition, is the emcee.  Neither were able to fly into the Des Moines Airport due to fog.  Both landed at airports nearby and are driving as I type to get here.  Santorum’s flight to Des Moines was cancelled, so he flew into Cedar Rapids, hopped in a car and is due to arrive at about 6:15.  Reed was forced to fly to Minneapolis and drive the four-plus hours to Des Moines.  His arrival is pegged at 6:45 p.m.

A few moments ago a “young man” sidled up to the press table where four reporters and three laptops are positioned and left a neon yellow flier which hits Santorum for being “opposed to Right to Work.”  The flier suggests Santorum has something “in common” with five “big labor chronies” who are also pictured on the flier — the five would be President Barack Obama, U.S. Senator Tom Harkin, State Senate Majority Leader Mike Gronstal, Governor Chet Culver and Iowa House Speaker Pat Murphy.  There’s a “paid for by the National Right to Work Committee” line on the back of the flier in fine print, below these words in large, bold print: “On July 10, 1996, Rick Santorum joined liberal politicians like Ted Kennedy and Tom Harkin in voting against S. 1788 (National Right to Work Act) on the floor of the U.S. Senate.  Please ask Senator Santorum to pledge to support Right to Work and to never support forced unionism again.”

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Former senate president lobbying for harness racers

Jeff Lamberti, a Republican from Ankeny, was a former member of the Iowa House and Senate who served for a time as president of the Iowa Senate.  He also ran for Iowa’s third district congressional seat in 2006.  Congressman Leonard Boswell, a Democrat from Des Moines, won 52 percent of the vote contrasted with Lamberti’s 46 percent that year.  Lamberti recently appeared at an Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission meeting, speaking on the horse racing issue.

Read the news release from the harness racing industry after the jump:

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Santorum targeted by robocalls in Iowa

The Politico’s Jonathan Martin has the story, headlined “Iowa calls target Santorum.”  Former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum is speaking this evening at an Iowa Christian Alliance event in the Des Moines suburb of Windsor Heights.  The “robocall” questions Santorum’s bona fides on the abortion issue.

Buck Culver steals the limelight

The state’s “First Dog” made a public appearance late this morning.  First Lady Mari Culver; her children, John and Claire; and the family dog, Buck Culver, walked into the Animal Rescue League of Iowa shortly after 11 and the dog was swarmed with well-wishers.  The dog wasn’t shy about greeting people in the crowd either.  “He’s a hugger,” Mari Culver explained to people when the dog would put his paws on someone’s legs — or when he put his paws on Governor Chet Culver’s shoulders when the governor walked in the room.

The event at which the entire “first family” appeared?  It was a bill signing for legislation that establishes new regulations for dog kennels in Iowa and what better way to ‘illustrate” the story than to have your picture taken with a dog.  Buck is not quite a year old — “still a puppy” according Mrs. Culver.  The dog was a 2009 birthday gift from the Culver kids to their dad.  Buck decided to participate more fully in today’s event by putting his paws up on the table where the governor was seated to sign the bill into law.

Governor Culver is seated.  First Lady Mari Culver is seated, too, on the far right of the frame — almost entirely blocked in this picture by the photographer kneeling in front.  John Culver, a second grader, is standing next to his mother and his sister Claire, a third grader, is standing next to him.  The other child in the photograph — the one closest to the govenror — is the son of State Senator Matt McCoy.  Eight legislators are standing along the wall, behind Culver and crew.

Dogs can help politicians.  There was, of course, the infamous “Checkers” — the Nixon family pet who was the star of a significant speech in which Nixon said Checkers was the only gift he’d ever received from political donors.  Herbert Hoover had a trained guard dog named King Tut.  Millie, the pet dog of former First Lady Barbara Bush, “helped” Mrs. Bush write a book titled Millie’s Book:  as Dictated to Barbara Bush.

You may recall Buddy, the “first dog” of the Clinton White House who was often seen on a leash being held by the president as the first family walked to the helicopter to leave the White House during the months in which the nation was consumed by the Lewinsky scandal.

Txt ban 4 teens only

The Iowa House has dramatically scaled back a proposal which would have made it illegal for anyone to read or send text messages while driving on Iowa roads.  The House, instead, voted to make it illegal for just 16- and 17-year-olds to send text messages or play computer games while they’re driving.  Fifty-four House members voted for the teen-only texting/gaming ban on a procedural vote, then the revised bill passed with 55 “yes” votes.  Read the Radio Iowa story.

Culver tries to “stay” Wellmark premium hikes

Governor Chet Culver has taken an unusual step, trying to “halt” premium rate increases for those insured by Wellmark.   UPDATE:  Wellmark isn’t protesting.  Click on that link to read what a Wellmark spokesman and the state insurance commissioner had to say.

 Read the governor’s news release below.

Governor Culver Imposes Halt on Health Insurance Rate Hikes Pending Independent Review

Des Moines, IA – Governor Chet Culver today called for Wellmark to justify the 18% health insurance rate increase to the 80,000 Iowans affected. In a letter sent today to Insurance Commissioner Susan Voss, the Governor directs her office to stay the recently-announced insurance premium increases awarded to Wellmark Blue Cross-Blue Shield until a third-party, independent actuary can review the file and determine whether the Division’s processes used to award Wellmark the premium rate increases is justified.

“I share the concerns of many Iowans that the recent health insurance premium rate increases are a disturbing and unwelcomed surprise,” said Governor Chet Culver. “I am directing Insurance Commissioner Voss to take several actions that are intended to provide additional protections for the interests of Iowa health insurance consumers.

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Branstad’s new/old budget ideas

Governor Terry Branstad chose a campaign stop in Burnside, Iowa, as the place to unveil some budget reform ideas.  I’m sure the high schoolers to whom Branstad was speaking were keen on the subject. For those of you who’ve been around Iowa politics, you’ll notice these are ideas Branstad tried to implement during his 16-year tenure as governor.  UPDATE:  Here’s the Radio Iowa story, including quotes from an early afternoon interview with Branstad.

Read the campaign news release below:

(BURNSIDE, Iowa) – Gov. Terry Branstad today rolled out new policy that would end bad budget practices, replace yearly budgets with a biennial budget process, and develop and implement a five-year financial plan for state government.

“It is time to stop playing shell games with taxpayer dollars, stop erratic budget fixes and start talking honestly about the state’s finances,” said Gov. Branstad. “This proposal will end bad budget practices and again bring fiscal responsibility to the state.”

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