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Missouri’s legislature will adjourn at 6 p.m. today, Friday, May 17, 2013.  The Missouri Constitution proscribes the ending as there will be no consideration of bills after 6:00 p.m. on the first Friday following the second Monday in May. No appropriation bill may be considered after 6:00 p.m. on the first Friday after the first Monday in May.  

People, today is the first Friday after the second Monday in May!  Missouri’s legislature will adjourn tonight. Legislators in Jefferson City have been stockpiling paper, as the tradition is to throw papers in the air to celebrate at 6 p.m.

Jessica Machetta, a reporter for the Missourinet (a radio news network in Missouri — just like Radio Iowa and owned by the same company), wrote a haiku for the occasion.

Haiku for last day of the legislative session

One more sixteen-hour day,

Thousands of papers flying in the air,

Then politicians scatter like ash.

There will be no such celebration this evening at the Iowa Statehouse in Des Moines.

The Iowa Republican Party’s fundraising dinner tonight in Cedar Rapids featuring Kentucky Senator Rand Paul opened with a speech from Congressman Steve King.  King announced almost exactly a week ago (at 9:30 p.m. last Friday) that he would not run for the U.S. Senate.  King spoke about that decision, briefly.

AUDIO of King’s speech, runs 9:00

U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley spoke next.  Grassley described the ”once-in-a-generation opportunity” Iowa Republicans have after Democratic Senator Tom Harkin announced in January that he won’t seek reelection.

“Washington is long, long overdue to get its fiscal house in order and gettin’ rid of a liberal U.S. Senator and getting us a Republican senator will go a long ways to change that,” Grassley said.

AUDIO of Grassley’s speech, runs 13:30

Rand Paul chose to roam the stage with a separate microphone that was not connected to the sound system set up for broadcasters. The audio, therefore, is not airable quality (it’s hard to understand what he’s saying, in other words). I won’t be posting it here.  You can find the audio of his afternoon news conference here.

CSPAN Video here of Paul’s speech in Cedar Rapids this evening.

Late tonight, just after9:30 p.m. on a Friday, Congressman Steve King (R-Kiron) announced he would not run for the U.S. Senate.  Here’s the email he sent to supporters:

Dear Friends,

I want to thank all of my friends, family, advisors and supporters who have put so much time, thought, prayer, and effort into helping me make a decision on whether to run for the United States Senate. I sincerely thank every potential candidate, all of whom graciously gave me room to decide. Probably no one in America, considering such an opportunity, enjoys as clear a path to the nomination. It is an extraordinary opportunity that will not be repeated in millions of lifetimes.

I have said from the beginning this decision requires “the head, the gut, and the heart” to line up together. I have done due diligence and evaluated the race from a statewide, objective perspective. I have talked with hundreds of supporters…and some detractors. I sincerely thank all of you who have helped in so many ways.

My analytical part, the head, tells me the race is winnable and must be won in 2014 or a generational opportunity could be lost. I have said a race for the Senate is “a slight up hill battle”. It is, but it’s “no hill for a climber”.

The question I am answering today is, “What is my duty?” I believe my duty is to utilize the honor of serving Iowans in Congress by maximizing my effectiveness. I owe it to all Iowans and Americans to give you my best effort and best judgment.

We have in front of us in Congress a series of potent issues which will redirect the destiny of our state and nation. Among them are a farm bill, ObamaCare, debt and deficit, immigration, and tax reform. If I step away from these responsibilities while campaigning in an effort to multiply leverage in the Senate, what becomes of our nation in the mean time?

This week, I made a simple device to put toothpaste back in the tube. But a device to put the Leftist genie back in the bottle is not so simple. The best tool we have now is the majority in the U.S. House which functions mostly to keep the Leftist genie in the bottle. I cannot, in good conscience, turn my back on the destiny decisions of Congress today in order to direct all my efforts to a Senate race for next year, while hoping to gain the leverage to put the genie back in the bottle in 2015.

The most timely and conclusive piece of advice I received crystallized my decision. A friend, whose 77th birthday is today, said to me, “I will support you whatever you decide to do. If you decide to run, don’t be a reluctant candidate.” If I said, “Yes” to a Senate race, I would be a reluctant candidate because of the reasons I’ve written above.

Accordingly, I will not be a candidate for the United States Senate in 2014. It is my intention to turn my efforts and energy with great vigor to the issues at hand. I anticipate being on the ballot for reelection to the U.S. House, Fourth District of Iowa. It is a challenging and rewarding job that I enjoy. My sincerest thanks to all involved.

Respectfully,
 
Steve King
Member of Congress, Iowa

Congressman Tom Latham, a Republican from Clive, Iowa, announced weeks ago that he would not run for the U.S. Senate.  Today, Latham & his fundraising staff had a bit of fun with the Iowa political world’s obsession about the U.S. Senate race, writing in the subject line of an email: “I am seriously reconsidering.” The email was sent under Latham’s name.

Read the body of the email below:

Dear Friend:

You read that subject line right!

After experiencing today’s weather I am seriously reconsidering whether this truly is spring in Iowa.

But don’t fret.  I have it on very good authority that summer is on the way.  Really!  And I invite you to celebrate a well earned summer by Iowans at my annual family summer picnic – an event full of good food, music, fun and games for the whole family.

Your invitation will be arriving soon to join Kathy and I at this annual summer tradition.  So please mark your calendar now and save the date: Saturday, June 15, 2013 from 5:30 pm to 7:30 pm taking place at Living History Farms in Urbandale, Iowa.

Stay warm and safe today and join me in dreaming of better days ahead!

Tom

Cross another name off the list of potential GOP candidates for Iowa’s US Senate seat.  Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey issued a written statement this morning:

“After talking with my family and thoughtful consideration, I have decided that I will not seek the nomination for our open U.S. Senate seat.  I am humbled to have heard so many kind words from Iowans encouraging me to run.  Our state and nation are facing great challenges and we need strong leaders in Washington, but we also need strong leaders here in Iowa.  I feel at this time I can be more effective serving Iowans as Secretary of Agriculture rather than engaging in a Senate campaign. 

“Congressman Steve King has been a strong conservative leader in Washington and would serve our state well in the Senate.  Should he decide to run, he would have my full support.  If he decides against running, our state is fortunate to have many qualified and exciting candidates and I look forward to working with our party’s nominee to win this important election.”

Contact:
Dustin VandeHoef
515-418-0203

State Senator Kent Sorenson has released a series of documents via email, a response to ethics complaints filed against him.  Affidavit #4 is the key piece of his defense.

Sorenson’s Response to Allegations

Affidavit1 from Tony Stewart, central region coordinator for Bachmann’s Iowa campaign

 Affidavit2 from Christopher Dorr, field staffer for Bachmann’s Iowa campaign

Affidavit3 from Wes Enos, comptroller for Bachmann’s Iowa campaign

Affidavit4 from Sorenson’s attorney, saying Sorenson did not have any $7500 payments into his bank account from the sources from which he’s accused of taking payments

Read his written statement to the media below:

DES MOINES – Today at 1:00 p.m. the Iowa Senate Ethics Committee will meet to determine allegations of ethics violations charged against Senator Kent Sorenson (R-Milo).

Senator Sorenson has provided a full defense and is cooperating fully with the committee. He has provided affidavits from individuals who attest to his innocence on both allegations. 

“I have done everything I can to prove my innocence and address the allegations initiated by politicos who have an axe to grind. This has become a witch-hunt and it is time to put it to rest,” stated Sorenson.

Congressman Steve King, the Republican from Kiron who has yet to announce his decision about a race for the U.S. Senate, is raising money for his congressional campaign committee today.  Read King’s fundraising email to supporters below. It’s focused on his opposition to the immigraton reform bill that’s emerged in the U.S. Senate.

Dear Friend,

There is only one word you need to to know about the Gang of Eight’s immigration legislation…

AMNESTY!

Last week, comprehensive immigration reform legislation was introduced in the Senate and as expected, includes a “pathway to citizenship” for the vast majority of illegal immigrants currently residing in America.

There are no ifs, ands, or buts about it…this bill grants AMNESTY to millions of people here illegally!

Friend, D.C. insiders’ idea of immigration reform is the perfect example of what is wrong with Washington – and our Party. The self-styled Senate’s “Gang of Eight” and their counterpart in the House have iced out conservatives once again.

But we won’t let them get away with it.

That’s why I’m asking you to stand with me right now to demand amnesty be taken off the table! Please follow this link right now to donate $25, $50, $100 or more to my campaign and help me fight back.

Your donation to my campaign today is critical to allowing me to fight two battles—one against the immigration reform bill and one against those determined to defeat me. You see, I’m a huge target of the open borders crowd and they’ll spend millions of dollars attacking me. In fact, the election is more than a year-and-a-half away and they’re already saying vicious and inaccurate things about me!

So can I count on your immediate donation to help me fight back?

The Gang of Eight’s bill is aggressive and outrageous amnesty which contains only promises of a plan for border security when that’s the biggest immigratin issue we face! I expected this from Democrats, but come on Senate Republicans—you should know better! Republicans who support this bill have effectively said to Americans, “We are prepared to sacrifice the Rule of Law on the altar of misguided and erroneous political expediency.”

That’s why I’m working alongside five fellow authentic conservatives in the House to halt the Senate’s legislation once it arrives in our Chamber. It’s an uphill battle, and we need conservatives like you to force the establishment to listen to us.

But we have a finite window of time to act. I can’t emphasize enough how important this is. You see, Barack Obama wants amnesty to be the hallmark piece of his legacy and he’s already got influential Republicans in the Senate to drink the Kool-Aid. It’s now or never to STOP AMNESTY!

So won’t you stand with me to fight amnesty by donating $25, $50 $100 or more right away?

It’s not just me counting on you today. It’s every American who believes in the Constitution and the rule of law, and works hard every day to make ends meet. Thank you in advance for your support.

Sincerely,
 
Steve King
Member of Congress, Iowa

P.S. The Senate immigration bill grants AMNESTY to millions of illegal immigrants and we must STOP it in its tracks. Please stand with me and fight for true immigration reform by donating $25, $50, $100 or more today. Thanks—Steve

Iowa Lieutenant Governor Kim Reynolds sent this email to supporters this afternoon:

Dear Friends,

When Governor Branstad chose me as his Lieutenant Governor in 2010, I was honored to be a part of a team that would put our state back on track with a focus on job creation, making our schools the best in the nation, and restoring stability and predictability within Iowa’s budget.

Thanks to your support and your help, we are well on our way.

We inherited a $900 million budget gap and turned it around into a significant ending balance. Our innovative education reform measures continue advancing through the Legislature, and once signed into law, our students will receive the world-class education they deserve. This year, we expect to enact major property tax reforms that will reduce property taxes for all classes of property.

I am proud to Chair the Governor’s Science Technology Engineering and Math (STEM) initiative, where thousands of Iowa students are gaining the knowledge and skills they need to compete in a 21st Century economy.

And just today – the Governor and I attended a groundbreaking for a new Facebook facility, while Google announced another multi-million-dollar expansion. Since the governor and I were elected, we have seen more than $6 billion in capital investments in Iowa – and we are just getting started!
Governor Branstad and I still have a lot we want to accomplish on behalf you, the people of Iowa.

That’s why, after serious and thoughtful discussions with family, friends, supporters and constituents, I have decided to remain as Lieutenant Governor and will not seek a seat in the United States Senate.

I appreciate all the support, prayers and well-wishes you have given me as I have considered a run for U.S. Senate. I truly believe that my focus needs to remain on being Lieutenant Governor and working with Governor Branstad as we continue to move Iowa forward.

Thanks, and I look forward to visiting with you in your community soon.

Sincerely,
Lieutenant Governor Kim Reynolds  
Paid for by Governor Branstad Committee

Governor Bransad released the statement below after State Auditor Dave Vaudt announced he’s resigning – effective March 3 – to become GASB chairman.  (Read more and listen to Vaudt’s news conference here.)  Included in Branstad’s release is information about appointing a successor.

Branstad, Reynolds praise Vaudt on outstanding tenure of service as Iowa’s “Taxpayer Watchdog”

(DES MOINES) – Gov. Terry Branstad and Lt. Gov. Kim Reynolds today thanked state Auditor David Vaudt for his service as Iowa’s “Taxpayer Watchdog,” and wished him well as the new chairman of the Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB).

Vaudt, who served as Iowa’s state auditor from January 2003 to present, announced today that he is resigning his post following his election to chair the GASB.

Gov. Branstad’s statement on Auditor Vaudt:

“David Vaudt has been a dedicated public servant for the taxpayers of Iowa, and we will miss his incredible work as steward of our tax dollars. David embodied the principles of good budgeting, including not spending more than we take in, and avoiding the use of one-time money for ongoing expenses. David was an outstanding state auditor and will be very difficult to replace. I will look for a replacement who shares David Vaudt’s commitment to fiscal responsibility and knowledge of sound budgeting principles

Lt. Gov. Reynolds praised Vaudt’s commitment to rooting out budget mismanagement on behalf of taxpayers:

“Auditor Vaudt was instrumental in finding cases of budget mismanagement at both the state and local governmental levels, and ensuring those problems were fixed before causing further harm to taxpayers. In looking out for Iowa taxpayers, David Vaudt was always fair in his dealings with local and state officials. You always knew you could count on him for thoughtful audits, information and recommendations. Because of David Vaudt’s outspoken leadership on behalf of Iowa’s taxpayers, our office worked with him to put Iowa’s budget on sound financial footing for the first time in years. It has been a pleasure to work with him on behalf of Iowa’s taxpayers, and his leadership will be missed.”

Branstad notes the search for Vaudt’s replacement will begin immediately.

FACT SHEET:

Details on appointing a new state auditor are as follows:

• According to Iowa Code Chapter 69, when there is a vacancy in the office of auditor, the governor has the duty to fill the office by appointment. 
• Until an auditor is appointed by the governor, the governor is responsible for maintaining the office and its records in the interim.
• The person appointed by the governor will serve through the end of the current unexpired term. 
• The next election for auditor will occur during the next regularly scheduled election in 2014. 
• The salary of the auditor is fixed by the General Assembly.

Further information will be available soon for those interested for consideration in serving as Iowa’s next state auditor.

Republican National Committee chairman Reince Priebus made a quick stop in Des Moines, Iowa, today – part of his national “listening tour.”  He met privately with about 25 Iowa Republicans in Iowa GOP headquarters, then talked with reporters for about eight minutes.

AUDIO of Priebus speaking with reporters.

Priebus was asked about Senator Rand Paul’s overnight filibuster.

“I think it was completely awesome,” Priebus replied. “I was excited about it myself. I couldn’t go to bed. I’m still excited about it. You know what I’m excited about? I think our party needs some unity sometimes and it’s not easy not having the White House and sometimes you’ve got to scrap and claw for issues that can unify the party…This was a great issue in standing up to the president.”