I just got off the phone with Lieutenant Mark Logsdon, head of the security detail at the Iowa Statehouse. A man in handcuffs was led out of the statehouse over an hour ago, and Logsdon confirms the man is accused of theft.
According to Logsdon, 38-year-old Marshall Clemons of Cedar Rapids was at the statehouse today, part of a "contingent" of union members who're lobbying legislators. Lobbyist Jim Henter confronted Clemons, according to Logsdon. I'll let Logsdon tell the story: "A lobbyist on the second floor of the capitol noticed an individual later identified as Marshall Clemons, had reached in and taken a ladies' billfold out of a purse. He followed this individual on the first floor of the capitol and found the money on this person and the billfold had been discarded into a recycling bin. The suspect reached into the recycling bin and retrieved it.
"At that time, the lobbyist told (Clemons) he needed to leave and basically never do that again, but (Clemons) proceeded down to the bathroom on the ground floor — the men's room — where he was corner by one of the capitol security officers, our blue coats we call them, who called for a trooper and this individual was later discovered to have discarded another lady's billfold in one of the toilets of the men's rest room," Logsdon said in a telephone interview.
According to Logsdon, Clemons was "part of a contingent of SEIU folks that had come to the capitol from Cedar Rapids." Clemons has been charged with two counts of fifth degree theft, a simple misdemeanor. He's been booked into the Polk County Jail. Clemons is a custodian at a school in Cedar Rapids. During the Democratic National Convention, he was invited to sit with then Vice Presidential nominee Joe Biden and his family. Biden and Clemons had been partners in one of SEIU's "walk a day in my shoes" events with presidential candidates. Clemons is on the executive board of SEIU's Local 199.
The two women and their billfolds have been reunited. "Actually, crime did not pay today. The long arm of the law came down and basically rained a little justice," Logsdon said. Phone calls to SEIU headquaters in Cedar Rapids and Washington, D.C. have not yet been returned.
My purse, by the way, is under lock and key right now.
About O.Kay Henderson
Kay is a founding member of the Radio Iowa network newsroom. In 1994, she became the network’s news director. She’s a featured reporter and commentator on Iowa Public Television’s “Iowa Press,” and the 2002 recipient of the Shelley Award.
Great SEIU. I wonder if VP Biden will walk a day in his shoes now.
What a theif!!!
Perhaps he just wanted his Fair Share? Is the whole SEIU organization corrupt? The FBI is still piecing together the SEIU deal with Gov Blago…
SEIU is terrible, the funny thing is, they went around defending Marshall and denying he did it. I know one of the Reps and local 199, and even they believed the lie that he didn’t do it. It’s so funny, because these people have done nothing for the people of iowa, except come in and take their money, for 0 to no benefits. Sarah Swisher, the “political” director (I use that term VERY VERY lightly) has been saying she is “bringing change” for a long time now and what has she gotten for the membership? A small raise for nurses, that probably doesn’t even cover the dues they pay. Still 52nd behind puerto rico and guam. So, With Sarah Swisher in charge, Iowa went from 52nd in nurse pay to…52nd. Good job Seiu. Good job Swisher. Keep stealing from people. Do you think she wants to go back to being a Nurse when she makes over 70000 a yr talking about changing things and really just sitting around? Collecting money off the union member’s hard work. Of course not. She doesn’t want to pass Fairshare, she would be out of a job! So she will keep failing, and saying “next year will be the year!” While all her members who pay her to do political work suffer.