Head of statehouse security weighs in on House “disturbance”

Charlotte Eby of the Lee Enterprises/Cedar Rapids Gazette statehouse bureau tracked down the head of capitol securityfor his take on Tuesday night's public hearing.  It was Lieutenant Mark Logsdon's staff — state troopers – who conducted the audience out of the House balconies when Speaker Pat Murphy issued the order.

If you'd like to listen to the public hearing — up to the point when most of the audience was removed, the 54-minute audio file is at the bottom of this page.

Jason Clayworth's Des Moines Register story includes more from Governor Chet Culver on this episode.  Here's the pertinent part:

Culver said in an interview Wednesday afternoon that Murphy was "absolutely justified" in removing the crowd, particularly for safety concerns.

"Iowans want us to work together," Culver said. "They want us to solve problems. They want us to find common ground. And I think Iowans will reject efforts to kind of make news and to try to make opportunities to fight.

"I think the rhetoric we're hearing from the Republican chairman and some of the party activists is over the top," Culver said.

That probably would be a reference to Iowans for Tax Relief president Ed Failor, Junior's assertion that House Speaker Pat Murphy was acting like a "jack-booted Nazi" when he kicked the crowd out of the House Tuesday night.