Odds and ends, from debates to Glenn Beck

In no particular order, here are some items of political interest which have arrived in my email box this past week.

Iowa Public Television to Broadcast Republican Gubernatorial Debate Saturday, May 1

Debate sponsored by Iowa Broadcast News Association;
Broadcast Live on IPTV WORLD at 3:30 p.m., Rebroadcast on IPTV at 8 p.m.

(Johnston, Iowa)  — As part of the network’s Campaign 2010 coverage, Iowa Public Television will broadcast a debate among the three candidates vying for the Republican nomination for governor. The debate, sponsored by the Iowa Broadcast News Association, will be shown live on IPTV WORLD (statewide on IPTV.3 or Mediacom channel 119) Saturday, May 1 at 3:30 p.m. A rebroadcast of the debate will air on IPTV May 1 at 8 p.m.

The Republican Race for Iowa’s Governor: The IBNA Debate will take place in Cedar Rapids, and will include candidates Terry Branstad (R-Des Moines), Rod Roberts (R-Carroll), and Bob Vander Plaats (R-Sioux City).  Paul Yeager of Iowa Public Television, Jeneane Beck of Iowa Public Radio, and Todd Dorman of The Cedar Rapids Gazette will join moderator Bob Fisher, news director at KGLO Radio in Mason City.

The Libertarian Party held its statewide convention this weekend.  The party issued a news release this morning with the names of its nominees for governor, lieutenant governor and U.S. Senate.

Here’s a Radio Iowa story about the Libertarian candidates, focusing on Eric Cooper, the 44 year old ISU professor who is the party’s nominee for governor.

The Iowa Democratic Party has announced Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar will be the keynoter for its state convention in mid-June.

KLOBUCHAR TO HEADLINE IOWA DEMOCRATS’ STATE CONVENTION

DES MOINES, IA – Minnesota’s Senior Senator, Amy Klobuchar, will be the keynote speaker at the Iowa Democratic Party’s 2010 State Convention. She will join other Democratic elected officials and candidates including Senator Tom Harkin and Governor Chet Culver at the Convention.

“I was honored that Iowans would invite one of their neighbors from the north to speak at this year’s Convention. I look forward to joining Senator Harkin and others in Des Moines,” said Senator Amy Klobuchar.

“Senator Klobuchar will find a warm reception among Iowa Democrats, and we are very pleased that she will speak at our State Convention,” said Iowa Democratic Party Chairman Michael Kiernan.

Senator Klobuchar was elected in 2006, as the first woman elected to the United States Senate from Minnesota. Before running for Senate, she was a county prosecutor for eight years. She sits on the committees for the Judiciary, Agriculture, Environment and Public Works, as well as Commerce.

“Our State Convention marks the end of our caucus-to-convention process, but the beginning of a busy election-year. Iowa Democrats are united, and we are ready to fight to maintain our victories won over the last four years.”

This year’s State Convention will be held on Saturday, June 12 at Polk County Convention Complex.  Other speakers will include Senator Tom Harkin, Governor Chet Culver and other Democratic elected officials and candidates.

Convention delegates were elected at the County Conventions held earlier this year on March 13 and March 20.

Iowa Democrats boasted last week that they “outraised” the RPI in the first three months of 2010.  See the news release below.

IOWA DEMOCRATIC PARTY OUTRAISES REPUBLICAN PARTY OF IOWA

DES MOINES, IA – The Iowa Democratic Party successfully outraised the Republican Party of Iowa in the first quarter of 2010. The announcement comes as both parties have filed their financial reports with the Federal Election Commission.

The Iowa Democratic Party raised $379,100.50 for the quarter and has $177,033.17 cash-on-hand.1 The Republican Party of Iowa raised $208,187.04 and maintains $161,978.79 cash on hand.

“My goal is to make sure Iowa Democrats have the resources needed to win this November,” said Iowa Democratic Party Chairman Michael Kiernan.  “Between our fundraising success last year and our early success this year, we will meet our goal, and have the momentum to carry us through the year.”

In February, Iowa Democrats announced that it raised $2.47 million in 2009 while the Republican Party of Iowa raised $1.46 million.3

“Here’s the untold story: Iowa Democrats are excited. We have a 100,000 voter registration advantage. Forbes just highlighted Cedar Rapids and Des Moines for their progress in creating jobs and rebuilding the economy. Iowa Democrats are moving this state forward, and we will win in November.”

State reports for the first part of this year will be filed in May with the Iowa Ethics and Campaign Disclosure Board.

Last Monday, Republican gubernatorial candidates Bob Vander Plaats and Terry Branstad released information about their personal income tax returns.  Rod Roberts, the third Republican running for governor, released his tax returns late Tuesday and I failed to post that information on the blog.  Read it below.

ROBERTS RELEASES SUMMARY OF 2009 TAX RETURNS

Republican gubernatorial candidate State Representative Rod Roberts today released a summary of the state and federal joint tax returns filed by him and his wife, Trish.

Roberts and his wife reported income from wages and salaries of $137,072. Roberts earned $38,420 for his work as Executive Director of the Christian Evangelistic Mission, and he earned $26,902 for his work as a state legislator. His wife Trish earned $71,750 for her work with the St. Anthony Foundation, which supports St. Anthony Regional Hospital in Carroll.

Roberts and his wife also reported $1,504 of taxable interest income, ordinary dividend income of $146 (of which $58 were from qualified dividends), $164 from the taxable portion of their 2008 Iowa tax refund, and self-employment income from ministry and writing of $1,400. They had net farm rental income of $10,694 and their passive income of $690 from partnership K-1’s was offset by $11,364 of passive losses from partnership K-1’s, resulting in $0 taxable income from these activities and net farm income of $81. Their total income was $140,367, and their adjusted gross income was $136,488 following a one-half self-employment tax deduction of $3,879.

Their federal return lists $26,600 of itemized deductions. Roberts and his wife paid $4,892 in state and local taxes, $5,476 in real estate taxes, and $579 in personal property or other taxes. They also paid $7,743 in mortgage interest, reported $5,783 in charitable contributions, and claimed $2,127 in deductions for job expenses and certain other miscellaneous deductions. Roberts and his wife claimed a total of two exemptions for $7,300 in exemptions, resulting in a taxable income of $102,588.

After claiming a bio-fuel tax credit of $4,035 and also adding in self-employment tax liability of $7,757, the total federal tax liability for Roberts and his wife was $21,739. The couple had $11,718 of federal income tax withheld on W-2 wages, paid $8,240 in federal estimated taxes, and earned a federal “Making Work Pay” credit of $800 for total payments of $20,758. A net balance of $981 was owed with the federal return and was paid upon the filing of the return.

The Roberts’s state tax return showed a total tax liability of $4,898. They paid $4,834 through state withholding and estimated tax payments resulting in $64 being owed, which was paid upon filing their state tax return.

Finally, here’s some information about the Glenn Beck reference in the headline.

Congressman Dave Loebsack Invites Glenn Beck to Cedar Rapids
WASHINGTON DC – Congressman Loebsack invited Fox News commentator Glenn Beck to Cedar Rapids to view the damage the city sustained during the Floods of 2008. Along with an invitation to come to Iowa, Loebsack sent Beck a copy of “In Deep Water: The Flood of 2008,” a DVD that highlights the devastation Iowa suffered. On a recent episode of his television show, Beck referred to federal funds for disaster stricken Cedar Rapids as “government waste.” Beck was referring to funds for the National Czech & Slovak Museum and Library.

“I would like to extend an invitation for you to visit the City of Cedar Rapids and view the flood damage and continued recovery efforts first-hand. I have enclosed a DVD entitled ‘In Deep Water: The Flood of 2008’ that highlights the devastation that Cedar Rapids and the State of Iowa experienced,” wrote Loebsack.

The National Czech & Slovak Museum and Library had five building severely damaged during the flood with $11 million in total estimated damage. The museum’s reopening creates the potential for job creation, further economic development, and increased tourism in Cedar Rapids. The full text of the invitation is below.

Read more about Beck’s April 19th comments here, under the headline:  Time to Sober Up, America.  Before Beck made the comment about the Cedar Rapids museum, he had a bit of commentary about farm subsidies.