Ralph Reed, the founder of the national Faith & Freedom Coalition, spoke to the Iowa Faith & Freedom Coalition crowd about the three Iowa Supreme Court justices who were voted off the bench in November’s judicial retention election. Reed said the three justices had “refused to honor the traditional institution of marriage and we’re not done yet.” The other four justices who signed onto the unanimous Varnum decision which paved the way for gay marriages in Iowa are still on the court. Those justices are on the ballot in future retention elections. Three new Republican members of the Iowa House have suggested those four justices should be impeached.
Reed’s brief, but pointed comment on this topic is interesting as a competing group representing Iowa conservatives — The Family Leader — has been more focused on the gay marriage issue than the Iowa Faith & Freedom Coalition. And The Family Leader’s new president is Bob Vander Plaats, chair of the 2010 campaign to unseat the three justices.
Without naming Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels by name, Reed also blasted the “truce” on social issues Daniels had suggested might best serve the Republican Party in 2012 when economic issues seem to be paramount with voters. (Daniels, a prospective presidential candidate, is NOT here this evening.) “I’d like to have a leader that can walk and chew gum at the same time,” Reed said.
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.
Recent Comments