Iowa
Ron DeSantis discusses key GOP policies and how he would unite the country as president
![Ron DeSantis discusses key GOP policies and how he would unite the country as president](https://mediadc.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/af862e5/2147483647/strip/true/crop/1024x538%200%2073/resize/1200x630!/quality/90/?url=http://mediadc-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com/42/c9/21593af2482a927e9c0ee7fa1234/ap23341740552625.jpg)
Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL) participated in a town hall Tuesday in Iowa just over a month out from the state’s Republican caucuses on Jan. 15.
The Florida governor fielded questions from Iowa voters at Grand View University in Des Moines as part of the CNN town hall. DeSantis touched on topics ranging from abortion to shooting cartel members, and he presented a measured appearance compared to previous similar events. The event was moderated by CNN’s Jake Tapper.
LAGGING BIDEN LEANS ON POPULAR GOV. JOSH SHAPIRO FOR BOOST IN CRITICAL PENNSYLVANIA
Early stages of town hall
The evening started with DeSantis addressing foreign policy matters, particularly the wars in Ukraine and Gaza. He said Israel would take precedence in regard to aid. Fighting Russia is in the United States’s interest, DeSantis said, and he noted he is against Russia but argued the rest of Europe should be contributing to the fight as well.
DeSantis blamed worldwide criticism of Israel for its actions in Gaza on antisemitism, turning his focus on the United Nations in particular. As for civilian casualties, he blamed them entirely on Hamas for putting people in harm’s way, saying Hamas intends to carry out a “second Holocaust.” The Florida governor also voiced opposition to a two-state solution.
“I don’t think you can have a two-state solution … when the Arab Palestinians will view it as a stepping stone for the destruction of Israel,” he said.
Tapper asked DeSantis about his previous pledge to shoot cartel members at the border “stone-cold dead,” asking how such an order would be carried out and whether it was legal. The Florida governor avoided controversy courted in the fourth GOP debate when he referred to Arab men’s clothes as “man dresses,” but he kept the sentiment, saying everyone in Iraq “dressed the same,” leading to difficulty identifying suspected terrorists.
DeSantis: “As president, I’ll do the border on day one. Day one, we’re going to declare it a national emergency. I’m sending the military to the southern border. We’re going to stop the invasion…
“Most people that I talk to who are frustrated with some of the money going… pic.twitter.com/dKsBrjSiPK
— Never Back Down (@NvrBackDown24) December 13, 2023
DeSantis said he would mobilize intelligence operations like never before to identify cartel members at the border.
On Social Security
DeSantis said older people have earned their Social Security, saying, “A promise made is a promise kept.” He condemned Congress for stripping Social Security of money via IOUs and inflation. Bringing down inflation and getting control of the national debt would help fix the incoming Social Security crisis and ensure retirees have access to their earned payments, DeSantis said.
He took aim at Haley on the topic, pointing to her quote that the retirement age is “way, way, way too low,” positioning himself against her.
On abortion
DeSantis touted the strict abortion policies that his administration passed in Florida and turned his attention to former President Donald Trump.
He slammed Trump for “flip-flopping” on the topic of abortion, even questioning his honesty when making previous remarks.
“He has not been consistent, and I think there’s a lot of voters in Iowa, who really care about this, who need to know how he’s changed his position,” DeSantis said.
On uniting the country
DeSantis condemned Trump’s famous tweeting while in office, saying it created unnecessary division.
“We need to focus on principle; we need to aim higher,” DeSantis said.
The Florida Republican pledged instead to focus on bipartisanship, saying he would work with his opponents whenever possible.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER
The town hall came amid the backdrop of DeSantis vying to maintain second place in the polls.
As of Tuesday, FiveThirtyEight had Trump commanding the vote in the GOP primary field. Support for the former president ticked up to 61.7%, and DeSantis had 12.2% of support. DeSantis was followed closely by Haley, who garnered 11.3% of support.
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Iowa
Flooding, bacteria impacting parks & beaches this 4th of July
![Flooding, bacteria impacting parks & beaches this 4th of July](https://gray-kcrg-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/UXC4PJ5675FL5CBBWWC6HFL4OU.jpg?auth=1b3d04e1b3efe53510e65927a87a46e63d4cae376c62bc8903ad119c3bd9ef70&width=1200&height=600&smart=true)
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (KCRG) – Iowans will want to check before heading to their favorite state parks and beaches this 4th of July holiday.
The Iowa DNR says flooding and higher levels of bacteria are impacting several parks and beaches, including some in eastern Iowa.
In Black Hawk County, George Wyth State Park will be closed until at least July 9th because of flooding on the Cedar River. The DNR says the park is closed to all traffic, cars, bikes, walking, hiking and people. With trails flooded, gates will be closed for safety.
In Delaware County, the Iowa DNR says the North, East, and West gates at Backbone State Park are closed because of flooding. The DNR also says swimming at Backbone Lake is not recommended because of higher levels of E. Coli.
Copyright 2024 KCRG. All rights reserved.
Iowa
Ex-Iowa police chief gets 60-month sentence in illegal firearms case – UPI.com
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July 3 (UPI) — A police chief in a small Iowa town has been slapped with a 60-month federal prison sentence for illegally possessing a machine gun and making false statements to authorities, prosecutors announced Wednesday.
Bradley Eugene Wendt, former chief of police in Adair, Iowa, and owner of a firearms supply business in nearby Denison, Iowa, was found guilty by a jury of one count of conspiracy to make false statements to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms and eight counts of making a false statement to the ATF, federal prosecutors in Des Moines said in a statement.
Authorities accused Wendt of buying machine guns for the Adair Police Department but later reselling the weapons via his gun dealership at a personal profit of nearly $80,000 by falsely using “demonstration law letters.”
Among the weapons he illegally obtained was a .50 caliber machine gun called a “Ma Deuce,” which prosecutors say he “immediately mounted to his personally owned armored Humvee.”
Wendt also personally possessed a belt-fed, M60 machine gun registered to the Adair Police Department, which authorities said he allowed members of public to shoot for a fee during an event held in April 2022.
During his trial, Wendt insisted he had talked with ATF officials and was under the impression all of his transactions were legal, but prosecutors countered there was no plausible reason for a town of fewer than 1,000 people to acquire such heavy weaponry, the Des Moines Register reported.
They also pointed to texts and emails sent by Wendt to friends bragging about how he was using his post as police chief to obtain and sell firearms.
“We expect law enforcement officers to uphold their oath to protect and serve our communities. Instead, Brad Wendt broke the law and betrayed the community by unlawfully obtaining and selling firearms for his own personal profit,” said FBI Omaha Special Agent in Charge Eugene Kowel. “The FBI remains steadfast in aggressively investigating and bringing to justice those who misuse their authority for personal gain.”
The former police chief was fined $50,000 and will be required to serve a three-year term of supervised release upon completion of his 60-month prison sentence.
Iowa
These Iowa communities want traffic cameras
![These Iowa communities want traffic cameras](https://gray-kwqc-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/24MDYHEUTBHHPNYA5AP54HKYDU.jpg?auth=9543b9efca2ec492c2a6ae1a1e5970e05c9c94b21c9311be48a7f6867efd7a54&width=1200&height=600&smart=true)
DES MOINES, Iowa (Gray TV Iowa State Capitol Bureau) – The Iowa Department of Transportation confirmed to Gray TV Iowa that 25 cities and one county have applied to operate traffic cameras. Lawmakers passed legislation this past session that requires communities to apply for a permit through IDOT if they want traffic cameras.
IDOT reported that these communities applied for a traffic camera permit by the July 1st deadline:
- Buffalo
- Cedar Rapids
- Charles City
- Chester
- Davenport
- Des Moines
- Fayette
- Fort Dodge
- Fredericksburg
- Hazleton
- Hudson
- Independence
- La Porte City
- Le Claire
- Lee County
- Marion
- Marshalltown
- Muscatine
- Oelwein
- Postville
- Prairie City
- Sioux City
- Strawberry Point
- Tama
- Waterloo
- Webster City
- West Union
Some lawmakers have tried for the past several years to ban traffic cameras. Instead, legislators agreed to require changes that took away some of the local authority.
Communities have to demonstrate the need for the cameras, provide annual reports detailing collisions and citations at the intersections, and they can only give a ticket if a driver is going at least 11 miles per hour above the posted speed limit.
There are several changes for drivers. Previously, the owner of the vehicle that received the traffic citation received the ticket. Owners can now notify the jurisdiction if someone else was driving.
Drivers will also notice standardized fines in all communities, another state mandate by the legislature.
Fines for speeding offense:
- 11-20 miles per hour above the speed limit: $75
- 21-25 miles per hour above the speed limit: $100
- 26-30 miles per hour above the speed limit: $250
- More than 30 miles per hour above the speed limit: $500
About the author: Midwest native Dave Price is Gray Television’s Iowa Political Director for 10 stations that broadcast in the state and has been covering local, state and national politics from Iowa since 2001.
Dave produces and hosts “Inside Iowa Politics,” a weekly, in-depth show focused on interviews with top leaders on politics, issues, challenges and solutions that impact the state.
He has written two books about the Iowa Caucuses (“Caucus Chaos” and “Caucus Chaos Trump”). Email him at dave.price@gray.tv. Follow him on X (Twitter): @idaveprice Meta/Facebook: DavePriceNews Instagram: idaveprice and LinkedIn: Dave Price.
Dave welcomes your thoughts on what answers to seek from politicians and what issues challenge our communities.
Copyright 2024 KTIV. All rights reserved.
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