Rep. Bobby Kaufmann

Kaufmann Supported A Racist Voter Identification Bill Which Threatened To Disenfranchise More Than One In Ten Iowa Voters And Defended Making It Harder To Vote During A Global Pandemic

Iowa Republicans Passed A Bill Which Threatened To Disenfranchise More Than One In Ten Iowa Voters

More Than One In Ten Iowa Voters—260,000 People—Did Not Have A Driver’s License Or Non- Operator ID And Could Be Disenfranchised By The Bill. “The ACLU of Iowa reports that 11 percent of eligible Iowa voters—260,000 people—don’t have a driver’s license or non-operator ID, according to the US Census and the Iowa Department of Transportation, and could be disenfranchised by the bill.” [Ari Berman – The Nation, 4/13/17]

House File 516 Sought To Eliminate The Option For Voters To Check A Single Box For Straight-Party Voting, Put Money Toward Helping Precincts Purchase Digital Poll Books, And Establish Post-Election Audits. “Other provisions would eliminate the option for voters to check a single box for straight-party voting, put money toward helping precincts purchase digital poll books, and establish post-election audits.” [The Gazette, 3/23/17]

House File 516 Sought To Reduce The Time For Sending Out Absentee Ballots Before An Election By Over 25%. “Republicans made changes that would reduce the time for sending out absentee ballots before an election from 40 days to 29; would allow teenagers who turn 18 by the general election to vote in the earlier primary; and would establish four-digit voter ID cards.” [The Gazette, 3/23/17]

The Bill Was Supposedly Going To Provide Voter ID Cards For Those Without ID, But The GOP Bill’s Red Tape Measures Failed, Leaving Voters Waiting And Wondering If They Would Be Able To Exercise Their Right To Vote

The Bill’s Sponsor Projected That Half A Million Would Be Needed To Implement Voter ID Cards; Other States Enacting Voter ID Requirements Have Spent Millions On The Change. “Voter ID, on the other hand, won’t come cheap. It would almost certainly create confusion and delay at the polls. Pate initially projected $500,000 would be needed to implement voter ID cards, later reducing this estimate. But Pate’s estimates are based on currently registered voters, not the number of eligible voters who lack an ID. Other states enacting voter ID requirements have spent millions on the change.” [Editorial – The Gazette, 2/2/17]

Registered Voters Without An Iowa ID Were Supposed To Receive A Voting Card In The Mail Automatically, But Some Said They Waited Weeks Without Getting Theirs. “Iowa’s voter identification law is creating confusion for some Des Moines college students who have out-of-state IDs. Registered voters without an Iowa ID are supposed to receive a voting card in the mail automatically, but some Drake University students say they have waited weeks without getting theirs. Katie O’Keefe is a recent graduate with a Minnesota driver’s license. She updated her voter registration in Iowa more than a month ago, ‘but I have not received anything in the mail yet so I still don’t have any card or anything to prove I can actually vote here,’ O’Keefe said.” [Iowa Public Radio, 10/24/19] The Gazette Editorial: “There Simply Is No Justification For A New, Expensive Voter Identification System, Especially At A Time When Lawmakers Are Wrestling With Commitments That Outpace Revenues.” “There simply is no justification for a new, expensive voter identification system, especially at a time when lawmakers are wrestling with commitments that outpace revenues. And especially one that will make it more complicated for Iowans to exercise their right to vote.” [Editorial – The Gazette, 2/2/17]

Quad City Times Editorial: The Suppressive Measure Was Intentionally Racist— “Nothing More Than Jim Crow's Well-Dressed Grandson”

Minority Voters Were Incredibly Less Likely To Vote In States With Voter ID Laws. “Minority voters are incredibly less likely to vote in states with voter ID laws, says a 2016 landmark study by researcher at University California, San Diego. Blacks are especially hard hit, the first-of-its-kind study says. But Hispanics, Asians and mixed-race voters, too, are exponentially less likely to cast ballots.” [Editorial – Quad City Times, 2/2/17]

Quad City Times Editorial: The Policy Was A Strategy That Opted To Keep Opposition Voters From The Polls Instead Of Working For Their Votes— “Nothing More Than Jim Crow's Well-Dressed Grandson.” “Minority voters are incredibly less likely to vote in states with voter ID laws, says a 2016 landmark study by researcher at University California, San Diego. […] The result — already known by the masterminds of these ridiculous laws — is a pronounced benefit for Republican candidates. It's a strategy that opts to keep opposition voters from the polls instead of working for their votes. It's nothing more than Jim Crow's well-dressed grandson.” [Editorial – Quad City Times, 2/2/17]

Quad City Times Editorial: The Suppressive Effect These Voter ID Laws Had On Targeted Communities Was Intentional, With Public Services Harder To Access For The Poor And Public Transportation “Somewhere Between Lackluster And Nonexistent In Most Of Iowa.” “Pate's dodging the real issue, and he knows it. Public services are harder to access for those living in poor neighborhoods. Public transportation is somewhere between lackluster and nonexistent in most of Iowa. Access to motor vehicle offices and county clerks is a nationwide problem that, in part, explains the suppressive effect these voter ID laws have on targeted communities.” [Editorial – Quad City Times, 2/2/17]

Quad City Times Editorial: The Suppressive Effect These Voter ID Laws Had On Targeted Communities Was Intentional, With Public Services Harder To Access For The Poor And Public Transportation “Somewhere Between Lackluster And Nonexistent In Most Of Iowa.” “I thought of my grandmother, who passed away in 2005 at 99, when the Iowa Legislature passed a strict voter-ID law today. She didn’t have a driver’s license because she never drove (she’d frequently walk two miles from her apartment to the grocery store). Her passport expired long ago. She never had a US birth certificate because she was born in Poland and fled the Holocaust. She used her Medicare card as identification. She didn’t possess any of the forms of government-issued photo identification that Iowa will soon require to vote.” [Ari Berman – The Nation, 4/13/17]

Iowa Republicans Cited The Circular Logic That The Law Was Necessary To Combat The Perception Of Fraud Which They Stoked, Though Its Existence Was Infinitesimal

Iowa Republicans Asserted That The Law Was Necessary To Combat The Perception Of Fraud, Which Republicans Commonly Claimed Was Widespread. “Iowa has some of the best-run elections in the country. There were only 10 alleged cases of fraud out of 1.6 million votes cast in 2016 and no cases of voter impersonation that a voter-ID law might’ve stopped. […] Yet Iowa Republicans, who now control state government for the first time in two decades, say the law is necessary to combat the ‘perception’ of fraud—a perception created by Republicans who alleged for a decade without evidence that such fraud was widespread. ‘It is true that there isn’t widespread voter fraud,’ State Representative Ken Rizer told The New York Times. ‘But there is a perception that the system can be cheated. That’s one of the reasons for doing this.’ The fact that Republicans are pointing to the mere ‘perception’ of fraud as a reason to disenfranchise thousands of voters shows why Trump’s baseless assertions that millions are voting illegally is so damaging.” [Ari Berman – The Nation, 4/13/17]

Voter Fraud Was Found To Exist In “Very Small Numbers” Between 0.00004% And 0.0009% Nationally. “A report called ‘The Truth About Voter Fraud’ issued by the Brennan Center for Justice found voter fraud rates were between 0.00004% and 0.0009%. Voter fraud exists ‘in very small numbers,’ said David Becker, executive director of the Center for Election Innovation & Research.” [CNN, 1/26/17]

Investigations Found Statistically Insignificant Instances Voter Fraud In Iowa, With The Majority Of Those Cases Attributable To Errors Rather Than Nefarious Intent. “And for what? Iowa elections are celebrated as one of the nation’s most voter-friendly. Relatively speaking, Iowa boasts high voter turnout. Previous investigations have found statistically insignificant instances voter fraud. The majority of those cases can be attributed to errors, not nefarious intent.” [Editorial – The Gazette, 2/2/17]

Kaufmann Voted For The Bill

Kaufmann: “I Voted For It. I Have Been Crystal Clear In The Last Four Years That I Favor Showing A Form Of Identification In Order To Vote.” “This bill received a lot of attention from those who are both opposed and for the bill. I visited with many of you on this issue. In the end I voted for it. I have been crystal clear in the last four years that I favor showing a form of identification in order to vote.” [Bobby Kaufmann – West Branch Times, 3/17/17]

Kaufmann Worked To Make It Harder To Vote During A Global Pandemic

Rep. Kaufman Voted To Pass The Senate Amendment That Included Voter ID Requirements And Restrictions On Auditors Filling In Missing Information On Absentee Ballots As Part Of The FY21 Budget. [Vote To Concur With H-8317, Journal Of The House, 88th General Assembly, 6/14/20] (pg. 772- 73)

Iowa Republicans Voted To Expand The State’s Voter ID Program In The Dead Of Night And Make It Harder For Absentee Ballot Requests To Be Approved. “The Iowa Legislature adjourned its coronavirus- disrupted 2020 session Sunday after a marathon overnight debate that saw the passage of a mostly status quo budget and a controversial expansion of the state's voter ID program. The Senate passed the proposed $7.78 billion budget at about 6 a.m. Sunday after debating the bill overnight. The House resumed session at 10 a.m. to finalize it. The Legislature officially adjourned at 1:38 p.m… Democrats were furious to see voter ID requirement language attached to the budget that had been stripped out of an earlier election bill after House Republicans and Democrats reached a compromise. Voters who go to their county courthouse or auditor's office to vote early in person would now have to provide ID before receiving their ballots. And if a voter provides incomplete or incorrect information when requesting a mailed absentee ballot, the county auditor's office would be required to contact the voter first by telephone and email, then by physical mail, rather than using an existing voter registration database to fill in the blanks.” [Des Moines Register, 6/14/20]

 Republicans Repealed A Law Allowing County Election Officials To Update Incorrect Or Incomplete Information On Absentee Ballot Requests, Forcing Them To Contact Voters Directly And Lengthening The Absentee Request Process. “On the final day of session, Republican lawmakers tacked on an amendment to a budget bill that would make more changes to the process, this time in a way local elections officials say will hinder the process of voting by mail for some Iowans. Under the old law, if an absentee ballot application had incorrect or incomplete information, county auditors could add and update it ‘by the best means available,’ which often times was by checking their voting database. Now under the new law they are barred from doing that. They have to contact voters by e-mail, phone or by mail to correct discrepancies. Linn County Auditor Joel Miller in an interview said practically, most people will need to be contacted by mail since his office doesn't have the email and phone numbers of many registered voters in his county. ‘This is going to be a problem,’ said Miller. ‘What the default here is saying is we’re going to need to contact anyone who has an error on that absent ballot request form—we’re going to have to do it by mail. Now you’re adding a few days to the process.’ Out of the 155,000 registered voters in the county, the auditor's office only has 9,000 emails and 56,000 phone numbers. A lot of people choose not to provide this information since doing so makes it a public record, and Miller said auditors often times discourage Iowan voters from sharing it.” [CBS Iowa, 7/2/20]

Rep. Kauffman Defended The Voter ID Provisions And Denied It Was Voter Suppression. “‘The intent of this is to ensure that the person that actually wants a ballot is the person that gets a ballot. This is not really big draconian policies. This is not voter suppression, no matter how many times you say it,’ said Rep. Bobby Kaufmann, R-Wilton. Rep. Mary Mascher, D-Iowa City, said Democrats took Kaufmann at his word when he reached a deal removing the language from the earlier election bill. ‘Rep. Kaufmann, you’ve broken a trust. We won’t make that mistake again,’ she said.” [Des Moines Register, 6/14/20]

Democrats In The House Said Kaufman Had “Broken A Trust” By Claiming He Had Reached A Deal With The Senate To Remove The Voter ID Language. “‘The intent of this is to ensure that the person that actually wants a ballot is the person that gets a ballot. This is not really big draconian policies. This is not voter suppression, no matter how many times you say it,’ said Rep. Bobby Kaufmann, R-Wilton. Rep. Mary Mascher, D-Iowa City, said Democrats took Kaufmann at his word when he reached a deal removing the language from the earlier election bill. ‘Rep. Kaufmann, you’ve broken a trust. We won’t make that mistake again,’ she said.” [Des Moines Register, 6/14/20]

Kaufman Facilitated A “Generational Disinvestment In Public Higher Education” By Voting To Cut More Than $30 Million From Iowa Universities And Community Colleges

2017: Kaufmann Voted To Cut Nearly $20 Million From Iowa Universities And Millions More From Iowa Community Colleges And The State Department Of Education

Senate File 130 Was A De-Appropriations Bill That Included $88.2 Million In Targeted Cuts. “Republicans who now control the Iowa Senate took their first official floor action Thursday to head off a projected state budget shortfall by making $117.8 million in spending adjustments that minority Democrats assailed as unnecessary mid-year cuts that will hurt Iowans. ‘We're doing our best to try to fix a problem we did not make,’ said Sen. Charles Schneider, of West Des Moines who managed debate on Senate File 130 – a de-appropriations bill that included $88.2 million in targeted cuts and $25 million in fund transfers to balance the fiscal 2017 ledger.” [Sioux City Journal, 1/26/17]

Senate File 130 Cut $8 Million From The University Of Iowa, $8 Million From Iowa State University, $2 Million From The University Of Northern Iowa, $3 Million From Community Colleges And $4.5 Million From The State Department Of Education. “That meant cuts of $18 million to the regent universities -- $8 million each at the University of Iowa and Iowa State University and $2 million for the University of Northern Iowa -- $3 million for community colleges, $5.5 million for correctional facilities, $4.5 million for the state Department of Education, $3 million for the court system, $1 million for public safety, and $11.5 million in what Democrats called "secret, mystery" cuts through executive-branch operations through June 30.” [Sioux City Journal, 1/26/17]

Democrats Criticized Republicans For Cutting Education While “Asking For Nothing From The Fat Cats Who Have Benefited From Record Tax Cuts And Special Tax Giveaways.” “But Democrats said the cuts hit vulnerable children, seniors and people with disabilities, along with students and public safety in a way that was dangerous and would lead to higher tuition, more college debt and a continued lack of qualified, skilled workers for desperate employers. ‘Your surgical cuts are really a knife into the heart of education funding in this budget,’ said Sen. Bill Dotzler, D-Waterloo. ‘Our employers are crying for a more skilled and educated workforce. This bill tells them to go fish,’ added Sen. Joe Bolkcom, D-Iowa City. ‘You all campaigned on supporting education and your first vote on the Senate floor is to cut funding for education. Nice broken promise.’ […] ‘You are asking for nothing from the fat cats who have benefited from record tax cuts and special tax giveaways,’ said Bolkcom ‘The people who clean this building pay more in state taxes than the big guys. The burden of the cuts is all being shouldered by average Iowans.’” [Sioux City Journal, 1/26/17]

Rep. Kaufmann Voted To Pass Senate File 130. [Senate File 130 – 2017 Session, 1/30/17]

2018: Kaufman Facilitated A “Generational Disinvestment In Public Higher Education” With Another Vote To Cut Over $10 Million From Iowa Universities And Further Defund Community Colleges

Senate File 2117 Was A De-Appropriations Measure That Included $25 Million In Funding Cuts To State Agencies. “Legislation intended to erase a projected general-fund shortfall and keep the state budget balanced through June 30 was approved by the GOP-led Iowa Senate on Wednesday evening and sent to Gov. Kim Reynolds for her expected signature. On a 28-21 party line vote, senators approved a de-appropriations measure that would cut $25 million in funding to state agencies and repurpose $10 million in uncommitted gaming revenues earmarked for economic development incentives to be deposited in the general fund account as a ‘revenue enhancement.’ All 28 GOP senators voted for the bill, while 20 Democrats and one independent opposed the measure. The revised Senate File 2117, approved by the Iowa House 59-41 one day earlier, would leave the state with a projected ending balance of $31.9 million on June 30 after the cuts and adjustments are made.” [The Gazette, 3/21/18]

Senate File 2117’s Largest Cut Was Nearly $11 Million From The University Of Iowa And Iowa State University. “The largest spending reduction — nearly $11 million over the next three months — will come from the University of Iowa and Iowa State University, while human services will take a $4.3 million cut, the prison system will lose $3.4 million, the court system will be pared back by $1.6 million, and community colleges would be cut $500,000.” [The Gazette, 3/21/18]

Senate File 2117 Also Cut Half A Million Dollars From Funding For Community Colleges. “The largest spending reduction — nearly $11 million over the next three months — will come from the University of Iowa and Iowa State University, while human services will take a $4.3 million cut, the prison system will lose $3.4 million, the court system will be pared back by $1.6 million, and community colleges would be cut $500,000.” [The Gazette, 3/21/18]

The University Of Iowa Dropped In National Rankings As It Cut Dozens Of Jobs And Put More Than 100 Projects On Hold And Reduced Funding To Or Closed A Dozen Centers, Including The Center For Agricultural Safety And Health And A Center To Supports Education And Resources For Veterans And The Enlisted

2018: The University Of Iowa Dropped Seven Slots And Iowa State University Dropped Three Slots In The National Rankings Of Public Schools By U.S. News & World Report. “Iowa’s governor is defending budget cuts to the state’s university system as some schools lose ground in national rankings. The University of Iowa dropped seven slots and Iowa State University dropped three slots in new national rankings of public schools by U.S. News & World Report.” [Iowa Public Radio, 9/12/18]

● University Of Iowa President J. Bruce Harreld: The School’s Declining Stature Was “A Predictable Result Of The Generational Disinvestment In Public Higher Education.” “The University of Iowa is ranked 38th in the latest rankings of the nation’s best public universities published by U.S. News & World Report. The 2019 U.S. News & World Report ‘Best Colleges’ rankings, released Monday, Sept. 10, place the UI in a tie with Indiana University Bloomington, the University of Delaware, and SUNY University at Buffalo. Iowa’s ranking is down seven spots from last year’s 31, and UI President J. Bruce Harreld says the decrease is a predictable result of the generational disinvestment in public higher education.” [University of Iowa, 9/10/18]

● Harreld: “Resources Do Matter, And Without Adequate Resources From The State, We Aren’t Able To Make The Needed Investments In Student Outcomes.” “‘Resources do matter, and without adequate resources from the state, we aren’t able to make the needed investments in student outcomes that would lead to higher rankings by U.S. News & World Report and other ranking organizations,’ says Harreld, pointing out that the university currently receives a lower appropriation from the state than it did in 1998. ‘Without increased commitment from our state government partners and increased tuition, it will be increasingly difficult to make the kinds of investments needed to improve student outcomes.’” [University of Iowa, 9/10/18]

2018: The University Of Iowa Put More Than 100 Projects On Hold, Including An Addition To A University Of Iowa Hospitals And Clinics Facility And A Facility For The Museum Of Art. “State funding for the University of Iowa is trending downward, but this September, the institution's leaders are expected to ask for more support from Iowan politicians. […] More than 100 projects were put on hold. Most of the projects were maintenance-related, but bigger building projects were also affected, including a wrestling facility, an addition to a University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics facility and a facility for the Museum of Art.” [Iowa Press-Citizen, 9/5/18] ● The University Of Iowa Announced It Would Close Seven Centers, Including The Iowa Center For Higher Education, And Reduce Funding To Five Others. “University officials plan to close seven centers and reduce funding to five others within the next year. Among the centers that will close is the Iowa Center for Higher Education, housed at the former AIB College of Business campus in Des Moines. The closures and reductions will result in job losses for 33 people, the university announced Tuesday. University officials estimate they will save nearly $3.6 million once the cuts are complete. The savings will be funneled back into the university’s general fund to replace reductions in state financial aid in recent years, a university spokesperson said. Those reductions had helped pay for teaching, research and other programs for students.” [Iowa Press- Citizen, 7/10/18]

● The University Of Iowa Would No Longer Help Iowans With Workplace-Related Training, Dentist Recruitment, Farm Safety, Or Understanding The Aging Process. “The University of Iowa no longer will help Iowans with workplace-related training, dentist recruitment, farm safety, or understanding the aging process, officials announced Tuesday.” [Iowa Press-Citizen, 7/10/18]

● Centers With Reduced Funding Included Iowa’s Center For Agricultural Safety And Health And A Center To Supports Education And Resources For Veterans And The Enlisted. “Funding will also be reduced for the following centers: The DeLTA Center[,] Iowa’s Center for Agricultural Safety and Health (I-CASH)[,] Iowa Supports Education and Resources for Veterans and Enlisted (I-SERVE)[.]” [WHO TV, 7/10/18]

● The University Also Planned To Eliminate More Than 30 Positions. “The university also plans to eliminate more than 30 positions that are not directly related to students’ instruction. They say some of these employees may be reassigned to other university positions.” [WHO TV, 7/10/18]

The Gazette Editorial: “Many Iowans Are Extremely Concerned About The Impact These Huge Cuts Will Have On Our Higher Education System, Especially At A Moment When Everyone Seems To Agree Job And Career Training Are Crucial To The State's Economic Future.” “Democrats are complaining the midyear cuts could have been avoided altogether. Many would have preferred to generate new revenue, shrink the year-end balance or consider dipping into the state's rainy day fund. Most notably, the Republican budget cut law takes $11 million from the University of Iowa and Iowa State University, along with $500,000 from the state's community colleges. Many Iowans are extremely concerned about the impact these huge cuts will have on our higher education system, especially at a moment when everyone seems to agree job and career training are crucial to the state's economic future.” [Editorial – The Gazette, 3/31/18]

Rep. Kaufmann Voted To Pass Senate File 2117. [Senate File 2117 – 2018 Session, 3/20/18]

Kaufmann Voted For Tax Legislation That Overwhelmingly Benefited The Wealthy At The Expense Of The Majority Of Iowans

After Years Of Budget Cuts, Iowa Republicans Passed A Multi-Billion Dollar Tax Cut Giving About Half Of All The Money To The Top 2.5% Iowans Earning $60,000 Or Less Made Up More Than Two Thirds Of All Tax Filers But Received Only About 13% Of The Total Tax Savings

After Consecutive Years Of Budget Cuts, Iowa Republicans Passed A Multi-Billion Dollar Tax Cut Which Went Mostly To Those In The Highest Income Brackets. “Iowa lawmakers are preparing to slash income taxes by more than $2 billion over the next six years. […] The rich will get the largest share of tax cuts[:] […] The Department of Revenue analysis shows that the largest tax savings will go to Iowans in the highest income brackets. […] Lawmakers have had to make budget cuts during each of the last two years.” [Des Moines Register, 5/4/18]

● The Gazette Editorial: “It Does Not Take An Accountant To See A Budget Crunch Year Is A Poor Time To Pass Historic Tax Cuts. This Is A Moment To Tighten Our Belts, Not Give Our Pants Away.” “Perhaps the worst part about these last-minute budget cuts is Iowans have no assurance we won't be back in the same spot again next year. Despite a string of lackluster revenue projections in recent years, Republican policymakers are on a mission to skim even more off the state's coffers. Reynolds and legislative Republicans have vowed to pass a major tax reform package yet this year, though Iowans still have no clear idea what it will look like, with only weeks left in the session. A plan released by the governor's office earlier this year would reduce $1.7 billion from Iowans' tax bills in its first six years, while a bill already approved by the Iowa Senate would slash $200 million in its first year, ramping up to $1.2 billion annually in five years. It does not take an accountant to see a budget crunch year is a poor time to pass historic tax cuts. This is a moment to tighten our belts, not give our pants away.” [Editorial – The Gazette, 3/31/18]

The Republican Bill Gave The Top 2.5% Of Iowa Earners 46% Of All Tax Cuts. “Taxpayers earning $250,000 and above — who represent about 2.5 percent of all taxpayers — will see a collective savings of $206 million. That represents 46 percent of the total $443 million taxpayers will save in tax year 2021, the Department of Revenue reports.” [Des Moines Register, 5/4/18]

Iowans Earning $60,000 Or Less — More Than Two Thirds Of All Tax Filers — Received About 13% Of The Total Tax Savings. “In tax year 2021, Iowans who earn $60,000 or less — more than two thirds of all tax filers — will save about $58 million collectively. That represents about 13 percent of the total tax savings of $443 million.” [Des Moines Register, 5/4/18]

The Bill Would Eliminate Corporate Income Taxes And Phase Out Individual Income Taxes. “Federal deductibility for corporate income taxes is slated to be eliminated by tax year 2021, with some exceptions, while the phaseout for individual income taxes will be completed by 2023.” [Des Moines Register, 5/4/18]

Iowans Earning The Least Money Would See Their Income Tax Savings Essentially Entirely Wiped Out By Republicans’ Regressive Sales Tax Increase, While Millionaires Received Income Tax Cuts More Than 100 Times What They Paid In Sales Taxes

Iowans Making $20,000 A Year Or Less Would Only Average $18 In Income Tax Savings While Those Earning A Million Annually Were Estimated To Get A Tax Cut More Than A Thousand Times Greater At About $25,000 The GOP Tax Plan Paired Its Sweeping Income Tax Cuts With Increased Sales Taxes. “While the GOP tax plan includes sweeping income tax cuts, it also raises some taxes. The proposal calls for collecting sales taxes on video streaming services, digital video rentals, ride share services and taxis. Officials argue those moves will modernize the tax code and provide parity between online and brick-and-mortar retailers.” [Des Moines Register, 5/4/18]

The GOP Sales Tax Increase Was Expected To Cost Those Earning Less Than $25,000 A Year $16, Earners Of $43,000-65,000 $47 A Year And Those Making $426 Or More $224 Annually. “Those earning less than $25,000 will pay an average of $16 in additional sales tax each year. Those earning between $43,000 and $65,000 will pay an extra $47 per year in sales tax, the analysis predicts. And those earning $426,000 or more will pay $224 more in additional sales tax annually.” [Des Moines Register, 5/4/18]

● The Republican Tax Bill Would Save Iowans Making $10,001 To $20,000 An Average Of $18 Per Year. “Iowa lawmakers are preparing to slash income taxes by more than $2 billion over the next six years. But how much should Iowans expect to save on their next tax bill? […] Filers with adjusted gross incomes of $10,001 to $20,000 will see the largest percentage cut: Their tax liability is expected to decrease 51.8 percent. But that's only an average savings of $18 per year.” [Des Moines Register, 5/4/18]

● Iowans Making $50,001 And $60,000 Were Estimated To Receive An Average Tax Cut Of $156. “Filers whose income falls between $50,001 and $60,000 should see an average savings of 7.8 percent. That could mean an average tax cut of $156.” [Des Moines Register, 5/4/18]

● Iowans Making More Than A Million Dollars Per Year Were Estimated To Get A Tax Cut Of Nearly $25,000. “Filers whose adjusted gross income is more than $1 million per year will see a 19.4 percent savings. That would equal a savings of $24,636 on average.” [Des Moines Register, 5/4/18]

Rep. Kaufmann Voted To Pass Senate File 2417. [Senate File 2417 – 2018 Session, 5/5/18]

Kaufmann And Other Iowa Republicans Passed A Koch-Backed Law Similar To Wisconsin’s Act 10 Which Sought To Essentially Neuter Public- Sector Unions And Strip An Estimated 184,000 Iowans Of Rights To Negotiate Working Conditions

House File 291 Was A Wisconsin-Style Bill That Striped Most Public Sector Union Workers Of The Right To Negotiate Fair Working Conditions Or Good Benefits

House File 291 Made Drastic Changes To How Public Sector Employees Could Negotiate Working Conditions, Removing Health Insurance And Other Benefits From Mandatory Contract Negotiations For Most Public Sector Union Workers. “The bill makes drastic changes to how public sector employees can negotiate working conditions. It removes health insurance and other benefits from mandatory contract negotiations for most public sector union workers.” [Telegraph Herald, 2/17/17]

Union Representatives Criticized House File 291, A Bill Similar To The Controversial 2011 Wisconsin Collective Bargaining Law, For Effectively Gutting Public Sector Labor Unions In Iowa. “Despite staunch union and Democratic opposition, Republican lawmakers Thursday passed sweeping changes that will scale back collective-bargaining rights for public workers in Iowa. […] Union representatives contend the legislation effectively guts public sector labor unions in the state. […] The proposal is similar to Wisconsin's 2011 collective-bargaining law that drew large demonstrations to that state.” [Telegraph Herald, 2/17/17]

Des Moines Register Editorial: House File 291 Was “A Bill To Essentially Neuter Public-Sector Unions And Strip An Estimated 184,000 Iowans Of Rights To Negotiate Working Conditions And Job Benefits.” “They want everyone to shut up and leave them alone so they can ram through a bill to essentially neuter public-sector unions and strip an estimated 184,000 Iowans of rights to negotiate working conditions and job benefits. Legislators don't seem remotely interested in the real-world implications of what happens when their bill becomes law.” [Editorial – Des Moines Register, 2/14/17]

The Bill Blocked Most Public-Sector Unions From Negotiating Over Health Insurance, Evaluation And Staff Reduction Procedures, And Paying Union Dues

House File 291 Gave Local And State Government Officials Unilateral Discretion On Health Insurance, Evaluation Procedures, Procedures For Staff Reduction, Release Time, Grievance Procedures, Seniority, Union Dues Payroll Deduction And Supplemental Pay. “The proposal would limit mandatory negotiations only to ‘base wages and other matters mutually agreed upon.’ That would give local and state government officials unilateral discretion on health insurance, evaluation procedures, procedures for staff reduction, release time, grievance procedures, seniority, union dues payroll deduction and supplemental pay.” [Telegraph Herald, 2/17/17]

● Des Moines Register Editorial: “Blocking Most Public-Sector Unions From Negotiating Over Health Insurance Leaves Hundreds Of Thousands Of Workers (And Their Family Members) Wondering Whether They Would Still Receive Health Insurance Through Their Public-Sector Employers.” “Instead of solving problems, the bill creates them. Blocking most public-sector unions from negotiating over health insurance leaves hundreds of thousands of workers (and their family members) wondering whether they would still receive health insurance through their public-sector employers.” [Editorial – Des Moines Register, 2/14/17]

The Bill Limited Wage Increases And Barred Arbitrators From Considering Ways To Increase Revenue To Honor Agreements While Mandating Consideration Of “Current Economic Conditions,” Paving The Way For Pay Cuts With Every Economic Downturn

Under House File 291, Annual Wage Increases Also Would Be Limited To 3 Percent Or The Consumer Price Index, Whichever Was Less. “Annual wage increases also would be limited to 3 percent or the consumer price index, whichever is less.” [Telegraph Herald, 2/17/17]

Under House File 291, Arbitrators Were Forbidden From Considering Ways To Increase Revenue To Honor Agreements But Required To Consider “The Financial Ability Of The Public Employer” To Meet The Cost Of A Bargaining Agreement “In Light Of Current Economic Conditions.” “The bill also changes the arbitration process. An arbitrator would be required to consider the financial ability of the public employer to meet the cost of a bargaining agreement in light of current economic conditions. Arbitrators also would be prohibited from considering the ability to raise taxes or fees to increase revenue, and they would be unable consider past bargaining agreements.” [Telegraph Herald, 2/17/17] House File 291 Blocked All Unions From Collecting Voluntary Union Dues For Public Employees

House File 291 Blocked All Unions, Even Those Representing Public Safety Officers, From Collecting Union Dues For Public Employees. “Rep. Dave Heaton, R-Mount Pleasant, voted against House File 291, along with five other Republicans. […] The legislation excludes public safety employees, including police officers, firefighters, park rangers and state troopers, from changes to the current law. But all unions, even those representing public safety officers, would be kept from taking union dues from public employees' paychecks.” [The Hawk Eye, 2/17/17]

The Collection Of Dues Through Payroll Deduction Barred By The Bill Was Previously A Voluntary Practice. “Public-sector unions must win a recertification vote before each new contract (every two to three years). […] And unions are now barred from collecting dues through payroll deduction, a practice that was already voluntary.” [Dissent Magazine, 3/21/17]

House File 291 Forced Unions To Re-Certify Before Every Negotiation, Pay For Every Election And Win A Majority Of All Workers Rather Than All Workers Voting In The Election

House File 291 Forced All Unions To Be Re-Certified Before The Start Of Every Contract Negotiation. “All unions also would have to be re-certified before the start of every contract negotiation.” [The Hawk Eye, 2/17/17]

The Bill Required The Union To Win A Majority Of Workers In The Bargaining Unit— Not Just Those Voting— And It Required The Union To Pay For The Election. “Public-sector unions must win a recertification vote before each new contract (every two to three years). To twist that knife, the law requires the union to win a majority of workers in the bargaining unit (not just those voting) and it requires for the union to pay for the election. And unions are now barred from collecting dues through payroll deduction, a practice that was already voluntary.” [Dissent Magazine, 3/21/17]

Though Six Republicans Voted Against The Legislation, Citing Concerns Such As It Frightening Educators, Rep. Kaufmann Voted To Pass It

Republican Rep. Dave Heaton: “A Lot Of People, Especially In Education… Were Frightened With This Legislation.” “Rep. Dave Heaton, R-Mount Pleasant, voted against House File 291, along with five other Republicans. ‘I guess when you really look at it, I voted my constituency,’ said Heaton, a former teacher and small business owner. ‘I have a broad breadth of people that I represent, and I had a lot of people, especially in education, who were frightened with this legislation. So, I guess I voted my constituency and voted no.’” [The Hawk Eye, 2/17/17]

The Predictable Negative Consequences Of Weakening Collective Bargaining Included Staff Shortages In Education And Health Care, Eroding Wages In An Already Low-Wage State, Disproportionate Economic Damage To Rural Areas Where Public Entities Are Major Employers. “A recent report from the Iowa Policy Project details some of the devastating consequences of proposed changes to the 1974 collective bargaining law passed by a Republican-majority legislature and signed into law by Republican Gov. Robert Ray. These include staff shortages in education and health care, eroding wages in an already low-wage state, disproportionate economic damage to rural areas where public entities are major employers, expanded government bureaucracy and the ‘spillover’ effect of putting downward pressure on wages and benefits in private-sector jobs. ‘The long list of predictable negative consequences of weakening the law begs the question: What problems do state leaders aim to remedy by proposing dramatic changes?’ the report asks.” [Editorial – Des Moines Register, 2/14/17]

Rep. Kaufmann Voted To Pass House File 291. [House File 291 – 2017 Session, 2/16/17]

The Koch-Backed Americans For Prosperity Lobbied Aggressively For The Bill And Had A Presence At The Signing Ceremony, Though Media And The General Public Were Barred

The AFP Lobbyist Broke Ethics Rules And Was Unanimously Reprimanded By The House Ethics Committee

The Public Was Not Allowed To Witness The Signing Of House File 291, Nor Was The Media, But Americans For Prosperity Iowa Chairman Drew Klein Was. “Branstad defended the presence of Americans for Prosperity (AFP) Iowa State Director Drew Klein in his formal office when he signed House File 291 into law. Branstad also posed for pictures with Klein, who was one of just a handful of people who spoke in favor of the legislation at public comment sessions before bill was passed largely along party lines Feb. 16. ‘We had a few people who made a specific request to be able to witness the bill signing including a lot of staff people who worked on it, so we accommodated that,’ Branstad said. However, media requests to be present for the signing were not accommodated. ‘It wasn’t a public bill signing. It wasn’t a formal bill signing,’ Branstad said at his weekly news conference Monday. ‘‘It wasn’t a big thing as far as that goes.’ It was a big deal for Danny Homan, president of AFSCME Local 61 that represents nearly 20,000 state employees. ‘When was the last time you’ve seen this governor sign a bill without doing it in front of the press?’ Homan said in a conference call with reporters Monday. ‘Who was in the room? The Iowa chairman of the AFP. That said volumes to me as to who was behind and pulling the strings for the passage of this law.’” [Sioux City Journal, 2/20/17]

Klein Lobbied Aggressively For The Collective Bargaining Bill Without Registering His Support For The Bill As Required By House Ethics Rules. “Iowa Federation of Labor president Ken Sagar filed the complaint alleging Klein lobbied aggressively for the collective bargaining bill without registering his support for the bill as required by House ethics rules. Klein argued he believed he had registered to lobby. The committee concluded the complaint was valid, but there was no malice in Klein’s actions.” [Iowa Public Radio, 3/22/17]

The Ethics Committee In The Iowa House Unanimously Voted To Reprimand The Koch-Funded Lobbyist For Failing To Register As A Lobbyist On The Controversial Legislation. “The Ethics Committee in the Iowa House Wednesday voted unanimously to reprimand Drew Klein with the Koch Brothers- funded group Americans for Prosperity for failing to register as a lobbyist on controversial legislation earlier this session.” [Iowa Public Radio, 3/22/17]

Kaufmann Supported The Most Restrictive Abortion Law In The Country, Which Was Designed To Force A Lawsuit So Trump-Appointed Supreme Court Justices Could Overturn Roe v. Wade Iowa Republicans Passed A Fetal Heartbeat Bill With Hopes That It Would Be “The Vehicle That Will Ultimately Provide Change And Provide The Opportunity To Overturn Roe v. Wade”

The Law Was Struck Down As An Unconstitutional Violation Of A Woman’s Fundamental Right To An Abortion

The Iowa Legislature Passed A Fetal Heartbeat Bill That Would Make Most Abortions Illegal After About Six Weeks Of Pregnancy. “Iowa's Legislature has passed a bill that would make most abortions illegal once a fetal heartbeat can be detected. The measure, which would effectively ban abortions after about six weeks of pregnancy, passed the state House late Tuesday and the state Senate early Wednesday. Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds has not said whether she will sign the bill.” [NPR, 5/2/18]

● Pregnant Women Were Often Unaware Of Their Pregnancies At The Six Week Mark. “The legislation would ban most abortions after a fetal heartbeat is detected, at about six weeks into a pregnancy — often before many women even know they’re pregnant.” [Des Moines Register, 5/1/18]

Iowa Republicans Wanted The Bill, Senate File 359, To Draw A Legal Challenge So It Could Advance To The U.S. Supreme Court, With The Goal Is Of Overturning The Landmark Roe v. Wade Decision. “Republicans who debated Senate File 359 late into the night Tuesday said they hope their law will face a legal challenge so it can advance to the U.S. Supreme Court. Their goal is to overturn the 1973 landmark case Roe v. Wade, which established that women have a constitutional right to an abortion. The Supreme Court has declined to hear similar cases in recent years. But as states continue to pass legislation restricting abortions and President Donald Trump appoints more conservative federal judges, such as Justice Neil Gorsuch, abortion opponents are increasingly optimistic.” [Des Moines Register, 5/1/18]

As National Republicans Prepared For A Fight To Replace Justice Anthony Kennedy, Iowa Republicans Anticipated That By The Time The Bill Reached The U.S. Supreme Court, Trump Could Have Appointed Another One Or Two Justices Who Could Bolster Gorsuch And Overturn Roe. “Conservatives' argument for passing a law now is that by the time it reaches the U.S. Supreme Court — which could take three or four years — Trump could potentially have appointed another one or two justices who could bolster Gorsuch and overturn Roe. Several national groups are gearing up for a fight to replace Justice Anthony Kennedy, who legal experts speculate could retire as soon as this year. Kennedy was nominated by President Ronald Reagan, but has voted in favor of abortion rights in key cases.” [Des Moines Register, 5/1/18]

● Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds Boasted That “The Movement That Elected A Pro-Life President And Vice President In President Trump And Vice President Pence” Was “Shifting The Direction Of The Supreme Court.” “At an antiabortion event last year, Reynolds advocated for legislation ‘that protects mothers and the unborn.’ ‘All of you are part of the movement that elected a pro- life president and vice president in President Trump and Vice President Pence,’ she told supporters, adding that they are ‘shifting the direction of the Supreme Court.’ Planned Parenthood Voters of Iowa predicted an ‘expensive, lengthy legal battle’ after lawmakers passed the bill on Wednesday. ‘Today's actions to ban abortion are an embarrassment to Iowa and they will remain a blemish on our state for the foreseeable future, serving as one more reminder that Iowa's leadership does not value health care,’ the organization said in a statement.” [Washington Post, 5/2/18]

● Republican Sen. Rick Bertrand: “This Bill Will Be The Vehicle That Will Ultimately Provide Change And Provide The Opportunity To Overturn Roe v. Wade.” “Many lawmakers who support the ‘heartbeat bill’ hope it does lead to a legal battle that winds its way to the highest court of the land. Emboldened by the court's makeup, they think it will help overturn Roe v. Wade, the 1973 decision by the Supreme Court that legalized the right to an abortion in all 50 states. ‘This bill will be the vehicle that will ultimately provide change and provide the opportunity to overturn Roe v. Wade,’ Sen. Rick Bertrand, a Republican, said during the floor debate. ‘There's nothing hidden here about the agenda.’” [CNN, 5/2/18]

The Bill Was The Nation's Most Restrictive Abortion Ban. “The Republican-led legislature in Iowa has passed a bill that, if signed into law, will become the nation's most restrictive abortion ban: It forbids doctors from performing the procedure after a fetal heartbeat is detected.” [CNN, 5/2/18]

A State Judge Struck Down The Law, Finding It Was Unconstitutional And Ran Counter To Iowa Supreme Court Decisions That Affirmed A Woman’s Fundamental Right To An Abortion. “A state judge on Tuesday struck down Iowa’s restrictive ‘fetal heartbeat’ abortion law, which would have been the most restrictive anti-abortion law in the nation. Judge Michael Huppert found the law unconstitutional, concluding that the Iowa Supreme Court’s earlier decisions that affirm a woman’s fundamental right to an abortion would include the new law passed last year[.] He also cited several cases in federal court, including decisions in 2015 and 2016 in the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals that indicated such abortion laws were unconstitutional.” [Associated Press, 1/22/19]

Kaufmann Voted For The Bill. [Senate File 359 – 2018 Session, 5/1/18]

Kaufmann Supported An Unprecedented Legislative Coup To Strip The Attorney General Of Authority To Oppose Trump Policies Like Family Separation

Kaufmann Voted For A Bill To Strip The Democratic Attorney General Of His Power To Join Lawsuits Against Policies Coming Out Of The Trump Administration, A Limit Which Existed In No Other State

Iowa Republicans Proposed New Restrictions On The State's Democratic Attorney General To Prevent Him From Joining Lawsuits Against Policies Coming Out Of The Trump Administration. “Iowa Republicans have proposed new restrictions on the state's Democratic attorney general to prevent him from joining lawsuits that target President Donald Trump's administration. Tom Miller, as the state's chief legal officer, joined six lawsuits in 2018 that were initiated in other states seeking to block many of Trump's policies, including separating families on the southern U.S. border and requiring citizenship information in the 2020 census.” [Des Moines Register, 4/18/19]

The Proposal Would Require Miller's Office To Get Permission To Join Out-Of-State Lawsuits, Only Allowing Non-Iowa Suits If Requested By The Governor, The General Assembly Or The Executive Council, Which Also Included The Governor. “Worthan filed his proposal this week, tacking it onto a budget bill moving through the Iowa House of Representatives, that would require Miller's office to get permission to join out-of-state lawsuits. If the proposal becomes law, the attorney general could only prosecute non-Iowa suits if requested by the governor, the General Assembly or the Executive Council, which also includes the governor.” [Des Moines Register, 4/18/19]

Iowa Would Have Been The Only State With Such A Provision. “Had Reynolds let the measure become law, Iowa Code would have required the attorney general to seek permission from the governor, Legislature or executive council — which includes the governor — to join multi-state lawsuits. Iowa would have been the only state with such a provision.” [Des Moines Register, 5/22/19]

● Former Maine Attorney General Jim Tierney "There Is No Question That Iowa Would Be The Only State That Has Done This To Itself, And That The Only Losers Are The People Of Iowa.” “‘There is no question that Iowa would be the only state that has done this to itself, and that the only losers are the people of Iowa,’ said Jim Tierney, a Harvard Law School lecturer who served as Maine attorney general from 1980 to 1990.” [Associated Press, 5/15/19]

Attorney General Tom Miller: The Proposal “Goes To The Heart Of The Office Of The Attorney General.” “‘What’s being proposed sort of goes to the heart of the office of the attorney general,’ Miller told the Des Moines Register. ‘Deciding when to file a lawsuit and whether there’s a legal basis for it, is within our authority, expertise … what the public expects of us.’” [Des Moines Register, 4/18/19]

2018: Attorney General Tom Miller Joined Six Lawsuits To Block Trump's Policies Like Separating Families On The Southern U.S. Border And Requiring Citizenship Information In The 2020 Census. “Iowa Republicans have proposed new restrictions on the state's Democratic attorney general to prevent him from joining lawsuits that target President Donald Trump's administration. Tom Miller, as the state's chief legal officer, joined six lawsuits in 2018 that were initiated in other states seeking to block many of Trump's policies, including separating families on the southern U.S. border and requiring citizenship information in the 2020 census.” [Des Moines Register, 4/18/19]

Miller’s Office Joined About 26 Amicus Briefs And 50 Letters To Federal Agencies Challenging The Trump Administration, At An Estimated Cost Of $10,000 Or Less. “Miller’s office also has joined other states in signing on to about 26 amicus briefs and 50 letters to federal agencies challenging the Trump administration's actions, according to the attorney general’s office. The office estimates its cost of participating falls between $7,500 and $10,000.” [Des Moines Register, 4/18/19]

Miller: “As Written, The Language Would Affect Far More Than Lawsuits Against The Federal Government And Would Limit Our Ability To Act On Such Issues As Consumer Protection, Antitrust Violations And Medicaid Fraud.” “‘We believe Iowa would be the only state in the nation to have these restrictions on the power and duties of the Attorney General,’ Miller said in a later statement Thursday afternoon. ‘As written, the language would affect far more than lawsuits against the federal government and would limit our ability to act on such issues as consumer protection, antitrust violations and Medicaid fraud.’” [Des Moines Register, 4/18/19]

Kaufmann Voted For The Bill. [Senate File 615 – 2019 Session, 4/23/19]

Republicans Acknowledged The Effort Was Partisan, Charging That The Attorney General Had No Right To Pursue The Agenda Which Voters Ratified By A Margin Of More Than 50 Points In 2018 Republicans Admitted That Their Opposition Was Because The Attorney General’s Actions Were Contrary To The Partisan Agenda Of The Republican Governor And Republican Legislature. “But Republicans say the efforts are partisan. ‘We have a Republican governor, we have a Republican Legislature, and we have had an attorney general that has been going outside of the state taking part in lawsuits that are the complete antithesis to the agenda that the governor and the Legislature has set,’ said Rep. Gary Worthan, R-Storm Lake.” [Des Moines Register, 4/18/19]

The Bill Sponsor Cited Several Legal Actions From Miller's Office, Including On The Census Case And Suits Against The 2017 Travel Ban: “If He Had Had To Come To Us For Any Of Those, He Wouldn’t Have Gotten Approval To Take Part.” “Last year, the Republican lawmaker called out lawsuits and other legal actions taken by the attorney general's office during a House floor debate on Miller's office budget. He threatened to dock the office’s budget by 10 percent in response to its involvement in these lawsuits. Worthan cited several legal actions from Miller's office, including on the census case and suits against the 2017 travel ban. ‘If he had had to come to us for any of those, he wouldn’t have gotten approval to take part,’ Worthan said.” [Des Moines Register, 4/18/19]

● Bill Sponsor: “It’s Up To The Governor And The Legislature To Set The Agenda For The State, Not The Attorney General.” “‘It’s up to the governor and the Legislature to set the agenda for the state, not the attorney general. And that’s the motivation behind it.’” [Des Moines Register, 4/18/19]

Miller Argued That He Was Overwhelmingly Re-Elected By Iowans In 2018 After He Took On Some Trump Administration Policies Regarding Internet Access And Safeguarding The Federal Health Care Law's Guarantee Of Coverage For People With Pre-Existing Conditions. “Miller has said he joins out-of- state cases only when the law and the interest of Iowans indicate that he should. Cases he joined against the Trump administration involved internet access, immigration policies including the separation of children from their parents, and safeguarding the federal health care law's guarantee of coverage for people with pre-existing conditions. Miller also said Iowans overwhelmingly re-elected him in 2018 after he took on some Trump administration policies during the president's first two years.” [Associated Press, 5/15/19]

● Miller Was Re-Elected By A 54 Point Margin, 77-53. “Tom Miller[-] Democrat[:] 871,646[,] 77.0%[;] Marco Battaglia[-] Libertarian[:] 259,630[,] 23.0[.]” [New York Times, 11/6/18]

Iowa’s Republican Governor Vetoed The Bill After Attorney General Tom Miller Gave Away His Power To Sue In Order To Preserve It For Future Attorneys General

The Republican Gov. Vetoed The Legislation, In Exchange For A Promise From The Attorney General To Not To File Out-Of-State Lawsuits On Behalf Of The State Without The Consent Of The Governor's Office. “Gov. Kim Reynolds on Wednesday vetoed legislation that would have limited the powers of the Iowa attorney general's office, in exchange for a promise from the current attorney general to seek the governor's permission before filing some lawsuits. The measure that the Republican governor vetoed, passed by the Republican-controlled Iowa Legislature last month, was intended as a rebuke of Democratic Iowa Attorney General Tom Miller's decision to join lawsuits targeting President Donald Trump. Republicans still got much of what they wanted. After meeting privately with the governor and negotiating through staff, Miller agreed not to file out-of-state lawsuits on behalf of the State of Iowa without the consent of the governor's office. But he could continue to file suits when the Attorney General of Iowa is the plaintiff.” [Des Moines Register, 5/22/19]

Miller, The Nation's Longest-Serving Attorney General, Explained That The Agreement Meant That He Generally Would Not Be Suing The Trump Administration But It Was More Important To Protect The Power And Duties Of The Attorney General's Office Than Join Those Suits. “Miller, in a statement, said his agreement with Reynolds ‘means that, generally, I will not be suing the Trump administration.’ He said it was more important to protect the power and duties of the attorney general's office than join those suits. The nation's longest-serving attorney general, Miller had lobbied the Legislature not to approve the measure.” [Des Moines Register, 5/22/19]

Attorneys General From Both Parties, Across The Nation, Spoke Out Against The Attempted Seizure Of Power

Idaho’s Republican Attorney General Lawrence Wasden Rebuked The Bill: “It Is Essential That We Retain As Many Of Our Inherent Checks And Balances As Possible To Ensure The Our Offices Function As That Envisioned By Our States' Founding Fathers, Instead Of According To Political Cycles.” “He asked fellow attorneys general to write to Reynolds and explain why the limitations are a bad idea. "As a nation of checks and balances, it is essential that we retain as many of our inherent checks and balances as possible to ensure the our offices function as that envisioned by our states' founding fathers, instead of according to political cycles," wrote Idaho Attorney General Lawrence Wasden, who is a Republican.” [Des Moines Register, 5/15/19]

Former Democratic And Republican Attorneys General Asked Gov. Reynolds To Veto The Measure: “Our Office Holders Should Cultivate — Not Impede — Elected Officials' Ability To Work Together And Independently For The Good Of Us All.” “In another letter to Reynolds, a group of former Democratic and Republican attorneys general asked her to veto the measure. ‘Our office holders should cultivate — not impede — elected officials' ability to work together and independently for the good of us all,’ they wrote. The signers included Republican Jon Bruning of Nebraska, Betty Montgomery of Ohio and Democrats Dustin McDaniel of Arkansas, and Patrick Lynch of Rhode Island.” [Associated Press, 5/15/19]

Kaufmann Voted To Give The Republican Governor Control Over The Judicial Nomination Process After Conservative Outrage At Rulings Upholding Marriage Equality & Abortion Rights

Conservatives Wanted To Change The Process For Selecting Iowa Judges After Court Decisions Legalized Same-Sex Marriage In The State And Struck Down New Abortion Restrictions

A 2018 Court Ruling Against Abortion Restrictions Inspired A 2019 Law That Would Give The Republican Governor Immediate Control Over The Judicial Nominating Commission And Force Out The Chief Justice Who Had Long Been A Swing Vote

The 2019 Law Gave The Republican Governor A Majority Of Appointments To The Commission That Nominated Finalists For Openings On The Iowa Supreme Court And Court Of Appeals And Shortened The Term Of The Chief Justice Conservatives Had Wanted To Change The Process For Selecting Iowa Judges For Years After Court Decisions Legalized Same-Sex Marriage In The State And Struck Down New Abortion Restrictions. “The idea to change the process for selecting Iowa judges has been around for years, as conservatives criticized court decisions that legalized same-sex marriage in the state and struck down new abortion restrictions. In 2010, one year after the marriage ruling, they led a successful campaign to oust three justices from the state Supreme Court.” [Des Moines Register, 2/4/19]

Sitting Chief Justice Mark Cady Was A Republican Appointee Who Had Long Been A Swing Vote On The Court And Who Wrote Key Decisions That Rankled Social Conservatives. “Mark Cady, the soft- spoken chief justice of the Iowa Supreme Court who wrote key decisions on gay marriage and abortion access that rankled social conservatives, has died at the age of 66. […] Cady had been a key swing vote on the court in recent years, as Republicans took control of the Legislature and governor’s office and passed new laws aimed at expanding gun rights, restricting abortion and barring gay marriage. […] Although Cady was one of five Republican appointees to the court, he often sided with the two justices appointed by Democratic governors.” [Associated Press, 11/16/19]

● Cady Wrote The 2009 Unanimous Opinion That Made Iowa The Nation’s Third State To Permit Same-Sex Marriage, Years Before The 2015 U.S. Supreme Court Decision That Struck Down Gay Marriage Bans Throughout The Country. “Cady wrote the 2009 unanimous opinion that made Iowa the nation’s third state to permit same-sex marriage. The ruling came years before the 2015 U.S. Supreme Court decision that struck down gay marriage bans throughout the country.” [Associated Press, 11/16/19]

o Cady’s Opinion Led To A Backlash From Conservatives, Who Voted Out Three Of The Justices In 2010, Though Cady Was Not Up For A Retention Vote That Year. “‘We are firmly convinced the exclusion of gay and lesbian people from the institution of civil marriage does not substantially further any important governmental objective,’ Cady wrote for the court. The ruling led to a backlash from conservatives, who voted out three of the justices in 2010, though Cady wasn’t up for a retention vote that year.” [Associated Press, 11/16/19]

In 2018, Cady Led A 5-2 Majority Of Justices Who Concluded That A Law Requiring Women To Wait 72 Hours Before A Doctor Could Perform An Abortion Was Unconstitutional. “Last year, Cady led a 5-2 majority of justices who concluded that a law requiring women to wait 72 hours before a doctor could perform an abortion was unconstitutional because ‘autonomy and dominion over one’s body go to the very heart of what it means to be free.’” [Associated Press, 11/16/19]

2019: The Iowa Legislature Passed A Bill Changing The State’s Decades-Old Judicial Nominating System, Allowing The Governor To Make Nine Appointments To The State Nominating Commission That Helped Choose Iowa Supreme Court Justices And Court Of Appeals Judges. “Gov. Kim Reynolds now has more power over a panel that helps select judges and justices to Iowa's top courts after she signed legislation Wednesday changing Iowa's decades-old judicial nominating system. The new law allows the governor to make nine appointments to the state nominating commission that helps choose Iowa Supreme Court justices and Court of Appeals judges, giving Reynolds immediate control over the 17-member panel.” [Des Moines Register, 5/8/19]

The 2018 Ruling Against Abortion Restrictions Inspired The 2019 Law That Gave The Governor More Control Over Nominees To Put On The Courts. “The ruling angered conservatives and led to passage of a law this year that gave the governor more control over nominees to put on the courts.” [Associated Press, 11/16/19]

The Law Changed The Tenure Of The Supreme Court’s Chief Justice, Shortening It From The Entirety Of The Justice's Eight-Year Term On The Court To Require An Election Every Two Years. “The language also requires the Iowa Supreme Court to elect its chief justice every two years, with the possibility of re- election. Previously, the chief justice, whom the justices elect from their own members, served for the entirety of the justice's eight-year term on the court.” [Des Moines Register, 5/8/19]

The Law Cut The Chief Justice’s Pay And Reduced Cady’s Eight-Year Term By Three Years, Forcing Him To Step Down As Chief In 2021. “The law also reduced Cady’s eight-year term as chief justice by three years, forcing him to step down as chief in 2021, which would have cut his pay by about $8,000 a year.” [Associated Press, 11/16/19]

The Law Immediately Gave Iowa’s Republican Governor Control Over The 17-Member Panel That Helped Choose Iowa Supreme Court Justices And Court Of Appeals Judges. “The new law allows the governor to make nine appointments to the state nominating commission that helps choose Iowa Supreme Court justices and Court of Appeals judges, giving Reynolds immediate control over the 17- member panel. […] Reynolds, a Republican, is allowed to immediately name her ninth appointment to the commission, giving her majority control.” [Des Moines Register, 5/8/19]

● Previously, The 17-Member Nominating Commission Interviewed Applicant And Sent Three Names To The Governor, Who Then Appointed The Justice Or Judge. “A 17-member nominating commission interviews applicant and sends three names to the governor, and she appoints the justice or judge.” [Iowa Public Radio, 4/27/19]

● The Law Removed The Senior Justice From The Commission And Replaced That Seat With A Ninth Appointment By The Governor, Who Would Make A Majority Of Appointments With Nine, Subject To Senate Confirmation. “This plan removes the senior justice from the commission and replaces that seat with a ninth appointment by the governor. The new makeup of the commission will be nine appointments by the governor, subject to Senate confirmation, and eight attorneys elected by other attorneys.” [Iowa Public Radio, 4/27/19]

● A Previous Version Of The Bill Would Not Have Required Senate Confirmation For The Governor’s Appointees And Have Had The Remaining Eight Appointments Made By Statehouse Leaders. “The earlier version of this proposal, passed by the Senate, was much more expansive. It would’ve removed the attorney elections and replaced them with statehouse leaders of both parties selecting commission members. It also would’ve removed the Senate confirmation requirement from the governor’s appointees.” [Iowa Public Radio, 4/27/19]

The Koch-Backed Americans For Prosperity Registered To Lobby In Favor Of The Bill And Ran Online Facebook Ads In Support. “Multiple organizations, including the Iowa State Bar Association and the Iowa Association of Magistrate Judges, are registered against the bill. The conservative Koch Network- supported Americans for Prosperity is among a handful of groups registered in favor of the bill. It recently ran online Facebook ads that read in part: ‘Today, Iowa's judicial branch is controlled by an oligarchy of attorneys. Don’t you deserve a voice?’” [Des Moines Register, 2/4/19] Gov. Reynolds Claimed The Bill Gave “All Iowans A Greater Voice In The Process.” “‘I am proud to sign this compromise legislation reforming our process for selecting judges to give all Iowans a greater voice in the process,’ Reynolds said in a statement.” [Des Moines Register, 5/8/19]

Iowans Preferred To Keep The Traditional Judicial Selection System By A 21-Point Margin. “A February Des Moines Register/Mediacom Iowa Poll found Iowans preferred to keep the state’s current judicial selection system by a 21-point margin, with 54 percent favoring the current system, 33 percent favoring change, and 13 percent not sure.” [Des Moines Register, 5/8/19]

Kaufmann Voted For The Bill. [Senate File 638 – 2019 Session, 4/27/19]

The Bill Was Signed In A Private Ceremony With Republican Lawmakers And Lobbyists For Conservative Organizations, Including The Family Leader, A Faith-Based Group That Led An Effort To Oust Three Iowa Supreme Court Justices Over The 2009 Decision Legalizing Same-Sex Marriage. “Reynolds signed the bill in a private ceremony, accompanied by Republican lawmakers and lobbyists for conservative organizations, including The Family Leader, a faith-based group that led an effort to oust three Iowa Supreme Court justices over a 2009 decision legalizing same-sex marriage.” [Des Moines Register, 5/8/19]

Kaufmann Voted To Pass ALEC Model Legislation To Implement Red Tape Requirements Making It Harder For Those Sick Due To Asbestos Exposure To Hold Companies Accountable In 2017 And Then Voted To Install More Obstacles In 2020

2017: Iowa Republicans Passed Legislation To Limit Asbestos-Related Liability Lawsuits Using Model Legislation Recycled From Several Other States, Crafted By The Industry- Sponsored, Koch-Supported, Influence-Peddling American Legislative Exchange Council

The Bill Imposed A 90 Day Window After The Filing Of An Asbestos Claim In Which Plaintiffs Had To Provide Certain Information Or Their Case Could Be Dismissed For Noncompliance

Iowa Senate File 376, Introduced In 2017, Was One Of At Least A Dozen Enacted Laws Since 2011 Based On Model Legislation Called The “Asbestos Claims Transparency Act” From The American Legislative Exchange Council. “Model legislation from the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC), which is also called the Asbestos Claims Transparency Act, includes many of the changes in the bill. Since 2011, at least twelve states have enacted similar laws. […] Iowa, Senate File 376 (2017)[.]” [Michigan House Fiscal Agency, 2/7/18]

The Iowa Bill To Limit Asbestos Lawsuits Contained Whole Passages That Were Lifted Word-For-Word From An ALEC Bill That Popped Up In At Least Eight Other States. “It was March 2017, and the Hiawatha Democrat speculated that a bill by Sen. Brad Zaun to limit asbestos lawsuits was based on language crafted by the conservative group American Legislative Exchange Council, or ALEC. ‘Where did this bill come from?’ Mathis asked. At one point, Zaun, R-Urbandale, said: ‘I have had no contact from ALEC or any other organization out there.’ The asbestos bill, which would get signed into law that year, did have whole passages that were word-for-word from an ALEC bill that popped up in at least eight other states.” [Des Moines Register, 4/4/19]

The Industry-Sponsored ALEC Was The Nation’s Best-Known Model-Bill Factory, Providing Conservative Republican Elected Officials Fill-In-The-Blank Legislation, Access To Campaign Donors And Networking Opportunities Where They Feted And Entertained Lawmakers And Their Families. “The American Legislative Exchange Council became the nation’s best-known ‘model’-bill factory over its four decades by providing more than fill-in-the-blank legislation. The industry-sponsored group has weathered controversy and flourished because it also offers conservative Republican elected officials a social network, access to campaign donors and a blueprint for how to accelerate their political careers. The networking takes place at ALEC's annual meetings, where the group fetes and entertains lawmakers and their families. Relationships are forged over drinks and dinners, where lawmakers sit alongside conservative luminaries and corporate chiefs.” [USA Today, 4/3/19]

● ALEC Was A Koch-Supported Organization. “Three decades after David Koch’s public steps into politics, analysts say, the Koch brothers’ money-fueled brand of libertarianism helped give rise to the Tea Party movement and strengthened the far-right wing of a resurgent Republican Party. […] Still, he and his brother acknowledged roles in founding and contributing money to Americans for Prosperity, the right-wing advocacy group that was widely reported to have provided logistical backing for the Tea Party and other organizations in election campaigns and the promotion of conservative causes. Among the groups they supported was the American Legislative Exchange Council, an organization of conservative state legislators and corporate lobbyists. Alec, as the group is known, drafts model state legislation that members may customize for introduction as proposed laws to cut taxes, combat illegal immigration, loosen environmental regulations, weaken labor unions and oppose gun laws.” [New York Times, 8/23/19]

Iowa Republicans Passed The Bill Restricting Asbestos-Related Liability Lawsuits Over Democratic Objections That The Measure Would Hurt Sick And Dying Iowans. “Legislation aimed at restricting asbestos-related liability lawsuits was approved Wednesday by the Republican-controlled Iowa Senate, despite heated complaints by Democrats that the measure will hurt sick and dying Iowans. […] The bill passed 27-22 with most Republicans in favor and all Democrats opposed.” [Des Moines Register, 3/8/17]

The Bill Imposed A 90 Day Window After The Filing Of An Asbestos Claim In Which Plaintiffs Had To Provide Certain Information Or Their Case Could Be Dismissed For Noncompliance. “Legislation aimed at restricting asbestos-related liability lawsuits was approved by majority Republicans, despite heated complaints by Democrats that the measure will hurt sick and dying Iowans. The measure requires plaintiffs to meet deadlines within 90 days of filing an asbestos claim for disclosing certain information. The case may be dismissed for noncompliance. Senate File 376 signed.” [Des Moines Register, 3/31/17]

● The Bill Included Provisions About Identifying Additional Or Alternative Asbestos Bankruptcy Trusts That Were Established To Pay Claims Arising From Asbestos Exposure. “The bill, which floor manager Rep. Andy McKean, R-Anamosa, said is like laws in eight states and includes components of laws in 26 states, would require plaintiffs to meet a 90-day deadline for disclosing certain information. It also includes provisions about identifying additional or alternative asbestos bankruptcy trusts that were established to pay claims arising from asbestos exposure.” [Des Moines Register, 3/13/17] Kaufmann Voted For The Bill. [Senate File 376 – 2020 Session, 3/13/17]

2020: Iowa Republicans Passed A Bill Installing More Roadblocks To Asbestos-Related Litigation, Requiring Sickened Iowans To List Sites They Worked At, Each Asbestos- Containing Product They Were Exposed To And The Frequency Of Exposure

2020: Iowa Republicans Passed A Bill To Require Iowans Who Become Sick From Asbestos Exposure To Provide More Detailed Information To File A Lawsuit. “Iowans who become sick from asbestos exposure would have to provide more detailed information to file a lawsuit under a bill that was sent to the governor for her signature. The bill passed the Iowa House Tuesday on a mostly party-line vote of 54-46, with all Republicans and one Democrat voting for it. […] The Senate passed the same bill two weeks ago, so it goes to Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds’ desk for her signature or veto.” [Iowa Public Radio, 3/11/20]

The Bill Added Requirements For Plaintiffs To List Sites They Worked At, Each Asbestos-Containing Product They Were Exposed To And The Frequency Of Exposure To The Product. “The bill adds requirements for plaintiffs to list sites they worked at, each asbestos-containing product they were exposed to, and the frequency of exposure to the product. Lohse said this will ensure attorneys do more research before filing these lawsuits to avoid delays as the case plays out.” [Iowa Public Radio, 3/11/20]

Democratic Rep. Karin Derry On Her Father’s Asbestos Exposure-Caused Death: He Did Not Know When Or Where The Exposure Happened, Nor Would Many Other Iowans Because Illnesses Could Take Decades To Develop. “Rep. Karin Derry, D-Johnston, said the current law already requires detailed information from plaintiffs, including location, manner, and dates of each exposure, and a medical report. Derry said her father died of lung cancer caused by asbestos exposure. She said he didn’t know when or where the exposure happened, and many other Iowans wouldn’t know that either because it can take decades for illness to develop. ‘It was, and still is, a tragedy,’ Derry said. ‘I cannot support a law that puts up further roadblocks to Iowans seeking justice after they’ve been exposed to asbestos.’” [Iowa Public Radio, 3/11/20]

● TIME: “The Full Toll From The 9/11 Attacks Has Yet To Be Calculated” Because First Responders Were Exposed To Substances Like Asbestos And “It Can Take Years, Or Even Decades, For Exposure To Some Of These Substances To Result In Conditions Including Cancer And Respiratory Illnesses.” “Among other substances, first responders and volunteers in the World Trade Center area were exposed to asbestos, lead, dioxins and benzene following the attacks. It can take years, or even decades, for exposure to some of these substances to result in conditions including cancer and respiratory illnesses—meaning the full toll from the 9/11 attacks has yet to be calculated. As of September 2018, 10,000 people had been diagnosed with cancers related to the attacks and 2,000 had died from related illnesses, approaching the number of fatalities that resulted from the day itself, according to Mount Sinai researchers.” [TIME, 1/14/20]

● New York Times: “It Takes 30 To 50 Years After Exposure To Develop Asbestosis, Mesothelioma Or A Related Lung Cancer.” “Deaths from asbestos-related diseases will surge in Asia over the next 20 years, a recent study has warned. Asia now accounts for 64 percent of the world’s asbestos use, according to the study in Respirology, the journal of the Asian Pacific Society of Respirology, but for only about 13 percent of the asbestos-related deaths in World Health Organization mortality data. It takes 30 to 50 years after exposure to develop asbestosis, mesothelioma or a related lung cancer.” [Des Moines Register, 3/8/17]

Thousands Of Iowans Were Known To Have Died From Asbestos-Related Illnesses Over The Past Two Decades. “More than 2,000 Iowans have died from asbestos-related illnesses since 1999.” [Des Moines Register, 3/8/17]

Kaufmann Voted For The Bill. [Senate File 2337 – 2020 Session, 3/10/20]

Iowa Republicans Captured The Statehouse With Heavy Koch Support And Advanced Their Financial Interests At The Expense Of Sick And Dying Iowans

Rep. Brad Zaun, Floor Manager For The 2017 Bill: “This Is Not A Koch Brothers Bill.” “But Sen. Brad Zaun, R-Urbandale, the bill's floor manager, said he's had no contact with the Virginia-based group, adding his goal is to avoid double-dipping by people who have already received an average of $600,000 in liability claims. ‘This is not a Koch brothers bill,’ said Zaun, referring to Charles and David Koch, wealthy businessmen who have funded a number of conservative organizations.” [Des Moines Register, 3/8/17]

The Gazette: “The Data Shows The Imprint Of The Koch Brothers And Their Groups Are All Over The 2017 Legislative Session, Starting With The 2016 Election That Produced All-Republican Control At The Capitol For The First Time In Two Decades.” “But the data shows the imprint of the Koch brothers and their groups are all over the 2017 legislative session, starting with the 2016 election that produced all- Republican control at the Capitol for the first time in two decades. Campaign support Koch Industries’ political action committee donated $46,000 to Iowa Statehouse candidates in 2015 and 2016, according to state campaign finance records. All but $500 of that money went to Republican candidates. The largest donations went to Republican leaders: $7,500 to state Sen. Bill Dix, who after the election became Senate majority leader, and $5,000 to House Speaker Linda Upmeyer. And donations ranging from $1,000 to $2,500 went to Republican chairmen of key committees and candidates in competitive districts that were crucial in flipping control of the Senate from the Democrats.” [The Gazette, 5/6/17]

Iowa Statehouse Candidates Benefited From Tens Of Thousands Of Dollars In Contributions From Koch Industries With On-The-Ground Assistance From Their Political Arm. “But the data shows the imprint of the Koch brothers and their groups are all over the 2017 legislative session, starting with the 2016 election that produced all-Republican control at the Capitol for the first time in two decades. Campaign support Koch Industries’ political action committee donated $46,000 to Iowa Statehouse candidates in 2015 and 2016, according to state campaign finance records. […] And donations ranging from $1,000 to $2,500 went to Republican chairmen of key committees and candidates in competitive districts that were crucial in flipping control of the Senate from the Democrats. Americans for Prosperity, a political advocacy organization funded by the Koch brothers, also was heavily involved in the campaign leading to the election. While the group does not divulge its spending, it says that during the 2016 campaign in Iowa, it made 718,408 phone calls, knocked on 52,903 doors and sent 318,048 mailers.” [The Gazette, 5/6/17]

Koch Industries Had A “Titanic Liability” Because Hundreds Of Thousands Reported Lung Disease And Cancer Because Of Their Products On Capitol Hill And In Regulatory Proceedings, Koch Industries Worked To Dilute Or Halt Tighter Regulation Of Toxic Cancer-Linked Byproducts That Could Affect Its Bottom Line, Including Asbestos. “In 2005, as part of the same corporate diversification and expansion strategy, Koch Industries bought the giant wood and paper products firm, Georgia-Pacific, adding Brawny paper towels, Angel Soft toilet paper, Dixie cups and dozens of factories and plants to its holdings. Koch has since worked, on Capitol Hill and in various regulatory proceedings, to dilute or halt tighter federal regulation of several toxic byproducts that could affect its bottom line, including dioxin, asbestos and formaldehyde, all of which have been linked to cancer.” [Center for Public Integrity, 5/19/14]

Center For Public Integrity: Koch Industries “Inherited A Titanic Liability Regarding Asbestos” When It Purchased Georgia-Pacific In 2005. “In 2005, as part of the same corporate diversification and expansion strategy, Koch Industries bought the giant wood and paper products firm, Georgia-Pacific, adding Brawny paper towels, Angel Soft toilet paper, Dixie cups and dozens of factories and plants to its holdings. […] When Koch Industries purchased Georgia-Pacific, it inherited a titanic liability regarding asbestos.” [Center for Public Integrity, 5/19/14]

Over 340,000 People Reported Suffering Lung And Other Diseases, Including The Deadly Cancer Mesothelioma, Because Georgia-Pacific Used Asbestos To Make Drywall Products. “Georgia-Pacific had used asbestos to make gypsum-based drywall products, and starting in the 1980s the firm became a target for more than 340,000 claims by plaintiffs who said they suffered lung and other diseases, including mesothelioma, a deadly cancer. By 2005, the company was spending $200 million a year and had to build a $1.5 billion reserve fund for asbestos liabilities and defense costs.” [Center for Public Integrity, 5/19/14]

By 2005, Georgia-Pacific Was Spending $200 Million A Year And Had To Build A $1.5 Billion Reserve Fund For Asbestos Liabilities And Defense Costs. “Georgia-Pacific had used asbestos to make gypsum- based drywall products, and starting in the 1980s the firm became a target for more than 340,000 claims by plaintiffs who said they suffered lung and other diseases, including mesothelioma, a deadly cancer. By 2005, the company was spending $200 million a year and had to build a $1.5 billion reserve fund for asbestos liabilities and defense costs.” [Center for Public Integrity, 5/19/14]

2017: Bestwall LLC, An Affiliate Of Georgia-Pacific LLC, Filed For U.S. Chapter 11 Bankruptcy, Citing Soaring Costs Of Defending Against Claims Its Products Caused Asbestos-Related Diseases. “An affiliate of Georgia-Pacific LLC, which makes Brawny paper towels, has filed for U.S. Chapter 11 bankruptcy amid soaring costs of defending against claims its products caused asbestos-related diseases, according to a company statement on Thursday. The affiliate, Bestwall LLC, joins scores of U.S. manufacturers that have filed for bankruptcy due to asbestos litigation, and comes as the U.S. Congress mulls a bill that plaintiffs’ lawyers say would discourage asbestos claims.” [Reuters, 11/2/17]