Instead of Doing His Job, Chuck Grassley Attacks Progress Iowa

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Thursday May 12, 2016 · 5:27 AM PDT

2016/05/12 · 05:27

no image description available — Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA) has attacked Progress Iowa and other progressive organizations to raise money for his campaign committee.

After months of pressure as a result of a grassroots campaign, Senator Grassley is finally taking action — not by moving forward with hearings for Supreme Court nominee Merrick Garland — but by attacking Progress Iowa and a number of other progressive groups who have been organizing on the ground to make sure the Senator does his job as outlined in the Constitution.

Senator Grassley has been engaging in unprecedented obstruction of President Obama's Supreme Court nominee, refusing to even hold a hearing in the Judiciary Committee, where he serves as Chair.

Grassley has used a number of excuses for his obstruction, that have been referred to as “mostly nonsense” by local media. All of his current excuses contradict the 27 times in the past where he has called for an up-or-down vote on judicial nominees.

Progress Iowa and the Why Courts Matter Iowa coalition have been holding Grassley accountable by working together to organize rallies, press conferences, and encouraging Iowans to call their Senator. Grassley is facing an increasing amount of pressure -- and recently he specifically attacked Progress Iowa in a fundraising letter to his supporters.

Help stand up to Senator Grassley’s attacks and hold him accountable for his unprecedented obstruction, by making a donation to Progress Iowa today.

Live updates from the anti-LGBT, anti-immigrant Family Leadership Summit

msinovic

Community (This content is not subject to review by Daily Kos staff prior to publication.)

Saturday August 09, 2014 · 8:08 AM PDT

2014/08/09 · 08:08

The third annual Family Leadership Summit is being held today, hosted by Bob Vander Plaats and various extreme right-wing organizations.

The Summit has become an opportunity for every conservative politician even thinking about running for President to visit Iowa and pander to Vander Plaats, the man who has used his position of leadership to compare homosexuality to the effects of secondhand smoke and claimed that African Americans were better off under slavery than today. Vander Plaats has run for office unsuccessfully several times, but has carved out a niche of influence on the fringe right of the Republican Party in Iowa's first in the nation caucus.

This year's Summit has attracted Texas Governor Rick Perry, former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum, Texas Senator Ted Cruz, Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal, and former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee.

Iowa Governor Terry Branstad is hosting this year's summit, along with anti-LGBT hate group the Family Research Council. State Senator Joni Ernst, the Republican Party's nominee for US Senate in Iowa, will also speak.

Having attended the past two summits to live-tweet for Progress Iowa, I have a good idea of what to expect today. Here are a few highlights, some of the worst from past summits:

"I don't think the mark of the beast will come in the form of a 666. I think it will be a rainbow."
Attendees were called upon to vote against pro-choice candidates even if they have to vote for "the devil himself."

Another radio host who is now teaming up with Vander Plaats for their own right-wing talk show said "there is a reason the child killers are on the side of the homosexual lobby."

I'll be posting live updates all day below, and quoting speakers directly. Stay tuned for more unfortunate and extreme rhetoric from this year's Family Leadership Summit, and follow @progressiowa for quotes before they're posted here.
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This is what happens when Republicans are confronted by the people whose lives they want to destroy

msinovic

Community (This content is not subject to review by Daily Kos staff prior to publication.)

Tuesday August 05, 2014 · 9:36 AM PDT

2014/08/05 · 09:36

This is what happens when Republicans are confronted by the people whose lives they want to destroy. They either ignore the problem, or get angry for it even being brought up.

Rep. Steve King was confronted yesterday by Erika Andiola and Cesar Vargas, two DREAMers who for some reason aren’t pleased that he and his colleagues in Congress want to deport them. Andiola and Vargas also introduced themselves to Sen. Rand Paul, who was attending a fundraiser for King in Okoboji, Iowa.

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