Dear Friends,
CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO THIS WEEK’S PODCAST AND RADIO SHOW
(01:32) Cities’ secrecy raises First Amendment concerns, with Randy Evans – LISTEN
(22:59) No Kings rallies keep getting bigger, but what’s next? – LISTEN
(42:08) Courts in New Mexico and California rule against Big Tech – LISTEN
(51:01) Feds cancel grants for small farmers, with Kathy Byrnes – LISTEN
RANDY EVANS IS AN ANNOYING LOUDMOUTH
When it comes to freedom of speech, Randy Evans is perhaps Iowa’s biggest loudmouth. Furthermore, if you’re a public official operating in secret or treading on people’s First Amendment rights, Randy can be downright annoying.
Those are two of the qualities I admire about Randy, who writes a weekly column as president of the Iowa Freedom of Information Council. On this week’s radio show/podcast, he and I discuss two of his recent columns calling out public officials for a lack of transparency.
NEWTON VS THE FIRST AMENDMENT
In a March 30 column, Respectful or not, America enables criticism and dissent, Randy writes, “[Noah] Petersen went to two [Newton] City Council meetings in 2022 to express his frustrations during the public comment period. Despite Petersen’s calm approach, both times the mayor ordered him to be quiet, then had Petersen arrested, placed in handcuffs and led out of the council meeting…”
Randy Evans, president of the Iowa Freedom of Information Council.
Four years later, the courts rectified Newton’s blatant transgression of the First Amendment. Judge Stephanie Rose ruled in Peterson’s favor, writing, “The record demonstrates that the rule was enforced against Petersen not because his speech was actually defamatory, but because it criticized government officials in a manner they found objectionable.”
DES MOINES VS THE FIRST AMENDMENT
The second incident Randy and I discuss is chronicled in his March 16 column, Des Moines’ costly badge of secrecy. Randy writes, “City leaders in Des Moines are making it difficult to understand why they selected the new police chief, considering how they have imposed a code of silence about their recent $975,000 payout to one of the candidates who did not get the job.”
When referencing the actions of an elected official, the words “code of silence” rarely portend admirable behavior.
It’s hard to know how this case will play out, but kudos to Randy for being, well, an annoying loudmouth — but, I will add, also polite, civil, and accessible to a fault.
NO KINGS: WHAT’S NEXT?
From 5 million participants last June to seven million in October to eight million last Saturday, the No Kings protests are seeing staggering numbers. That’s not surprising, given President Trump’s accelerated assault on democracy and decency.
What’s also not surprising is White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson’s response. “The only people who care about these Trump derangement therapy sessions are the reporters who are paid to cover them.”
Dang! I need to remind George Soros to send me my paycheck.
The No Kings rallies are essential, but not enough. Organizers realize this. At some events, they’ve invited local non-profits to set up booths to encourage people to get involved with their work on immigration, climate change, peace, housing — to name a few of the realms of our lives harmed by the Trump administration.
In Huntsville, Alabama, rally goers were asked to indicate their neighborhood on their sign to help connect with neighbors they might not yet know, and to build on that connection to strengthen community-based networks.
In Minneapolis, where an astounding 200,000 people showed up, Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison said, “We’ve got to convert this great energy into electoral success. We got into this mess because of an election, and we’re going to help get ourselves out of it through an election.”
So true. Of all the post-protest activities we can engage in, none is more important than electing a Democratic majority to the US House and Senate.
A majority with a backbone.
A majority that functions as an equal branch of the federal government, not as President Trump’s complacent kennel of toothless lapdogs.
A majority that, among other huge priorities, votes down the President’s insane proposal for a 66% increase in military spending and his equally insane abandonment of the federal government’s historic role as a partner with the states on Medicaid and Medicare.
(And in case you missed it, here’s what Trump had to say about those priorities: “Medicaid, Medicare, all these individual things. They can do it on a state basis. You can’t do it on a federal (sic). We have to take care of one thing: military protection.”
ZUCK’S FACEPLANT 1: NEW MEXICO
A New Mexico jury found that Mark Zuckerberg’s Meta violated state law by misleading users about the safety of Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp and of enabling child sexual exploitation on its platforms. The jury ordered Meta to cough up $375 million in civil penalties.
“Meta executives knew their products harmed children, disregarded warnings from their own employees, and lied to the public about what they knew,” said New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez.
Meanwhile, further west …
ZUCK’S FACEPLANT 2: CALIFORNIA
Another jury found Meta and YouTube guilty of deliberately creating products that were addictive. They awarded the plaintiff $6 million. As reported in The Guardian, “Over the course of the six-week trial, jurors heard from top executives at Meta and YouTube, whistleblowers, expert witnesses on social media and addiction, and a 20-year-old woman at the center of the lawsuit.”
I sense these lawsuits are the tip of the iceberg.
USDA AXES FARM PROGRAM
Apparently, a contract isn’t really a contract in Trump’s administration. Without warning, the USDA canceled $300 million in grants appropriated three years ago through the Increasing Land, Capital, and Market Access Program.
In a statement from the Sustainable Iowa Land Trust, board member Zach Couture said this cut means hundreds of farmers will lack support in accessing land and markets. Furthermore, communities will have less access to healthy, locally grown fruits, vegetables, and meat products.
Iowa Congressman Zach Nunn co-sponsored the legislation that funded the program. So did Iowa senators Joni Ernst and Chuck Grassley. Yet they’ve offered no criticism of the USDA’s decision.
Again, there is no more important action we can this year than to elect to the US Congress and US Senate Democratic leaders who are unafraid to stand up to Trump and his bullies.
Thanks for reading, listening, and taking action. And if you’re a central Iowa resident, remember to support the local businesses and nonprofits that help underwrite this platform.
Ed Fallon
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