Dear Friends,
The Iowa Legislature meets in special session today to consider a bill to severely restrict abortion. Nothing prevents them from also addressing other concerns, for example, eminent domain to build CO2 pipelines.
Cyndy Coppola and I next to Dakota Access pipeline on HER property in 2016. Incredibly, we were arrested for trespassing on Cyndy’s land!
Talk about unfinished business! Earlier this year, a bipartisan majority in the Iowa House voted to toughen eminent domain law. Yet when the bill (HF565) landed in the Senate, Governor Reynolds and Senate Republican leadership killed it. (I discuss this in detail starting at the 6-minute mark of this week’s program.)
Given that nearly 80 percent of Iowans oppose using eminent domain to build CO2 pipelines, the Legislature should use this special session to address the problem.
There’s certainly precedent. In fact, my very last vote as a member of the Iowa House was during the July 14, 2006, special session, where we voted overwhelmingly to override Governor Vilsack’s veto of eminent domain legislation.
The Radio Iowa story from July 14, 2006, quotes Jeff Kaufmann (R-Wilton): “Eminent domain being used as a tool in the economic development tool box is like going duck hunting with a bazooka. You might get the job done but it’s not right. It’s not fair and it’s not Iowa.”
I’m also quoted in that story, saying that eminent domain is often used to “bully” people: “I know this was brought up in response to the federal decision on (the) Kelo (case), but brewing in the background for a lot of years have been these other issues.”
In advance of today’s special session, several lawmakers have said they’re representing the interests of their constituents on abortion. Well, their constituents are pretty vocal on property rights, too.
HERE’S THIS WEEK’S CALL TO ACTION: Contact your state rep and senator this morning and tell them you want a strong eminent domain law to prevent rich corporations from taking private property to build carbon dioxide pipelines.
One more quote from that 2006 Radio Iowa story: “House Republican Leader Chuck Gipp of Decorah closed out the House debate by reading a statement. ‘We are here today to reestablish the confidence in the owning of private property and (protect) the private property ownership rights of Iowans.'”
If that was true in 2006, it’s certainly true today.
LISTEN TO THIS WEEK’S PROGRAM:
(01:30) Threads v Twitter: Battle of the billionaires
(06:00) No eminent domain for CO2 pipelines
(18:45) Arizona’s record-breaking heat wave
(21:15) The climate “calm down” crowd
(37:30) NY Times treats war in Ukraine like a sporting match
(40:45) Biden roundly criticized for sending cluster bombs to Ukraine
(54:30) July garden Q & A, with Kathy Byrnes
Thanks for reading, listening, and taking action.
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Ed Fallon