Tag Archives: Bobby Kaufmann

A new angle on stopping eminent domain abuse

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This year, advocates are pursuing a different approach. HF 2522 (formerly HSB 608) would allow 21 state representatives or 11 senators to stop the Iowa Utilities Board (IUB) from moving forward with a request to use eminent domain for a private corporation.

The IUB could resume its deliberation only after legislators conduct an independent inquiry into the proposal and 60% of House and Senate members concur that using eminent domain is appropriate.

I would go further. Since 78% of Iowans polled feel eminent domain should not be used to build CO2 pipelines, set the legislative threshold at that level. Still, 60% is a high and reasonable bar. This week, the House Judiciary Committee voted 19 – 1 to advance the bill to the House.
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Eminent domain bills on the move at the Iowa Statehouse

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If you live in Iowa, please contact your state rep and senator immediately regarding eminent domain legislation.

Several bills are on the move at the Statehouse, and now is a critical time to contact lawmakers.

Yesterday morning, I reached out to four Republicans and four Democrats about the issue, including the House and Senate minority leaders. I immediately heard back from three of the four Republicans, but not a single Democrat. (UPDATE: Two Democrats, Rep. Austin Baeth and Sen. Janet Peterson, have since responded.)

Yesterday, one Republican lawmaker shared this with me: “Today, for the third week in a row, we had dozens of landowners at the Capitol seeking legislative relief and protection. SF 101 has received registered support from the Iowa State Association of Counties and the Iowa Cattlemen’s Association. SF 104 addresses the 90% threshold and is supported by the Iowa Farm Bureau. House companion bills are being drafted, and there’s an even stronger 90% threshold bill in the works in the House that might stand a decent chance of movement.” Continue Reading →

If Iowa Democrats lose in November, blame this

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Why do I think Democrats are headed for another train wreck? Let me take you back to 2006, when I ran for governor. Rural Iowans of all political stripes were fed up with Republicans’ unwillingness to fix the Confined Animal Feeding Operation (CAFO) problem. That issue was a key factor in Democrats winning the governor’s office that year and taking control of the Iowa House and Senate.

With a new party in charge, Iowans expected results. Voters gave Democrats four years to fix the CAFO problem. Democrats failed — miserably, in fact, arguably making the problem worse.

Today, the political landscape in Iowa is much the same. Republicans refuse to help rural Iowans threatened by 2,000 miles (yes, 2,000!) of CO2 pipelines. Once again, they’ve handed Democrats a winning issue.

And what does the leadership of the Iowa Democratic Party do? So far, it has refused to take a stand against this property-rights-trampling, public-health-menacing, faux-climate-solution greenwashing scheme. Continue Reading →

Iowa Republicans hand Democrats a golden opportunity

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Republicans just handed Democrats a winning issue: EMINENT DOMAIN! With nearly 2,000 miles of Iowa farmland in the crosshairs of three CO2 pipelines, most rural Iowans are concerned that their land could be taken by force.

The Poobahs of the Iowa Republican Party — Reynolds, Branstad, Grassley, Ernst, Rastetter — are all on board with CO2 pipelines.

What about rank-and-file Republican lawmakers? Hard to say, but it doesn’t look like legislative leaders have the guts to buck the Poobahs. Continue Reading →

Walking the (pipe)line

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Dear Friends, I have one request of you this week: Please forward this message to at least one media contact and your personal and/or professional network. Help get the word Continue Reading →