Former Des Moines Imam arrested on immigration-related charges

CEDAR RAPIDS — Area clergy and a statewide group are calling on Bob Vander Plaats to condemn the Mississippi-based organization funding his campaign to oust Iowa justices.

“These critics are blinded by their own ideology. They simply refuse to accept that an impartial, legally sound and fair reading of the law can lead to an unpopular decision,” Iowa Supreme Court Chief Justice Marsha Ternus said Tuesday night at Iowa State University.

CEDAR RAPIDS — If there were any lingering doubts on whether Republican challenger Mariannette Miller-Meeks could go toe-to-toe with Democratic incumbent Dave Loebsack in this 2nd District Congressional battle, they were dispelled Tuesday night when the two met for a televised debate on the campus of Mount Mercy University.

The state will never allow local governments to decide whether large-scale animal confinement operations can be built in their areas, GOP gubernatorial candidate Terry Branstad said earlier this month following a town hall forum in Ames.

“I just don’t get either candidate. I’m black. They’re white. I’m female. They’re male. I’m poor and they have money. I know I should care, but I’m having a hard time getting there,” said Ashley Murphy, 18.

CEDAR RAPIDS — There wasn’t a great deal of new territory covered at Thursday night’ debate between Iowa’s gubernatorial hopefuls, unless you take the audience into account.

In the wake of the 1993 and 2008 floods, both Terry Branstad and Chet Culver noted the “spirit” and “resilience” of Iowans. But while Branstad touted the fact that federal partners were kept as a last resort, Culver actively pursued immediate federal assistance.

A pastor from Waukee is wading into the retention election for three Iowa Supreme Court justices, asking religious leaders around the state to inform their congregations about “out of control” judges. However, his effort could constitute a violation of federal tax law.

A proposed 400,000-barrel-per-day tar sands oil refinery along the South Dakota-Iowa border is stirring an increasingly polarizing debate, bringing both environmental and economic concerns to the forefront. The refinery is even becoming an issue in the gubernatorial campaign between Republican Terry Branstad and Democrat Chet Culver.

WEST DES MOINES — Republican gubernatorial candidate Terry Branstad defended New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie’s decision to borrow to pay his state’s day-to-day bills and previously established debt, despite denouncing the use of bonding in Iowa.

AMES — Organizations that spend money attacking political candidates in Iowa should be forced to disclose their donors, Republican gubernatorial hopeful Terry Branstad said at a town hall forum Friday.

DES MOINES — While economic issues are important for the country right now, its lack of morality that pains the nation most, said U.S. Rep. Mike Pence. Everything that is great about America, he said, could come crashing down because of the lack of values in Washington.

A federal policy that provides disaster assistance to children who are legal residents of the country but whose parents are not should be ended, according to U.S. Rep. Steve King, R-Kiron.