Politics
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Ross Wilburn Reflects On The Highs And Lows Of His IDP Chairmanship
A few days after publicly announcing he won’t seek a second term as chairman of the Iowa Democratic Party, Ross Wilburn is at peace with the decision, although with a few caveats. First of all, contrary to how some outlets reported, he is not stepping down from the position and will complete his two-year term…
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Ross Wilburn Won’t Seek Second Term As Iowa Democrats Chair
Iowa Democratic Party Chair Ross Wilburn will not be seeking a second term as head of the state party. Wilburn announced that decision this morning during the party’s State Central Committee (SCC) meeting in Ankeny. “As the leader of the party, I have worked to stem external threats, listened to those who have felt left…
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White House Invites Iowa Couple To Respect For Marriage Act Signing
C. J. Petersen described his experience at the White House on Tuesday as a “full circle” moment. The Templeton, Iowa, resident and his husband, Luke, were in Washington, DC, to see President Joe Biden sign the Respect for Marriage Act today, a bipartisan bill that protected gay and interracial marriages. “This law and the love…
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Starting Line’s Most ‘WTF’ Stories Of 2022
As 2022 comes to a close, there were more than a few stories the Starting Line team covered that collectively made us and readers go “WTF.” A lot of those stories revolved around attacks on public education, the LGBTQ community, and other marginalized groups. Some of them involved public officials being bad at their jobs…
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Polk Co. Auditor Decides Jack Whitver Legally Resides In Grimes
According to a decision by Polk County Auditor Jamie Fitzgerald, Iowa Senate Majority Leader Jack Whitver is a legal resident of a Grimes apartment where there has been scarce water usage for months and where his family does not reside. Fitzgerald announced his decision in a Monday press release a few days after a hearing…
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Decision On Jack Whitver’s Voter Registration Forthcoming After Hearing
Several key witnesses attended and spoke at a hearing to determine the validity of Iowa Senate Majority Leader Jack Whitver’s voter registration with one notable exception: Jack Whitver. A hearing was conducted at the Polk County Election Office in downtown Des Moines on Wednesday to determine whether or not Whitver’s voter registration was valid to…
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Parents Hope Spirit Lake School District Reverses Plan To Arm Staff
Concerned parents hope to get the Spirit Lake School District to reconsider its plan to arm and provide firearms training to 10 non-classroom staff members—although new information indicates teachers are being trained as well—as a deterrent to school shootings. A review of the final draft plan will happen the Monday following Thanksgiving. “It came as…
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Jack Whitver’s Voter Registration Is Being Challenged
The voter registration of Iowa Senate Majority Leader Jack Whitver (R-Ankeny/Grimes) is formally being challenged and a hearing will take place at 2 p.m. on Nov. 30 at the Polk County Election Office in Des Moines. The dispute stems from evidence showing Whitver very likely does not live at his Grimes apartment, which is in…
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Iowa Republicans Add New ‘Education Reform’ Committee In House
Iowa Republicans appear to planning major reforms to the state’s education system in the next legislative session. Iowa House Speaker Pat Grassley (R-New Hartford) announced on Wednesday the formation of a new, five-person Education Reform Committee, which is in addition to the House’s original Education Committee. The purpose of the new committee is to deal…
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House Republican Who Opposed Reynolds’ Voucher Plans Endorses Democrats
A longtime Republican Iowa House member that Gov. Kim Reynolds helped defeat in a GOP primary against a pro-voucher Republican has returned the favor by endorsing Reynolds’ Democratic opponent. Rep. Dave Maxwell (R-Gibson) endorsed gubernatorial candidate Deidre DeJear and House candidate Sarah Smith, both Democrats Smith is running against Rep. Dean Fisher for Iowa House…
