Tag: Chuck Grassley

Senator Chuck Grassley celebrates another year of 99 county visits today, finishing his final event in Anamosa in Jones County. But just how meaningful or authentic is the so-called “Full Grassley” that Iowa’s senior senator is so well-known for? This summer a report from Progress Iowa investigated how Grassley mixes private events in with his public events during his 99 County Tour. It found that during his current term in the Senate, Grassley had not held a single public event in eight of ten of Iowa’s most-populated counties. For six years Grassley had held only private events as part of his […]

“Let The People Decide.” That’s been Senator Chuck Grassley’s campaign slogan recently, in reference to his refusal to hold a hearing for President Barack Obama’s Supreme Court nominee, Merrick Garland. They’ve even printed signs and t-shirts with it. For months now Grassley has insisted that the next president should choose the nominee, not Obama. He’s argued Obama is essentially a lame-duck, especially because voters backed Republicans in such overwhelming numbers in 2014. He’s said the people must have a voice. Not anymore. In an interview in a Mason City Globe Gazette article, Grassley left open the door for pursuing a lame-duck […]

During a visit to Emmetsburg on late Friday afternoon, Senator Chuck Grassley expressed doubt that the Trans Pacific Partnership would become reality anytime soon. While the trade agreement is expected to benefit Iowa’s agricultural exports , concerns over workers rights, environmental protections and manufacturing have stalled its advancement. “It’s my feeling that right now TPP is very much tied to the politics of the presidential race,” Grassley said in response to a farmer’s question about TPP and NAFTA. “Even though President Obama wants TPP passed, since both President Trump… I mean, Trump and Hillary have come out against it, one […]

The long-serving Senator from Iowa set a record yesterday, though one many won’t be happy about. Tuesday marked 125 days since President Barack Obama nominated Merrick Garland to the Supreme Court, with Senator Chuck Grassley still refusing to hold a hearing for him. The last time it took 125 days for the Senate to take action on a nominee was in 1916, when President Woodrow Wilson nominated Louis Brandeis. There’s been a lot of important milestones in this Supreme Court process, but yesterday’s certainly outdid them all. Senator Grassley will now be forever known as the worst obstructionist in all of […]

Patty Judge has framed herself in this year’s Iowa Senate race as “the Judge Grassley can’t ignore,” referring to Senator Chuck Grassley’s refusal to hold hearings for Supreme Court nominee Merrick Garland. So far she’s been right – Grassley’s reelection numbers are looking rather weak for a 6-term incumbent. He was under 50% in a recent poll and up only 7 over Judge. Grassley’s campaign has recently fired off some attacks her way. But is the former Democratic Lt. Governor the only Judge Grassley can’t ignore? There’s a lot of other judges out there, not all of them awaiting the […]

Talk to Democrats privately in Iowa and you’ll know they’re not kidding themselves: despite the Supreme Court controversy, defeating Chuck Grassley is an uphill climb. Most are simply excited that the possibility even exists this year to knock off the six-term incumbent. Could Patty Judge defeat Grassley? Absolutely. But a whole lot of factors have to come together. Yesterday, those factors started to come together. First, for Grassley to be truly vulnerable, his obstruction of the Supreme Court nomination needs to stay in the news. That came roaring back into focus the day after the Democratic primary. “[T]here are invertebrates […]