Thank you for continuing to focus on this hateful bill. Appreciate your deep analysis. I agree completely that this will be their legacy - voting to take away rights from a group of fellow citizens. Those who vited yes are in the wrong side of history. And plaudits to the six Republicans who stood up to the pressure and voted on the RIGHT side of history.
You have provided us with intense, truthful coverage of a shameless bill. The most in-depth, wide ranging coverage of this bill that I have seen. Thanks for all your hard work. When I get back to work from surgical medical leave and have my income back, I will become a paid subscriber of your wonder work.
Keith, you are very kind! It is my privilege to be able to pursue a story like this one. At most publications, editors would not give me the time or space for this.
I wrote to Rep Dr. Jennifer Smith expressing my disappointment at her yes vote and asked why it needed to be rushed thru so quickly. This was the first sentence in her response ... I won't bore you with the rest. There is no reasoning with her, but I will continue to express my opinions to her.
"Thank you for reaching out to me concerning my vote on this bill. I did a lot of research on this bill prior to the vote, and concluded it would not remove civil rights from anyone, but would restore the rights of another group who was being denied their rights due to the special classification that was added in 2007."
I wrote members of the House Committee including the chair, explaining my background and experience and politely explaining that they were misstating the federal law and incorrectly explaining and misleading legislators on its impact. I have had some conversations in the past with Rep. Holt and Rep. Thompson--I did not receive any response to my concerns.
I want to thank Laura for the detailed research. I remember reading of stories about the “Good Fight” referring at times to the Civil Rights era movement; earlier, I am familiar with the phrase being used during the McCarthy Era.
Today’s political environment presents us with both fights simultaneously.
This writing creates a record of dissent, historical context for current and future civil rights debates, and memorializes Iowa examples of profiles in courage.
Would love to see someone in Kansas do a similar deep dive. We've had one Republican legislator (Representative Mark Schreiber) willing to speak up in committee and on the House floor against our own anti-trans bills this session. But I'm unclear as to all of the factors at play giving him the courage to do so when many of the GOP legislators won't even quietly vote against them, despite believing the bills are cruel and unwarranted. Both the House and the Senate increased their supermajorities (making it far easier to override our governor's vetoes) - the legislative environment influenced by the that along with the Federal state of things is probably an influence.
Another fairly conservative, but not quite MAGA, legislator who was willing to engage with me told me that he was basically afraid of the House and Senate leadership and some of his vocal constituents. Leadership is commonly pulling members into private offices and berating them, threatening them, sometimes for over an hour, to get them to fall in line.
Thank you for putting this analysis into the public domain. Your journalism is a critical service to Iowans and our fellow Americans.
I agree! Great to have such a great journalist right here in IA.
Thank you for your excellent analysis and reminding us that in 2007 we had some Republicans with moral courage and integrity.
We did! And still do.
Thank you for continuing to focus on this hateful bill. Appreciate your deep analysis. I agree completely that this will be their legacy - voting to take away rights from a group of fellow citizens. Those who vited yes are in the wrong side of history. And plaudits to the six Republicans who stood up to the pressure and voted on the RIGHT side of history.
Thank you for your excellent coverage of this issue.
I'm grateful every day for readers who will appreciate deep dives.
You have provided us with intense, truthful coverage of a shameless bill. The most in-depth, wide ranging coverage of this bill that I have seen. Thanks for all your hard work. When I get back to work from surgical medical leave and have my income back, I will become a paid subscriber of your wonder work.
Keith, you are very kind! It is my privilege to be able to pursue a story like this one. At most publications, editors would not give me the time or space for this.
I wrote to Rep Dr. Jennifer Smith expressing my disappointment at her yes vote and asked why it needed to be rushed thru so quickly. This was the first sentence in her response ... I won't bore you with the rest. There is no reasoning with her, but I will continue to express my opinions to her.
"Thank you for reaching out to me concerning my vote on this bill. I did a lot of research on this bill prior to the vote, and concluded it would not remove civil rights from anyone, but would restore the rights of another group who was being denied their rights due to the special classification that was added in 2007."
Thanks for contacting her.
They are all reading from the same script, which is false. She should be smart enough to know better.
I wrote members of the House Committee including the chair, explaining my background and experience and politely explaining that they were misstating the federal law and incorrectly explaining and misleading legislators on its impact. I have had some conversations in the past with Rep. Holt and Rep. Thompson--I did not receive any response to my concerns.
I want to thank Laura for the detailed research. I remember reading of stories about the “Good Fight” referring at times to the Civil Rights era movement; earlier, I am familiar with the phrase being used during the McCarthy Era.
Today’s political environment presents us with both fights simultaneously.
This writing creates a record of dissent, historical context for current and future civil rights debates, and memorializes Iowa examples of profiles in courage.
Would love to see someone in Kansas do a similar deep dive. We've had one Republican legislator (Representative Mark Schreiber) willing to speak up in committee and on the House floor against our own anti-trans bills this session. But I'm unclear as to all of the factors at play giving him the courage to do so when many of the GOP legislators won't even quietly vote against them, despite believing the bills are cruel and unwarranted. Both the House and the Senate increased their supermajorities (making it far easier to override our governor's vetoes) - the legislative environment influenced by the that along with the Federal state of things is probably an influence.
Another fairly conservative, but not quite MAGA, legislator who was willing to engage with me told me that he was basically afraid of the House and Senate leadership and some of his vocal constituents. Leadership is commonly pulling members into private offices and berating them, threatening them, sometimes for over an hour, to get them to fall in line.
This is great and important coverage. Thanks, Laura.