Trump indictment, Iowa Senate Dems' shake-up, and more

June 12 "Capitol Week" is online

Jun 14, 2023

Dennis Hart and had many angles to explore on the past week in Iowa politics. But before I get to the recap, I would welcome your feedback on “Capitol Week,” which has been on the air for nearly two and a half years.

If you regularly listen to the show, what keeps you hooked?

When do you usually listen (for instance, doing chores at home, in the car, or while taking a walk)?

Which kinds of topics do you like best: our take on the biggest news of the week, or discussions of below-the-radar stories you haven’t heard about elsewhere?

Dennis and I often move at a fast pace. Do you like our approach of covering lots of stories in our 30 minutes together, or do you sometimes wish we would spend more time on a smaller number of news items?

All input (positive or negative) is welcome, either in this comment thread or by email: laurabelin@substack.com.

On to our June 12 program. Remember, the full archive of more than 120 editions of “Capitol Week” is available on KHOI’s website.

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We spent a large chunk of the program talking about former President Donald Trump’s indictment on 37 federal felonies related to his handling of classified documents.

I recommend that you read the charging document, if you haven’t already. But for those who don’t have the time or inclination, we went over the main charges and the kind of evidence prosecutors compiled;
We discussed what a strange moment we’re living in: unlike the innumerable politicians whose careers ended immediately after facing criminal prosecution, Trump remains the GOP front-runner and seems to be retaining tremendous support;
Walking through Republican reaction to the indictment, we started with Governor Kim Reynolds’ remarkable written statement. Remember, I avoid editorializing on the air at KHOI. But I had a lot more to say about the governor’s comments at Bleeding Heartland. That piece resonated with many readers and is already among the five most-viewed of about 230 articles and commentaries I’ve published on the website since January 1.
Senators Chuck Grassley and Joni Ernst haven’t released statements about the criminal case. They told Congressional reporters on Monday that they hadn’t read the indictment, which defies logic;
Underscoring the bizarre political culture of today’s Republican Party, most other GOP presidential candidates rushed to defend Trump late last week. That said, Nikki Haley took some baby steps toward holding Trump accountable on Monday;
Only former Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson and former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie directly criticized Trump after the federal indictment was unsealed;
We briefly discussed the first national polls released following the indictment, from ABC News/Ipsos and CBS News/YouGov, and what they suggest about the strength of Trump’s front-runner position;
Trump, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, and a bunch of other candidates are scheduled to appear at the Republican Party of Iowa’s Lincoln Dinner fundraiser in late July. We talked about how valuable it is for Iowa GOP candidates and party organizations to have presidential candidates helping them raise money and identify sympathetic voters;
DeSantis and Senator Ernst will headline a fundraiser for U.S. Representative Zach Nunn in mid-July; Nunn’s district (IA-03) will likely see the most competitive U.S. House race in Iowa next year;
Former Vice President Mike Pence launched his presidential campaign in Iowa last week. We discussed the difficult line he’s trying to walk and his efforts to win over the critically important group of social conservative caucus-goers;
Speaking to the Des Moines Register, Pence endorsed the idea of a national ban on gender-affirming care for minors. We talked about how rhetoric targeting transgender people has become a litmus test and reliable applause line for Republican candidates this cycle;
Iowa is among the many Republican-led states that have banned gender-affirming care for people under age 18. A few months ago, I wrote that Iowa’s new law will face an uphill battle in court, and a recent federal court ruling in Florida (which Dennis and I didn’t have time to discuss in-depth) reinforced that view.
Christie also formally declared his candidacy last week and is poised to spend much of his energy trying to take down Trump. I doubt he will visit Iowa frequently, if at all;
North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum made his first trip to Iowa as a presidential candidate. After hearing his tv and radio ads, I have a better understanding of why he’s running: he’s a self-made business owner who can afford to spend millions of his own dollars.
We touched on why the crowded field (with twelve declared GOP candidates so far) works in Trump’s favor;
The most surprising Iowa political development last week was the state Senate Democratic leadership change from Zach Wahls to Pam Jochum. Dennis and I had only a few minutes to discuss this, but I wrote more about it at Bleeding Heartland, and included background on Jochum;
We wrapped up by talking about how applications for Iowa’s “education savings accounts” (the school voucher program) exceeded expectations, which will drive up the price tag. Tom Barton reported that story for the Cedar Rapids Gazette.