DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The Iowa Supreme Court has refused to dismiss a lawsuit against Gov. Kim Reynolds that seeks to require her office to respond to public record requests. The court in a unanimous decision on Friday rejected Reynolds’ argument that her office wasn’t obligated to respond in a timely matter to record requests and that she could avoid the state’s open records law by simply ignoring the requests. The Supreme Court ordered that the case be returned to the district court where it would be decided on its merits. Reynolds says many open records requests during the period included in the lawsuit were made while her staff was busy responding to COVID-19 matters. She says her office now has a system to handle such requests.
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Thousands of Iowa residents are expected to lose Medicaid and food stamp benefits under a bill given final legislative approval and sent to Gov. Kim Reynolds. The state House approved the bill Thursday. It would change eligibility requirements and require more checks that people qualify for benefits. The changes would ultimately result in the removal of an estimated 1% of recipients and save the state roughly $8 million annually. A legislative analysis found that 1% would translate to the removal of about 8,000 Medicaid recipients and 2,800 recipients of food stamps. The Senate previously approved the measure. It passed both chambers with only Republican support. The bill now goes to Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds. She is expected to sign it into law.
PHOENIX (AP) — An Iowa man pleaded guilty Thursday to threatening two Arizona officials in messages that mentioned discredited allegations of fraud in the 2020 election. Federal prosecutors said 64-year-old Mark Rissi of Hiawatha left voicemail messages targeting Maricopa County Supervisor Clint Hickman and Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich, both Republicans. Rissi pleaded guilty to two counts of making a threatening interstate communication. He’s scheduled to be sentenced in June. The Justice Department has charged at least two others with threatening election officials in Arizona, where supporters of former President Donald Trump have focused anger over his loss.
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — Leading Republicans are struggling to navigate the politics of abortion as they concede — publicly and privately — that the GOP’s anti-abortion policies are unpopular with the very voters they need to win the presidency. But in Florida, Gov. Ron DeSantis, a top Republican presidential prospect, is leaning in. This week, the Florida governor signed into law one of the nation’s toughest abortion bans which would outlaw the medical procedure before most women know they’re pregnant. DeSantis’ team is eager to highlight his willingness to fight for, and enact, aggressive abortion restrictions. That’s even as other Republican White House hopefuls downplay their support for anti-abortion policies for fear they may alienate women or other swing voters.
