Republican Congressman Steve King says he is “standing firm” in his opposition to amnesty for illegal immigrants, including children who were illegally brought into the country by their parents. House Speaker John Boehner — the top Republican in the House — used his weekly news conference to blast King for saying there are more drug smugglers than high school valedictorians among the kids brought into the U.S. illegally. Boehner called King’s comment “ignorant.” King responded during an appearance on an Omaha radio station, Thursday afternoon.

“Republican leadership should understand if they don’t want this amplified, then don’t amplify it,” King said. King blames “full-time, professional hypervenilators” for stirring up the controversy and King says many of his colleagues are giving him “silent” support. “When you couch the language in such a way that you’re careful not to offend anybody, then nobody’s paying attention either,” King says. “And I intended to offend the drug smugglers and it doesn’t bother my conscience one bit if it is does offend them, but I have no idea why anyone else would be offended.”

A group of undocumented youth who say they were brought into the country by their parents when they were children tried to deliver cantaloupes to King’s congressional office in Washington, D.C. on Thursday. One woman in the group called King’s comment “spiteful” and “racist.” King last week said for every valedictorian who would be eligible for legal status under the so-called DREAM Act, there are a hundred others who have “calves the size of cantaloupes” because they’re hauling 75 pounds of marijuana on their back across the U.S./Mexican border.

King says he’s seen the drug runners with his own eyes as he’s visited the border and met with border patrol agents. “There’s no denying the fact of what I said,” King said “and so they attack the messenger because the facts undermine their DREAMer/amnesty agenda.” King suggested Boehner’s public rebuke is a “strong indication” the Republican House speaker favors some form of immigration reform. Democrats are calling on Boehner to pull King off the House Judiciary Committee, the panel that will first consider any proposed changes in immigration policy. King sent out an email to supporters Thursday afternoon, asking for contributions and accusing critics of twisting his words.

(Radio Iowa/KFAB, Omaha)

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press

MARSHALLTOWN, Iowa (AP) — A new police dog in patrolling the streets of Marshalltown. The Marshalltown Times-Republican reports that Raji has joined the police department. The 1½ -year-old is a German shepherd and Belgian Malinois mix from Slovakia.

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) — A 22-year-old man has pleaded guilty to attempted murder in the shooting of a Sioux City police officer. Jamal Dean changed his plea to guilty at a hearing yesterday and will be sentenced August 9th. Dean earlier had pleaded not guilty to attempted murder and four other charges related to the shooting of officer Kevin McCormick on April 29th. Although his patrol car was riddled with bullets and he was shot in the head, McCormick wasn’t seriously injured and has returned to work.

JANESVILLE, Iowa (AP) — The Bremer county Sheriff’s Office says a Minnesota woman has died in a two-vehicle crash caused by a wrong-way driver in northeast Iowa. The sheriff office says 51-year-old Tracy Lynn Willis of Faribault, Minnesota died in the Wednesday afternoon collision on Highway 218 north of Janesville. The truck driver, 58-year-old Verle Wygle of Waterloo, was taken to a a local hospital.

STORY CITY, Iowa (AP) — The Story City Antique Carousel is still turning after 100 years. KCCI-TV reports the carousel in the city’s North Park was built in New York in 1913. The carousel opens each day at noon until Labor Day. The cost is one dollar per ride.

The Red Oak Police Department reports the arrest of 31-year old Tyler Anthony Bond of Red Oak on a violation of Failure to Appear/Failure to Pay Child Support. Bond was transported to the Montgomery County Law Center and his bond has been set at $1,000.