DES MOINES, Iowa — Iowa voting rights advocate Deidre DeJear announced Saturday (today), that she will seek the state’s governorship in 2022. In her statement, DeJear, a Democrat, said “Working families have been hit hard over the past few years. They are worth the fight. As your governor, I will spend my time working on solutions by bringing together Iowans from river to river to meet our challenges head on.”

DeJear, 35, gained attention in 2018 when she became the first Black candidate in Iowa to win a statewide primary ahead of her unsuccessful campaign for Iowa secretary of state. She was defeated by incumbent Republican Paul Pate. A Mississippi native, DeJear attended high school in Oklahoma and moved to Des Moines to attend Drake University. DeJear later got her political start working on Barack Obama’s winning campaign for the 2008 Iowa Democratic presidential caucuses.

Deidre Dejear (July 2021 file photo)

After the 2018 election, DeJear became a senior Iowa adviser to then-California Sen. Kamala Harris’ 2020 presidential campaign. DeJear joins state Rep. Ras Smith of Waterloo among Democrats hoping to challenge Gov. Kim Reynolds, a Republican, next year. Reynolds, governor since 2017, is expected to seek re-election.

Republican Party of Iowa Chairman Jeff Kaufmann released the following statement in response to Deidre DeJear announcing her campaign for governor:  “Iowa Democrats are signaling they are joined at the hip with their out-of-touch national Democrat counterparts,” said Republican Party of Iowa Chairman Jeff Kaufmann. “Iowans overwhelmingly support Voter ID, and if DeJear thinks the elimination of Voter ID will win Iowans over, she will be sadly mistaken yet again. No matter who Democrats select, none will compare to Governor Reynolds. Iowans believe in her because she got children back in the classroom, cut taxes, and proved she is the leader Iowa needed.”

Ankeny, IA – Longtime public servant, Michael Bousselot, won the special nominating convention today and will be the Republican nominee for the special election for Iowa House District 37. “I am honored to be the Republican nominee to fill the seat of late Representative John Landon,” said Bousselot. “These are big shoes to fill, but I intend to embody the character and dedication that John brought to this job. I believe parents know what’s best for their children. I have always made it a priority to listen to Iowans and I intend to take that same mentality to serving Ankeny in the Iowa House.

Speaker of the Iowa House Pat Grassley congratulated Bousselot on his nomination. “Michael Bousselot has been hard at work for Iowans alongside Governor Branstad and Reynolds for years. He’s proven his commitment to cutting taxes, responsible budgeting and protecting Iowa values. The people of Ankeny deserve a representative that will listen and act on their concerns, not an extreme liberal who continues to run on the same out-of-touch agenda, hoping for a different result. Michael Bousselot is the best person for the job and I’m eager to get to work ensuring Ankeny voters know who he is and what he stands for.”

Bousselot currently serves as Director of Iowa’s Department of Management in Governor Kim Reynolds’ administration. Bousselot previously served as chief of staff, legal counsel, and as a policy advisor in the Branstad – Reynolds administration. A Davenport native, Bousselot lives in Ankeny with his wife Holly.

He graduated from the University of Iowa with undergraduate and graduate degrees in accounting and with a law degree from Drake University Law School.

Area and State News from Ric Hanson, broadcast at 8:06-a.m.

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The driver of a 2018 Chevy Cruz was attempting to park her vehicle, Thursday morning, when she accidentally stepped on the accelerator pedal instead of the brake. The vehicle, driven by 77-year-old Norma Jean Parish, of Villisca, struck the side of the Casey’s General Store in Villisca, causing an estimated $25,000 damage to the structure, and $4,500 damage to the car. The accident happened at around 10:45-a.m., Thursday.

Parish wasn’t injured during the mishap. Authorities say there were no citations issued, since it happened on private property.

(Red Oak, Iowa) — Authorities in Montgomery County say a woman faces drug and public intoxication charges after she reportedly jumped in-and-out of traffic while carrying an item and attempting to strike vehicles with it, Friday morning. 50-year-old Christina M. Shipley, of Clarinda, was arrested at around 8:18-a.m. on Highway 34, about a half-mile West of K Avenue.

Shipley faces charges that include Public Intoxication and Possession of a Controlled Substance 2nd offense. She was being held in the Montgomery County Jail on a $2,000 bond.

The Department of Justice announced today that it reached a settlement with JP Senior Healthcare LLC and JP Senior Management LLC, resolving the department’s claims that these companies violated the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) by discriminating against a Latino employee based on assumptions that the worker was not a U.S. citizen.

JP Senior Management manages two nursing facilities owned by JP Senior Healthcare: Pioneer Valley Living and Rehab located in Sergeant Bluff, Iowa, and Goldenrod Manor Care Center located in Clarinda, Iowa.

Based on its investigation, the department determined that while verifying a new employee’s legal right to work in the United States, JP Senior Healthcare and JP Senior Management rejected the U.S. citizen’s valid driver’s license and unrestricted Social Security card. The investigation further concluded that the companies demanded that the worker instead present a Permanent Resident Card based on the companies’ incorrect belief that the worker was not a U.S. citizen, even after the worker explained that he was a U.S. citizen, and therefore, not eligible for a Permanent Resident Card. Additionally, the department determined that these documentary demands resulted in the end of the worker’s employment. The INA’s anti-discrimination provision prohibits employers from requesting more or different documents than necessary to prove work authorization based on employees’ citizenship status or national origin. Instead, all work-authorized individuals, regardless of citizenship status or national origin, may choose which valid, legally acceptable documents to present to demonstrate their ability to work in the United States.

“Employers must treat all workers fairly and consistent with the law, without making assumptions about a worker’s citizenship based on appearance or Hispanic national origin,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The Civil Rights Division is committed to ensuring that workplaces are free of discrimination.”

Under the terms of the settlement agreement, JP Senior Healthcare LLC and JP Senior Management LLC will pay a civil penalty to the United States; pay the injured worker back pay plus interest; and train relevant employees on the INA’s anti-discrimination provision.

The Civil Rights Division’s Immigrant and Employee Rights Section (IER) is responsible for enforcing the anti-discrimination provision of the INA. The statute prohibits citizenship or immigration status and national origin discrimination in hiring, firing or recruitment or referral for a fee; unfair documentary practices; and retaliation and intimidation.

Atlantic Police Chief Dave Erickson reports five arrests occurred over the past week. Most recently, on Tuesday (Aug. 10), 40-year-old David Thomas was arrested for Interference with Official Acts. On Monday, 42-year-old Monty Casteel, of Atlantic, was arrested for Domestic Abuse Assault/1st offense, and Willful Injury.

On Aug. 6th, 23-year-old Sean Smith, of Atlantic, was arrested for Burglary in the 3rd Degree, Criminal Mischief in the 5th, Possession of a Controlled Substance (Marijuana), and Interference with Official Acts. On Aug. 4th, Atlantic Police arrested 42-year-old Christopher Knight, of Atlantic, for Driving While Barred. And, on August 3rd, 39-year old Chad Wilcox, of Atlantic, was arrested for Public Intoxication.

Each of those subjects were transported to the Cass County Jail and booked-in. As of Aug. 13th, only Monty Casteel remained in the jail.

Police in Glenwood report the arrest on Friday (today), of 29-year-old Aaron McDaniel, of Glenwood. He was taken into custody for OWI/1st offense and carrying dangerous weapons. His cash or surety bond was set at $2,000.

(Radio Iowa) – The process of drawing new maps for Iowa’s congressional and legislative districts is underway. The non-partisan Legislative Services Agency reconfigures district lines every 10 years, based on new population estimates. The U-S Census Bureau released those numbers yesterday (Thursday). Jean Lloyd-Jones was president of the Iowa League of Women Voters when the group was deciding whether to join a lawsuit that challenged the maps drawn back in 1971. “At the end of the call, I took roll and it was tied, so I cast the deciding vote and the next week we walked up there to the state capitol and filed the petition and let the chips fall where they may,” Lloyd-Jones says, “and the chips fell very well for us.”

The Iowa Supreme Court overturned the 1971 redistricting plan the Republican-controlled legislature developed. Lloyd-Jones says the testimony of Betty Kitzman of Ames, a League of Women Voters lobbyist, was critical to the case. “At one point she was being queried by the opposing attorney, the defender of the plan, and he said: ‘Mrs. Kitzman, don’t you think you should have had some Republicans on your committee?’ and she smiled and said: ‘Sir, I am a Republican.’ And he looked aghast and said: ‘But you’re an impartial Republican,'” Lloyd-Jones says.

Lloyd-Jones made her comments during a 2018 forum about Iowa’s redistricting process that was broadcast on C-SPAN. The Iowa Supreme Court tossed out the plan approved by the 1971 legislature and the justices consulted with an attorney in the Legislative Services Bureau to draw up the congressional and legislative district maps used in that decade.