SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) — A 23-year-old man has pleaded not guilty to a federal kidnapping charge in Sioux City. Michael Marshal-Limoges entered the plea Tuesday to charges of kidnapping and possession of a firearm by a felon. His trial is scheduled to begin Aug. 5. He’d already pleaded not guilty to state charges in the case. They’ve been dropped in favor of the federal prosecution.

State court documents say he was driving behind the girl and a 9-year-old boy on March 22 and then stopped. Police say Marshall-Limoges got out, grabbed the girl and put her in his car. The girl managed to escape, and he drove away. Police say license plate numbers from a witness led investigators to Marshall-Limoges. The court documents say he told officers that he tried to kidnap the girl so he could alleviate his anger by hurting other people.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Democratic presidential candidate Amy Klobuchar’s mental health plan has inspired her first Iowa endorsement. State Rep. Ruth Ann Gaines, one of Iowa’s four black legislators, is the mother of a son with developmental and mental disorders. She said Klobuchar made a personal impression on her when the two exchanged ideas to improve mental health services during a one-on-one breakfast. “I really like her, sincerely. She’s down to earth and approachable. She’s not proud or cocky,” Gaines said. “I could see this is a person who, if elected president, will do a great job, not only in the mental health area but primarily in listening to people and understanding their needs and then getting to work on trying to help them.”

And that’s what Klobuchar did: Following their breakfast meeting, the Minnesota senator connected Gaines with an organization that helps parents of mentally ill children. It was a relief to Gaines, who has struggled to get her son the medical help he needs. “She was one of my last hopes,” Gaines said. That personal touch made the difference: Now, Gaines plans to promote Klobuchar within her northeastern Des Moines area by hosting her at one of her fundraisers and working to bring other endorsements onboard to the campaign.

Klobuchar announced her campaign in February and was one of the first 2020 Democratic presidential candidates to unveil a mental health proposal, which includes an expansion in treatment facilities and local behavioral health centers as well as a national mental health awareness campaign and investments in federal research into behavioral health and addiction issues.
The endorsement comes just ahead of this weekend’s Iowa Democratic Party Hall of Fame fundraiser, the first major cattle call of the 2020 Iowa caucus season. Nineteen Democratic White House hopefuls will speak Sunday at the event, which Iowa political observers see as an opportunity to evaluate the candidates’ organizational strength.

(Radio Iowa) — Iowa Congresswoman Cindy Axne is pushing for a lifetime ban on members of congress becoming lobbyists after they leave the U.S. House or Senate. Axne says over the last several years there’s been a “massive” increase in the number of former elected officials who stay in Washington to become a lobbyist. “Over 60% of the representatives who were defeated in this last election have now taken positions as lobbyists,” Axne says.

Axne, a Democrat from West Des Moines, says the lobbying ban is part of what’s being called the “Clean Up Congress” Act. The bill also would prohibit members of congress from getting taxpayer reimbursement for first class travel. It calls for prohibiting pay increases for congress until the deficit is reduced. “I believe that we’ve got enough support on on both sides of the aisle from people who want to do the right thing and who understand that we have to first and foremost have to hold congress accountable to our taxpayers on how we’re spending their money.”

Last Thursday, Republican Senator Ted Cruz and New York Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio Cortez created a sensation on Twitter when they tweeted about their support of a lifetime ban on members of congress becoming lobbyists. Axne says “those two voices” seem to get more media attention than others, but the lobbying ban is something she tried to tack onto another bill earlier this year — and something Iowa Congressman Dave Loebsack of Iowa City has championed for years. “So this has been in the process from folks like me who are solutions oriented for a long time,” Axne says. “And I think it’s just coming to the point where more people are understanding that it’s so important.”

Current rules prohibit former U.S. Senators from taking lobbying jobs for two years after leaving office. The ban is only one year for former members of the U.S. House. Some lawmakers do work for lobbying firms, but are not technically registered lobbyists and, therefore, avoid the time-out period.

Police in Red Oak report 30-year old Travis Lynn Sickels, of Red Oak, was arrested at around 5:20-p.m. Wednesday, in the 400 block of E.. Washington Street. Sickels was brought to the Montgomery County Jail and charged with Domestic Abuse Assault/1st offense. He was being held in the jail without bond.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The trial over allegations that former Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad pressured an official to quit because he was gay has begun in state court and will center on whether the jury believes the Republican governor was influenced by anti-gay attitudes. Branstad’s attorney Frank Harty says he simply wanted Chris Godfrey out as Iowa Workers’ Compensation Commissioner so he could hire his own team. Godfrey claims Branstad violated his rights and he deserves to be compensated for the unlawful treatment.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A Montana man dubbed the AK-47 bandit has been sentenced in a Nebraska federal court to 35 years in prison. Richard Gathercole, of Roundup, Montana, received the maximum sentence Wednesday after pleading guilty in March to bank robbery. The 41-year-old Gathercole admitted during that plea hearing to using an AK-47 while robbing a Nebraska City bank in 2014. He was accused of carrying the weapon during multiple bank robberies in California, Idaho, Iowa and Washington state from 2012 to 2017.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa’s state auditor says the pending sale of the University of Iowa’s AIB Campus for less than half its $20 million assessed value is fair. State Auditor Rob Sand issued a report Wednesday. It says Iowa’s acceptance in May of a $7.5 million bid on the property was fair, because the $20 million assessed value was too high.

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) — Officials say a Sioux City food pantry that serves more than 5,000 people a month is being evicted because the building has been sold. The Midtown Family Community Center houses the food pantry and a 4-H program and it provides a free Saturday meal for neighborhood residents. Boys and Girls Home Inc. owns the building and had allowed the community center to use the building rent-free. But the building was sold last month. Officials hope to move the center to another neighborhood space.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The trial over allegations that former Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad pressured an official to quit because he was gay has begun in state court and will center on whether the jury believes the Republican governor was influenced by his party’s anti-gay attitudes.

Branstad’s attorney Frank Harty told jurors Wednesday that after winning election the former governor wanted to replace Chris Godfrey as Iowa Workers’ Compensation Commissioner to surround himself with people with shared political goals.

Harty told jurors, “elections have consequences” and that Godfrey was part of a Democratic team that didn’t want to accept defeat.

Godfrey’s attorney Roxanne Conlin will attempt to convince eight jurors that Branstad was the leader of an anti-gay Republican Party and unlawfully cut Godfrey’s pay by $39,000, then ostracized and sidelined him.

Branstad, now U.S. Ambassador in China, will testify June 14.