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(Iowa Capital Dispatch) – Democratic congressional candidate Melissa Vine and her former campaign manager Lou McDonald were each fined $500 by the Iowa Ethics and Campaign Disclosure Board on Thursday after the board’s investigation found the two made contributions to a state political action committee in other people’s names.
The board’s investigation, launched a week earlier, was into a complaint made by Iowa Unity Coalition, a progressive PAC. The complaint was over potential illegal contributions leading up to the PAC’s endorsement vote for Iowa’s 3rd congressional district race. Participants had to pay $20 to the coalition to vote for who the group would endorse in the race: Vine faces Lanon Baccam, a former U.S. Department of Agriculture official and Biden campaign staffer, in the June 7 Democratic primary.
Mitch Henry, chair of the coalition, said that the day of and day prior to the April 30 online endorsement vote, the PAC saw a sudden increase in membership, and that there were large quantities of votes submitted in a one-hour period — largely in support of Vine — during the 24-hour voting process.
Henry said that the activity was flagged as suspicious, and the Iowa Unity Coalition launched an audit of the votes the day after voting ended. The group audit found that 41 votes were submitted by people who were not members of the group, and 43 votes were submitted under names that were linked to the same address and credit card information, and who had email addresses linked to Vine’s campaign. Additionally, 125 people attempted to register for the Iowa Unity Coalition using ActBlue, largely from April 30 through May 1, and 76 registrations were flagged as fraudulent.
The board’s investigation found that McDonald, then Vine’s campaign manager, registered those people and attempted to participate in the endorsement vote using his personal credit card. The action violated state laws that ban individuals from making contributions or expenditures in the name of another person.
Melissa Vine
Vine informed the board that she was aware of the actions taken by McDonald, Zach Goodrich, executive director of the ethics board, said in the meeting. Vine fired McDonald earlier in May in relation to the PAC contributions, saying in a statement that McDonald “took actions that do not reflect our values, and he is no longer a part of our campaign.”
In statement to the board through attorneys, both Vine and McDonald said they were not aware the action violated Iowa’s campaign finance laws, believing they were purchasing “memberships” — a separate action from making contributions to the PAC. Goodrich said that “intent” is not applicable to the board’s action of imposing penalties for breaking the law.
If the case goes before a criminal court, the issue of whether the law was violated “knowingly” would become relevant. Henry has said he referred the issue to the Polk County Attorney’s Office and Iowa Department of Criminal Investigation. In addition to the state board action, there could be action from the Federal Election Commission, as federal law may have been violated by using congressional campaign money to make contributions on behalf of individuals to a PAC.
The state ethics board voted unanimously Thursday to impose the maximum $1,000 total penalty for the state law violation. But in an atypical procedure, that fine was split between McDonald and Vine.
CENTERVILLE, Iowa – Officials with the Iowa Department of Public Safety said today (Thursday), a Centerville man originally charged with Child Endangerment Causing Death, a class B felony, faces an additional charge of Murder in the First Degree, a Class-A Felony, following an ongoing investigation into the death in late January, of 2-year-old Journey Marberry. The suspect, 48-year-old Roger Gillespie, was advised of the charges Thursday, while in custody at the Appanoose County Jail. Gillespie has remained in the jail since his arrest on January 27.
Gillespie
On May 22, 2024, the Johnson County Medical Examiner’s Office (JCMEO) released the final findings from the autopsy of Journey Marberry. The JCMEO ruled that Journey’s death was the result of a homicide caused by blunt force trauma.
Original story:
On Friday, January 19, 2024, at approximately 12:50 p.m., Centerville law enforcement and emergency services were dispatched to 1417 Drake Avenue on the report of an injured child. Responding officers and EMS providers found 2-year-old Journey Marberry injured inside the home. She was immediately taken to MercyOne Hospital in Centerville and then to the University of Iowa Hospital in Iowa City.
On Saturday, January 27, Journey succumbed to her injuries and served as a donor to aid other families. Gillespie, who was Journey’s caretaker at the time of her injuries. He was taken into custody without incident.
Journey Marberry
Note: A criminal charge is merely an accusation, and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
(Greenfield, Iowa) – Three of the four victims of Tuesday’s deadly tornado in Greenfield have been identified. Funeral announcements posted by Lamb Funeral Home in Greenfield said Dean and Pam Wiggins, and 74-year-old Micheal Jensen, all of Greenfield, died as a result of the tornado.
Dean and Pam Wiggins
Services for all three victims are currently pending at Lamb Funeral Home.
Micheal Jensen
MICHEAL JENSEN, 73, of Greenfield, died Tuesday, May 21, 2024, as result of a tornado that passed through Greenfield. A Celebration of Life service for MICHEAL JENSEN will be held 10:30-a.m., Saturday, June 1, 2024, at the Lamb Funeral Home in Fontanelle.
Friends may call at the Lamb Funeral Home in Fontanelle on Friday, May 31, 2024, from 2-until 7-p.m., with the family greeting friends from 5-until 7-p.m.
Burial in the Greenfield Cemetery will be held with Full military graveside rites will be conducted by the Greenfield American Legion Head-Endres Post No. 265 and V.F.W. Post No. 5357. A luncheon will follow the service at the Lamb Funeral Home in Fontanelle.
Memorials may be directed to the family to be established at a later date.
Online condolences may be left to the family at www.lambfuneralhomes.com.
DEAN WIGGINS, 78, & PAM WIGGINS, 77, both of Greenfield, died Tuesday, May 21, 2024, as result of a tornado that passed through Greenfield. Funeral services for DEAN and PAM WIGGINS will be held 10:30-a.m. Friday, May 31st, at the Immanuel Lutheran Church in Greenfield. Lamb Funeral Home in Greenfield has the arrangements.
Open Visitation: Will be held at the Immanuel Lutheran Church in Greenfield on Thursday, May 30, 2024, from 12:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m; The family will greet friends at the church on Thursday, May 30, 2024, from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Burial is in the Greenfield Cemetery. A luncheon will be held at the church following the services.
Memorials: May be directed to the family to be established at a later date.
DEAN and PAM WIGGINS are survived by:
Their sons – Todd (Nancy) Wiggins, of Urbandale, and Jeffrey (Tania) Wiggins, of Greenfield.
Their siblings – Gary (Nonie) Wiggins, and Diane (Bob) Edwards.
5 grandchildren; 7 great-grandchildren; in-laws, other relatives and dear friends.
Online condolences may be left to the family at www.lambfuneralhomes.com.
WASHINGTON – Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) will hold public town meetings in Atlantic and Glenwood on May 28, Corning on May 29 and Dakota City on May 30 as part of his annual 99 county meetings across Iowa.
Grassley says “Representative government requires continued dialogue between elected officials and the people we represent. I look forward to hearing directly from Iowans in Cass, Mills, Adams and Humboldt counties. Their insights will inform my work in Washington.”
Sen. Grassley (Radio Iowa photo)
This is Grassley’s 44th consecutive year holding at least one meeting in each of Iowa’s 99 counties. During the meetings, Grassley takes questions or comments on any subject. Iowans set the agenda.
Town meetings are open to the public. Details:
Tuesday, May 28
Cass County Town Meeting: 9:45 – 10:45 a.m.
Iowa Western Community College Cass County Center, 705 Walnut Street, Atlantic
Red Oak Tornado path looking southwest from E Nishnabotna River
Coburg Tornado path
Public Information Statement
National Weather Service Des Moines IA
358 PM CDT Thu May 23 2024
…NWS Damage Survey for 05/21/2024 Tornado Event Update #2…
.Update…
After completing damage assessments across Adams and Adair Counties, including Greenfield, survey teams have identified damage consistent with EF4 tornado damage, with peak wind speeds of 175-185 mph. EF4 damage was located within the community of Greenfield and across rural portions of southern Adair County. Additional analysis of data will occur through the coming days and weeks, so further refinement of the tornado statistics are possible.
.Greenfield Tornado…
Rating: EF4
Estimated Peak Wind: 175-185 mph
Path Length /statute/: 43.98 miles
Path Width /maximum/: 1000 yards
Fatalities: 5
Injuries: 35
Start Date: 05/21/2024
Start Time: 02:57 PM CDT
Start Location: 3 SSE Villisca / Page County / IA
Start Lat/Lon: 40.8866 / -94.9571
End Date: 05/21/2024
End Time: 03:43 PM CDT
End Location: 4 ENE Greenfield / Adair County / IA
End Lat/Lon: 41.337 / -94.3825
EF Scale: The Enhanced Fujita Scale classifies tornadoes into the
following categories:
EF0…..65 to 85 mph
EF1…..86 to 110 mph
EF2…..111 to 135 mph
EF3…..136 to 165 mph
EF4…..166 to 200 mph
EF5…..>200 mph
NOTE:
The information in this statement is preliminary and subject to change pending final review of the event and publication in
NWS Storm Data.
(Radio Iowa) – Many thousands of young Iowans graduated from high school or college in recent days, and they’re now prime targets for crooks who prey on job-seekers. If you’re hunting for employment, be wary for scams, as consumer protection expert Michelle Reinen says criminals will post fake job offers that really are too good to be true.
Reinen says a new scam offers to set up a home office for you, using a legitimate-looking check the scammers send through the mail. She says absolutely do your research before accepting an offer that just pops up in your inbox, promising easy money. Also, Reinen suggests using Google Maps to make sure the address to whatever company you’re considering actually exists.
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