(Radio Iowa) – Two former T-V journalists are running to represent Iowa’s new second congressional district. Republican Ashley Hinson of Marion, who worked at K-C-R-G in Cedar Rapids for a decade, is seeking a second term in the U.S. House. Democratic challenger Liz Mathis of Hiawatha, a state senator, was a news anchor for two and a half decades at K-W-W-L in Waterloo, then at K-C-R-G. They are running in the new second congressional district, which includes the cities of Grinnell, Mason City and Dubuque as well as Cedar Rapids and Waterloo.

The latest data shows nearly equal numbers of Democrats, Republicans and independent voters in the area. University of Northern Iowa political science professor Donna Hoffman uses the word “swingy” to describe the district. “If you just look at the last 20 years, it was represented by Republican Jim Nussle and then Democrat Bruce Braley and then Republican Rod Blum and then Democrat Abby Finkenauer and now Republican Ashley Hinson,” Hoffman says, “and so people nationally who look at House races have moved this race more competitive.”

The nonpartisan Cook Political Report lists Iowa’s second district as among 88 competitive U.S. House races, with a current rating of leans Republican. Hoffman says there’s a degree of uncertainty in this race, like many others around the country. “For example, we don’t know what effect the Dobbs decision might have on activating Democrats to vote in a midterm election, whereas they might have stayed home,” Hoffman says. “We don’t know how much Republicans will be activated by their concerns about the economy and inflation.”

Loras College professor Christopher Budzisz says there have been a barrage of commercials in this race, but the advertising strategies have been fairly traditional. “Whatever the nationalized, negative element is, both candidates have tried to hit on that,” Budzisz says, “which I think is symptomatic of the kind of nationalization of these congressional races, no matter if it’s in the second district or other parts of Iowa.”

Budzisz says there’s a lot of head scratching about early voting trends, since Iowa election law changes shortened the duration of early voting. That makes it hard to compare this year’s data with what was happening in the week before the midterm election in 2018.

(Radio Iowa) – Republican Senator Chuck Grassley is proposing that congress issue fines to the Internal Revenue Service if the agency oversteps its plan to hire more auditors. “Follow up on what the Democrats said they were going to use this money for, that they’re only going to use this money against people that make $400,000 and corporations,” Grassley says. “We don’t believe that.”

This summer, President Biden approved the plan congressional Democrats passed that will give the I-R-S 80 billion dollars over the next 10 years to modernize agency computers and hire 87-thousand auditors.  “They did this without providing any oversight mechanisms to make sure that money is wisely spent,” Grassley says. Grassley is proposing that the I-R-S submit plans to congress on how it intends to spend each year’s allotment. If the agency doesn’t follow its plan, Grassley says the agency should forfeit some of its budget, as a fine.

Other Republicans have proposed shifting the spending from the I-R-S to the Border Patrol. It’s unlikely President Biden would rescind the plan to hire more auditors to go after wealthy Americans who have failed to pay the taxes they owe. The I-R-S estimates about 15 percent of federal taxes owed are not paid.

(Radio Iowa) – The monthly survey of business leaders across Iowa and eight other states finds the region’s economy remains weak and improved only slightly. Creighton University economist Ernie Goss says the survey ranks the economy on a zero to 100 scale, with 50 being growth neutral. “The overall index rose from September’s 52.7 to October’s 53.1, but this is only the second increase in the last seven months,” Goss says, “so I would still place the manufacturing economy of the Mid-American states in a slow-to-no growth stage.”

Iowa’s overall Business Conditions Index for October sank below growth neutral to 49.8, falling from September’s 50.9. Supply managers across the region were asked about what they see as their biggest obstacles for the rest of the year and Goss says their responses focused on four key areas. “Supply chain disruptions remains the number-one challenge, one third indicated that,” Goss says. “Labor shortages, about one-fourth indicated that. Higher input costs, of course, growing there. That rose significantly from last month up to almost one-third, and then higher interest rates, likewise, increased as the Federal Reserve raised rates.”

One telling factor on the October survey, Goss says, is how the Economic Confidence Index is at its lowest point since March of 2020 when the wide impact of the pandemic first kicked in. Also, hiring levels in Iowa and across the region are still lagging. “Some of that, just the inability to get the workers, find the workers, hire the workers, that’s a big, big issue,” Goss says. “The regional employment is still down from pre-COVID levels, and we’re seeing a loss since COVID of about 77,000 workers across the nine-state region.”

Inflation rates are still high, but Goss says they’re dropping and are now at the lowest level since August of 2020. He predicts inflation may reach six-percent during the fourth quarter.

DES MOINES, Iowa – On Friday, October 28, 2022, 73 year old Daniel Wiechmann was arrested at his residence in Hampton, Iowa by Troopers with the Iowa State Patrol on several warrants as a result of a joint investigation conducted by the Ankeny Police Department, the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation, and the Polk County Attorney’s Office, which began in October of 2021.

On October 25, 2021, a report was filed with the Ankeny Police Department regarding historical sexual abuse that had been occurring between Wiechmann and several juvenile step-grandchildren over the course of several years.  Due to the fact that abuse was alleged to have taken place in multiple counties in Iowa, and that Wiechmann had served as an attorney in the Franklin County area, the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation was asked to assist.  Due to a conflict of interest, the Franklin County Attorney’s Office requested that the Polk County Attorney’s Office serve as a special prosecutor for this investigation.

Dan Wiechmann

As a result of the investigation, Wiechmann was charged with one count of Sexual Abuse in the 3rd degree (class C Felony), two counts of Assault with Intent to Commit Sexual Abuse (Aggravated Misdemeanor), one count of Indecent Contact with a Child (Aggravated Misdemeanor) and one count of Indecent Exposure (Serious Misdemeanor).  These charges were filed in Polk, Dallas, and Franklin Counties.

Wiechmann is currently being held at the Dallas County Jail on a $5000 cash bond and a detainer from the Polk County Sheriff’s Office regarding warrants currently on file related to Polk County charges.

DES MOINES – Iowa Secretary of State Paul Pate is adding another layer of protection to Iowa’s electoral process by expanding post-election audits. All 99 counties will be required to conduct a hand count audit of two races following the November 2022 general election. Previously, they audited one race.

One randomly selected precinct in each county will hand count the votes for the Governor’s race to match with the ballot tabulators to ensure the accuracy of the vote. On November 9, the day after the election, Secretary Pate will announce an additional race in a randomly selected precinct in each county.

“This is being done to ensure Iowans of the integrity of the vote,” Secretary Pate said. “Our post-election audits consistently match the ballot tabulators perfectly. Adding another race to the process gives greater protection, transparency and security to the process. We want Iowans to know their vote counts.”

Every ballot tabulator in Iowa undergoes a public pre-election audit to ensure it will count votes accurately on Election Day. Post-election audits are mandatory in all 99 counties following each election.

For more information about election security in Iowa, visit the Secretary of State’s website at sos.iowa.gov. Information about casting your ballot is available at VoterReady.Iowa.gov.