Iowa Democrats defend lawsuit against Branstad

Democratic lawmakers are defending four colleagues and a labor leader who have brought a lawsuit against Gov. Terry Branstad, claiming he overstepped his executive power when he line-item vetoed language to shut down 36 Iowa Workforce Development field offices.

The lawsuit, brought by Sen. Bill Dotzler (D-Waterloo), Reps. Dave Jacoby (D-Coralville), Kristen Running-Marquardt (D-Cedar Rapids) and Bruce Hunter (D-Des Moines) and AFSCME Council 61 president Danny Homan, alleges that when Branstad vetoed the language in Senate File 517 — the economic development budget — he merely vetoed the policy to keep the offices open, but did not veto the $3.5 million for the offices the Legislature allocated to keep them open.

Democratic legislators are saying the lawsuit was the last resort, after Republican lawmakers unanimously rejected a special session to address the field office issue. Many, though rather disappointed with Branstad’s decision to issue the line-item veto, felt that a special session was an expensive idea, and other pressing issues, like property tax reform, would have to be dealt with concurrently.

“It was very appropriate for them to bring it,” Sen. Joe Bolkcom (D-Iowa City) said. “Republicans have been silent on this, and none of them responded to the idea of a special session. They have the ability to fix this. We’re just as frustrated, but we chose to take steps to fix it, and we think the solution was pretty darn easy.”

Rep. Beth Wessel-Kroeschell (D-Ames) said the lawsuit “indicates how important this issues is to us,” and called the field office closures “damaging” to employment and economic development to Iowa.

Sen. Jeff Danielson (D-Cedar Falls) said the line-item veto and the ultimate lawsuit will “set the tone” for the rest of Branstad’s tenure in Terrance Hill. Branstad, Iowa’s longest-serving Governor, is serving his fifth term.

“(The lawsuit) will be an important test of Legislative intent,” Danielson said. “If we can’t come together to work things out, then we need to know that right now. Do we still have a legislative branch and executive branch? We think we still do.”

The issue could carry over into the next Legislative session, scheduled to gavel in Jan. 9.

“I’m sure we’ll be looking at it,” Wessel-Kroeschell said of the veto ramifications. “I hope, however, that compromise happens outside of session.”

Branstad’s office had no additional comment Monday, though spokesman Tim Albrecht has characterized the lawsuit as frivolous, adding that it offers nothing but continued political posturing from Democrats.

Branstad’s administration proposed, with cooperation from Iowa Workforce Development, to replace the 36 offices with hundreds of computers at public kiosks for access. Not all field offices were closed; some — including one in Lee County — were spared depending on economic climate around the offices’ location. Others were saved with federal dollars.