Today is scheduled to be the final day of Senate Judiciary Committee hearings into the nomination of Judge Amy Coney Barrett to the U.S. Supreme Court. Both of Iowa’s U.S. senators serve on the committee…during yesterday’s hearing, Sen. Charles Grassley of New Hartford criticized Democrats who have tried to get Judge Barrett to predict how she would rule regarding an upcoming case on the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act, or Obamacare. That case will come before the high court with oral arguments on November 10. Grassley also criticized Democrats who have taken time during the hearing to talk about coronavirus stimulus. Senate Republicans have suggested a 500 billion dollar measure, the Administration has suggested $1.8 trillion…both of which the Speaker of the House says are too small.
Both of Iowa’s U.S. senators are members of the 22-member Senate Judiciary Committee, and they’ve spent this week considering the nomination of a new U.S. Supreme Court justice. During the hearing, U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst of Red Oak called out Democrats for what she says is an effort to undermine nominee Judge Amy Coney Barrett’s credibility. If confirmed, Judge Barrett would be the fifth woman ever to serve on the nation’s highest court.
An Iowa prosecutor has been charged with harassment, accused of threatening to pursue meritless criminal charges against his ex-fiancee, a doctor from Iran…charges that he warned could cause her deportation. A criminal complaint says Ryan McCord was an assistant Des Moines County attorney in Burlington when he is accused of harassing the woman for months after they ended their relationship. The woman works as a physician at the Great River Medical Center in Burlington on a visa for foreign-born doctors. Allegations are that McCord falsely told the woman that he had a pending domestic violence charge against her at the sheriff’s office that could be filed if they did not get back together.
A central Iowa man has been arrested after police say he threatened to bring a loaded shotgun to an Iowa Workforce Development office. 29-year-old Matthew Goodrich of Altoona was arrested Monday and charged with making a threat of terrorism and two counts of harassment. Police say Goodrich was upset about not getting his unemployment check when he called the office. An employee there said Goodrich threatened to bring a loaded shotgun to the office and that he said the office should be blown up with a pipe bomb.
