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Robin Anderson grabs North Iowa officials for another taxpayer-funded trip to D.C.

Robin Anderson will be grabbing North Iowa officials and taking them on a jet plane to Washington, D.C. to further the Chamber of Commerce agenda again this year
Robin Anderson will be grabbing North Iowa officials and taking them on a jet plane to Washington, D.C. to further the Chamber of Commerce agenda again this year.  Free meals, drinks and hotel rooms help grease the wheels to lure officials along to support its agenda.  Taxpayers cover the costs.

MASON CITY – Robin Anderson will be grabbing North Iowa officials and taking them on another taxpayer-funded trip to Washington, D.C., beginning Wednesday morning when they fly out of the Mason City Airport.

The trip to the nation’s capitol has not been publicized much or even at all (in other words, the public is again uninformed) but according to sources now stepping up and shedding sunlight on the matter to NorthIowaToday.com, up to 9 people are headed to the nation’s capitol.  This cadre of travelers – which includes elected and appointed officials from Mason City, Clear Lake and Cerro Gordo county – leaves the airport early Wednesday and once they land in the capitol, may sport red scarves to show their allegiance to the right-wing, highly-politicized Chamber of Commerce, which is once again sponsoring and setting up the trip through Director Robin Anderson.

The trip features mostly meetings with Republican leaders who are friendly to the Chamber of Commerce’s political endeavors.  According to our source, they will meet with Charles Grassley and Joni Ernst along with Steve King.  The group will also stop at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce offices, NIT is told, where Robin Anderson sends all the dues she collects from North Iowa businesses so it can lobby elected leaders in Congress.  As NIT reported, Senator Grassley was in Mason City just last week and met with the public.  Apparently, local officials did not take that golden, free opportunity to bend his ear.

Chamber of Commerce invoice for Eric Bookmeyer's trip to Washington.
Chamber of Commerce invoice for one of Eric Bookmeyer’s trips to Washington, paid for by Mason City citizens.
(Click to view larger)

Mayor Eric Bookmeyer will once again take the trip for Mason City.  He has gone to Washington with the Chamber at least four other times; each time his meals, drinks and hotel stays are covered by Mason City taxpayers. As NIT has reported in previous years, the Chamber flips the bill and then sends an invoice to the cities of Mason City and Clear Lake, as well as Cerro Gordo County and the Mason City Airport, all of whom typically send representatives.  Tens of thousands of dollars have been paid by taxpayers in recent years to cover the costs of these Chamber-sponsored trips.

Casey Callanan
Cerro Gordo supervisor Casey Callanan returned a phone call Tuesday afternoon about the trip to DC.

NIT has discovered that newly-elected Cerro Gordo Supervisor Casey Callanan is taking the trip.  Mr. Callanan – a Republican – returned a phone call Tuesday afternoon, when NIT sought comment on the matter.  He said he has made the trip a number of times previously when he was with the Clear Lake Chamber of Commerce. He said he expects to meet with Ernst, Grassley and King and may be visiting the U.S. Chamber offices. A political source with ties to many of the individuals involved in this trip told NIT that it is “highly unusual” for a brand new supervisor to make the trip ahead of two long-serving members in Jay Urdahl and Phil Dougherty – both Democrats.

Scott Flory, Clear Lake’s City Administrator, confirmed that he is making the trip.    He has a specific item to discuss to help his community. An “east-end water looping project,” as he described it.  Clear Lake is a progressive community that is adding good-paying jobs and infrastructure, and Mr. Flory seems keen on building on that momentum.

Mr. Flory is returning Friday, but others, NIT is told, are staying until Saturday for an “extra day of vacation”.  The names of those individuals have not yet been disclosed, but when NIT makes the formal public records request, return flight dates and hotel room receipts will show who stayed longer.  NIT will request all dinner, drink, hotel and airplane ticket receipts turned in for re-imbursement by the Chamber and report those figures to the public.

A call to Mason City Administrator Brent Trout with a message requesting information on the trip and its agenda was not returned. Mason City Airport with Director Pam Osgood, who has made the trip a number of times previously, confirmed she will be going. She said Tuesday that she will meet with the Central Air Service, a “key reason” she makes the trip, to ensure Mason City continues to receive air service. Ms. Osgood confirmed she will be returning Friday.

Common sense or nonsense: Bookmeyer does the bidding of the Chamber of Commerce or the people of Mason City while in Washington?
Red scarves worn by elected, appointed, and highly-paid North Iowa officials show their allegiance to the highly-political lobbying efforts of the Chamber of Commerce.

 

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