DES MOINES – Democratic lawmakers complained Thursday after Republican lawmakers rejected a budget bill amendment that would have eased school funding cuts in an amount that mirrors payouts for sexual harassment claims.
According to Democratic Iowa lawmakers:
All 29 Republican State Senators today rejected a proposal to ensure that community college students aren’t on the hook for a sexual harassment judgment against Republican Senators and staff.
Senator Herman Quirmbach of Ames offered an amendment today to a budget bill (Senate File 2117) that would have reduced the size of mid-year budget cuts proposed by Senate Republicans and restored $1.75 million to the state’s community colleges.
The $1.75 million mirrors the amount of a settlement reached last year between Iowa Senate Republican leaders and Kirsten Anderson, a former Senate Republican staffer who was sexually harassed over a period of years at the Capitol. Instead of taking her seriously, Senate Republican Leader Bill Dix of Shell Rock fired Anderson seven hours after she filed a harassment complaint with Republican leaders.
“We’ve heard from many Iowans who are not happy about paying the $1.75 million settlement,” Quirmbach said. “Today, I gave Republican Senators a choice. If they believed that that Iowa community college students should NOT pay for the bad behavior of the Senate Republican caucus, they could have voted YES! Instead, all 29 Republican Senators voted to keep community college students on the hook for the $1.75 million settlement against Senate Republicans.
“Community college students and other taxpayers expect more from their leaders.”
More fallout from Ms Clinton’s bitter loss.They are targeting white males in power. At least that’s what many women who voted for the Boss aka Mr Trump told me. #freewoody
Demopoops – new mafia in town.
Deflect
The Republicans don’t want to pay for their shortcomings so they will make someone else pay for it. Typical of them.
The way this article is written is deceiving to put it lightly. The community colleges are not “paying” $175,000 for any settlement. They are in fact getting more money than they did last year as are all schools! This is this this dem hacks excuse to make a dramatic point. All taxpayers in Iowa paid the $175,000 to cover this settlement. (I too disagree with this, is should be the individual charged with harassment that should be responsible for payment and the lawmakers passed a bill confirming this so it doesn’t happen again.
Sorry John, I don’t know where your info comes from but the community college cuts asked for by the governor, senate and house in Iowa are:
House: $500,000 Senate: $5,441,391Governor: $1,813,797. Which one happens, no one knows but the Repubs want to cut.
Your figure is also a mistake. It was a $1,750,000 settlement and yes, the taxpayers have to pay it. The point being made here is that if the Republicans had forced their own to pay that money, then the 1.75 million could be used some where else….like schools. Your final statement about passing a bill is also incorrect. A bill has been introduced but hasn’t been acted upon at this point in time. Don’t bet on it making it to the floor for debate.