Posted on 04/27/2005 6:23:20 AM PDT by newgeezer
DES MOINES -- Republican leaders in the Iowa Senate demanded a vote on reinstatement of the death penalty Tuesday and turned up the political heat on a top Democrat who has vowed to block any debate on the issue.
But Democrats fired back, accusing the GOP's leading death penalty proponent, Sen. Larry McKibben, Marshalltown, of flip-flopping on the issue.
They distributed a 2004 voter guide created by the Iowa Catholic Conference listing McKibben as a supporter of "maintaining Iowa's status as a no death penalty state."
The voter guide was compiled from questionnaires filled out by McKibben and other legislative candidates.
"Apparently his core values have changed. Mine have not. I believe the death penalty is wrong," said Senate Democratic Leader Mike Gronstal of Council Bluffs. He has vowed to block a death penalty debate in the Senate.
"This is an exercise in politics, not in policy. And Sen. McKibben will say one thing shortly before a campaign ... and say quite a different thing when the politics suit him," Gronstal said.
McKibben said the voter guide "correctly reflected" his opinion at the time. But he insists the kidnapping, murder and rape last month of a 10-year-old Cedar Rapids girl, Jetseta Gage, changed his mind. A convicted sex offender is charged in her death.
"It took a tragic murder, really, to bring this back to the forefront," McKibben said.
On Tuesday Leo Williams, whose wife is Gage's mother's first cousin, joined McKibben and 11 other GOP lawmakers at a Statehouse news conference. Williams said he is the family's spokesman.
"I think (the death penalty) would be an excellent deterrent," Williams, Cedar Rapids, told a line of TV cameras from around the state. "It isn't going to bring Jetseta back by any means.
"But if it could make things easier, God forbid, for the next family, that's what the family would hope," Williams said.
Republican leaders want a "limited" death penalty applied only to cases involving the kidnapping, sexual assault and murder of a victim under 18. Under current Iowa law, those offenders would face life imprisonment without parole.
But Republicans argue current law provides no extra penalty for kidnappers or rapists who choose to kill their victims in an effort to cover up the crime. Backers want to attach the death penalty to a broader bill creating tougher penalties and tighter monitoring measures for sex offenders.
"I do believe it will save lives," said Sen. Chuck Larson, R-Cedar Rapids. "I think if we're afforded a vote on the floor of the Iowa Senate, it will pass."
Gronstal contends there are not enough votes to approve a death penalty in the Senate, which is divided 25-25 between Democrats and Republicans.
A power-sharing agreement gives Gronstal the power to halt debate on any measure. The Democrat plans to exercise that power if Republicans bring up the death penalty.
Even if a death penalty measure survived the Senate and House, Gov. Tom Vilsack said Tuesday he would not sign it.
Vilsack argued a life prison sentence is sufficient, and said the calls to bring back the death penalty are about politics.
But McKibben said politicians sometimes change their minds.
"If it passes the Senate and it passes the House, who knows what the governor of Iowa will do?" McKibben said. "It will be a tough political decision for him."
-- Charlotte Eby contributed to this story
Bring it to a vote. Give any chicken-sh** Democrats who oppose this limited death penalty bill the opportunity to go on record.
He'll do whatever the NEA tells him to do.
Vilsack needs to get some oxygen to his brain and consider how today's law actually encourages child-molesting kidnappers to kill their victims.
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I would really go for this if they would eliminate all those appeals so that the Lawyers would not have a cash cow to feed off of.
That is a problem. But, it's no reason to kill the bill and continue to encourage these b*st*rds to kill their victims.
It may not be a perfect bill. But, it's a hell of a lot better than doing nothing. Even the Des Moines Register poll found 67% of Iowans are currently in favor of the death penalty. We need to strike while the iron's hot.
Amen!
Viltax doesn't want a Death Penalty bill on his desk. If he vetos it, any hopes for furthering his political career Nationally, is DEAD.
So, the question is,,,, "Is Mike Gronstal protecting Viltax?"
Given the fact that Mikey has launched an exploratory committee to test the waters for his own race for Terrace Hill, I have to think he's covering Viltax's backside. More than 70% of Iowans support the Death Penalty, according to a Red Star poll.
I can't remember the exact wording of the poll question, but it wasn't limiting at all. If the Legislature voted out a bill limiting the death penalty to those who killed their victims under 18, AFTER a kidnapping and rape occurance, the approval numbers would soar to just short of 90%.
So, WHY would Mikey Gronstal block this legislation unless he's protecting sombody? If he allowed it to be debated, it would be votes in his column for Governor. Blocking this legislation is the kiss of Death for Gronstals campaign for Governor
/end of Rant
THE ONLY HUMAN LIFE DEMOCRATS ARE WILLING TO FIGHT TO PROTECT IS THAT OF MURDERERS!!!
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