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Feature
Stories
Activists look to cities for payday loan regulation
CCI calls for city councils and the legislature to crack down on payday lenders.
READ THE IOWA INDEPENDENT ARTICLE |
DeCosters give big donation to Culver backer
CCI calls for the money to be returned, stronger factory farm regulations and for gubernatorial candidates to support ag policy that puts people first.
READ THE DES MOINES REGISTER ARTICLE |
Branstad outlines five-year vision for ag
CCI calls gubernatorial candidate Terry Branstad “tone deaf” to be calling for less regulation while details are being released about how the lack of regulation has led to largest salmonella outbreak and egg recall in U.S. history.
READ THE ARTICLE |
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CCI calls Gov. Branstad "tone deaf" for factory farm deregulation proposals
CCI releases a press statement on Branstad's five-year vision for ag.
READ EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR HUGH ESPEY'S STATEMENT
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DNR finds problems at Scott hog farm, notes repairs had been launched
The DNR issued two violations to Tom Dittmer for his factory farm, which CCI says should stop his hog expansion in Scott County.
READ THE QUAD CITY TIMES ARTICLE
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Factory farms pose serious health risks
CCI member Jim Yungclas from Wright County had a op-ed published in the Des Moines Register around the recent egg recall, calling for tougher regulations of the factory farm industry.
READ THE DES MOINES REGISTER OP-ED |
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Iowans scramble to cope with egg catastrophe
Time Magazine interviewed CCI member Jim Yungclas from Wright County about the recent egg recall and the impact of factory farms on our quality of life.
READ THE TIME ARTICLE
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West Des Moines passes a moratorium on new payday lenders
The West Des Moines city council approved a temporary moratorium on new payday lenders.
READ THE DES MOINES REGISTER STORY |
CCI Responds to factory farm egg recall
The recent salmonella outbreak and recall of more than half a billion eggs by DeCoster and Hillandale factory farms in Wright County, Iowa is only the latest example why factory farms are not only environmentally unsustainable but also a serious threat to the public health.
READ THE PRESS STATEMENT |
CCI calls for strong, new DNR leadership that puts people first
At a press conference Aug. 19, CCI members call for soon-to-be Interim Director Pat Boddy to support CCI's rulemaking petition, crack down on factory farm polluters and put people first.
READ THE QUAD CITY TIMES ARTICLE |
Ankeny residents request payday lending moratorium
CCI members in Ankeny call on the City Council to pass tough payday lending ordinances in Ankeny.
READ THE DES MOINES REGISTER ARTICLE |
City Councilwoman Christine Hensley calls for "toughest ordinance possible" for payday lenders
CCI members met with Chris Hensley to discuss cracking down on payday lending ordinances in Des Moines.
READ THE DES MOINES REGISTER ARTICLE |
Scott County Hog Proposal Draws Crowd
CCI members pack a Scott County Board of Supervisors meeting to stop the expansion of a local factory farm.
READ THE QUAD CITY TIMES STORY |
CCI members urge action to restrict payday lenders
At the Aug. 5 Planning and Zoning meeting, CCI members call on the city council to enact tough ordinances to restrict the number of payday lenders in Des Moines.
READ THE DES MOINES REGISTER ARTICLE |
Input sought on Des Moines pawn, payday lenders
CCI members push the city's Planning and Zoning Commission to cap the number of payday lenders in town.
READ THE DES MOINES REGISTER ARTICLE |
Joe Fagan honored in the Des Moines Register
A
s part of Rekha Basu's Dreamers and Doers series, the Des Moines Register features Joe Fagan, one of CCI's founding members. Thanks, Joe, for 35 years of being tough and tenacious.
READ THE ARTICLE |
CCI members deliver our message of "Put People First" to gubernatorial candidates
As part of our statewide convention, hundreds of CCI members took our message to Terrace Hill and Governor Branstad's campaign headquarters.
READ THE DES MOINES REGISTER ARTICLE |
CCI members push for payday lending regulations
At a public meeting, more than a dozen CCI members called for tough regulations for payday lenders and pawn shops.
READ THE DES MOINES REGISTER ARTICLE |
CCI Applauds Department of Justice Suing Arizona
The DOJ sues Arizona, on the grounds that the state's new immigration law illegally intrudes on federal prerogatives. An Arizona-type approach would be wrong for Iowa.
READ THE PRESS RELEASE |
Rep. King attempting to sell out Congress
Representative Steve King pushes to eliminate contribution limits to candidates for federal office and open the door for unlimited special-interest money.
READ THE PRESS RELEASE |
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Victory! City Council freezes pawn and payday loan shops
As part of our campaign for good affordable credit, CCI members applaud the city council's decision to declare a six-month moratorium on pawn and payday loan shops.
READ THE DES MOINES REGISTER ARTICLE
READ ANOTHER REGISTER ARTICLE ON THE ISSUE
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Moyers PBS finale notes grass-roots work of Iowa CCI
The Des Moines Register posted a story highlighting CCI's feature on Bill Moyers Journal, which focused on the power of organized people standing up to organized money (corporate power).
READ THE ARTICLE |
Iowans to March against Big Banks in Kansas City
As part of the movement to hold Big Banks accountable, CCI helped lead the "Showdown in the Heartland" in Kansas City.
READ THE PRESS RELEASE
MORE SHOWDOWN INFORMATION |
Iowa CCI members recover $9,178 in unpaid wages from Park Avenue Laundry Services
Nine CCI members and employees of PALS wage a worker-justice campaign and win nearly $10,000 in unpaid wages.
READ THE PRESS RELEASE |
CCI members March for America in Washington, D.C.
More than 10 CCI members and immigrant students joined with more than 200,000 others in Washington, D.C. for the Reform Immigration for America March.
READ THE PRESS RELEASE |
Iowa's 3rd Congressional District Wants Fair Elections Now Act
A recent poll reveals that voters in Iowa's 3rd Congressional district are concerned about special-interest influence on members of Congress and expect Congress to fix our broken political system.
READ THE PRESS RELEASE |
Hundreds pack town hall to Bust up Big Ag
On Thursday, March 11, more than 250 Iowa CCI members and supporters packed our "Taking on Corporate Power in our Food System" town hall meeting in Ankeny to send a simple but powerful message to the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), and Congress: Bust Up Big Ag.
CHECK OUT THE HIGHLIGHTS HERE |
CCI's "Clean Water YES, HF 2324 No" Lobby Day
More than 100 CCI members came together to demand our legislators, and Governor Culver, kill House File 2324 and stand up for clean water. The first link is to the story that appeared in the Quad City Times, Sioux City Journal, Waterloo/Cedar Falls Courier and the Cedar Rapids Gazette.
READ THE STATEWIDE STORY
READ THE IOWA POLITICS.COM STORY
READ THE DES MOINES REGISTER BLOG
SEE FLICKR PHOTOS |
Governor Culver's Office Publicly Opposes "Manure in Water" Bill
Iowa CCI members mobilized at the Capitol for a Clean Water Lobby Day and press conference to deliver a simple message to the governor and legislative leaders: "Kill the bill."
READ THE PRESS RELEASE |
EPA: Manure Proposal Harmful to State
The EPA weighs in against the bill that would gut legislation banning the application of manure on frozen and snow-covered ground, saying it would violate the Clean Water Act.
READ THE ARTICLE |
Fight Seen Over Ban on Winter Spreading of Manure
A Des Moines Register article features several CCI members, calling for the House leadership to kill House File 2324 and keep factory farm manure out of our water.
READ THE ARTICLE |
Don't Back Down: Protect Our Water
A Des Moines Register editorial says the legislature should keep limits on spreading manure on fields in winter. DNR Environmental Protection Chief Wayne Gieselman says, "Spreading on snow-covered ground is a horrible ... practice."
READ THE EDITORIAL |
CCI Vows to Kill Legislation that puts Factory Farm Manure in Our Water
Iowans demand elected officials stand on the side of the people, not corporate polluters.
READ THE PRESS RELEASE |
Attorney General Sues Factory Farm Owners for Violations
Iowa CCI applaud's AG's decision for cracking down on factory farm violators.
READ THE PRESS RELEASE |
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Hundreds of Iowans Protest inside Wells Fargo and Bank of America
As part of our Showdown at the Statehouse, hundreds of Iowans take our message to the big banks- give bonuses to state budgets.
COMPREHENSIVE PRESS COVERAGE OF JAN. 26 RALLY DAY AND BIG BANK ACTION
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Iowa CCI named Most Valuable Grassroots Advocacy Group by The Nation magazine
We are very excited to report that The Nation magazine has just named Iowa CCI a Most Valuable Progressive (MVP) for 2009. Journalist John Nichols writes, "Although the MVP list, which makes its print debut here, focuses on individuals and organizations, it is really about issues and ideas. As such, the point is not to identify perfect players so much as to make note of activists and activist groups that may not get enough recognition but that are having a demonstrable effect--in Washington and around the country."
READ THE NATION'S MOST VALUABLE PROGRESSIVES 2009 LIST HERE
READ THE PRESS RELEASE
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CCI Receives Four-Star Rating from Charity Navigator for Third Consecutive Year
Charity Navigator, America’s largest independent evaluator of charities, just gave Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement (Iowa CCI) its top honor – a four-star rating – for the third year in a row.
READ THE PRESS RELEASE |
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Farming
and the Environment
DeCosters give big donation to Culver backer
CCI calls for the money to be returned, stronger factory farm regulations and for gubernatorial candidates to support ag policy that puts people first.
READ THE DES MOINES REGISTER ARTICLE |
CCI calls Gov. Branstad "tone deaf" for factory farm deregulation proposals
CCI releases a press statement on Branstad's five-year vision for ag.
READ EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR HUGH ESPEY'S STATEMENT |
Branstad outlines five-year vision for ag
CCI calls gubernatorial candidate Terry Branstad “tone deaf” to be calling for less regulation while details are being released about how the lack of regulation has led to largest salmonella outbreak and egg recall in U.S. history.
READ THE ARTICLE |
DNR finds problems at Scott hog farm, notes repairs had been launched
The DNR issued two violations to Tom Dittmer for his factory farm, which CCI says should stop his hog expansion in Scott County.
READ THE QUAD CITY TIMES ARTICLE |
Factory farms pose serious health risks
CCI member Jim Yungclas from Wright County had a op-ed published in the Des Moines Register around the recent egg recall, calling for tougher regulations of the factory farm industry.
READ THE DES MOINES REGISTER OP-ED |
Iowans scramble to cope with egg catastrophe
Time Magazine interviewed CCI member Jim Yungclas from Wright County about the recent egg recall and the impact of factory farms on our quality of life.
READ THE TIME ARTICLE |
CCI Responds to factory farm egg recall
The recent salmonella outbreak and recall of more than half a billion eggs by DeCoster and Hillandale factory farms in Wright County, Iowa is only the latest example why factory farms are not only environmentally unsustainable but also a serious threat to the public health.
READ THE PRESS STATEMENT |
CCI calls for strong, new DNR leadership that puts people first
At a press conference Aug. 19, CCI members call for soon-to-be Interim Director Pat Boddy to support CCI's rulemaking petition, crack down on factory farm polluters and put people first.
READ THE QUAD CITY TIMES ARTICLE |
Scott County Hog Proposal Draws Crowd
CCI members pack a Scott County Board of Supervisors meeting to stop the expansion of a local factory farm.
READ THE QUAD CITY TIMES STORY |
Hundreds pack town hall to Bust up Big Ag
On Thursday, March 11, more than 250 Iowa CCI members and supporters packed our "Taking on Corporate Power in our Food System" town hall meeting in Ankeny to send a simple but powerful message to the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), and Congress: Bust Up Big Ag.
CHECK OUT THE HIGHLIGHTS HERE |
CCI's "Clean Water YES, HF 2324 No" Lobby Day
More than 100 CCI members came together to demand our legislators, and Governor Culver, kill House File 2324 and stand up for clean water. The first link is to the story that appeared in the Quad City Times, Sioux City Journal, Waterloo/Cedar Falls Courier and the Cedar Rapids Gazette.
READ THE STATEWIDE STORY
READ THE IOWA POLITICS.COM STORY
READ THE DES MOINES REGISTER BLOG
SEE FLICKR PHOTOS |
Governor Culver's Office Publicly Opposes "Manure in Water" Bill
Iowa CCI members mobilized at the Capitol for a Clean Water Lobby Day and press conference to deliver a simple message to the governor and legislative leaders: "Kill the bill."
READ THE PRESS RELEASE |
EPA: Manure Proposal Harmful to State
The EPA weighs in against the bill that would gut legislation banning the application of manure on frozen and snow-covered ground, saying it would violate the Clean Water Act.
READ THE ARTICLE |
Fight Seen Over Ban on Winter Spreading of Manure
A Des Moines Register article features several CCI members, calling for the House leadership to kill House File 2324 and keep factory farm manure out of our water.
READ THE ARTICLE |
Don't Back Down: Protect Our Water
A Des Moines Register editorial says the legislature should keep limits on spreading manure on fields in winter. DNR Environmental Protection Chief Wayne Gieselman says, "Spreading on snow-covered ground is a horrible ... practice."
READ THE EDITORIAL |
CCI Vows to Kill Legislation that puts Factory Farm Manure in Our Water
Iowans demand elected officials stand on the side of the people, not corporate polluters.
READ THE PRESS RELEASE |
Attorney General Sues Factory Farm Owners for Violations
Iowa CCI applaud's AG's decision for cracking down on factory farm violators.
READ THE PRESS RELEASE |
Twenty-five thousand Citizens Urge USDA's Vilsack to End Detrimental Lending Practices
Over $264 Million in the Past Two Years Dumped into New and Expanding Hog & Poultry Facilities as Prices Remain Low and Oversupply Persists
READ THE PRESS RELEASE |
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Letter to Secretary Vilsack re: loan suspension
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CCI Members Blast Secretary Northey for Factory Farm Bailout Request
Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement today blasted Iowa Agriculture Secretary Bill Northey for requesting a $50 million, taxpayer-funded bail-out of the factory farm industry last week.
READ THE PRESS RELEASE |
Governor Culver Signs Bill to Ban Manure on Frozen Ground
CCI members stood in support of Governor Culver signing SF 432, which will officially ban the application of factory farm manure to snow covered ground and restrict the practice on frozen ground.
READ THE PRESS RELEASE |
Press Conference Calls on Legislature to Kill "Manure in Water" Bill
Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement members are outraged by the senate's decision to pass "Manure in Water" bill and hold a press conference to demand bold action.
READ THE PRESS RELEASE |
New Report Exposes Subsidies to Factory Farms
A report recently released exposes how industrial hog and dairy operations are subsidized through the federal Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP).
READ THE PRESS RELEASE
READ THE REPORT (PDF) |
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Livestock Industry Needs Overhaul
The Pew Commission released a report stating that the factory farm industry needs a major overhaul and called for local control over the siting of factory farms.
To read the Des Moines Register article highlighting the report, click here.
To read the Pew Commission report, click here.
The Union of Concerned Scientists released a similar study calling for stronger standards for the factory farm industry. To read the report, click here.
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CCI
member on NPR
CCI members Virgene & Reggie
Martin were interviewed by Mo Rocca for NPR's All Things Considered.
READ
MORE HERE |
Housing
and Financial Safety
Activists look to cities for payday loan regulation
CCI calls for city councils and the legislature to crack down on payday lenders.
READ THE IOWA INDEPENDENT ARTICLE |
West Des Moines passes a moratorium on new payday lenders
The West Des Moines city council approved a temporary moratorium on new payday lenders.
READ THE DES MOINES REGISTER STORY |
Ankeny residents request payday lending moratorium
CCI members in Ankeny call on the City Council to pass tough payday lending ordinances in Ankeny.
READ THE DES MOINES REGISTER ARTICLE |
City Councilwoman Christine Hensley calls for "toughest ordinance possible" for payday lenders
CCI members met with Chris Hensley to discuss cracking down on payday lending ordinances in Des Moines.
READ THE DES MOINES REGISTER ARTICLE |
CCI members urge action to restrict payday lenders
At the Aug. 5 Planning and Zoning meeting, CCI members call on the city council to enact tough ordinances to restrict the number of payday lenders in Des Moines.
READ THE DES MOINES REGISTER ARTICLE |
Input sought on Des Moines pawn, payday lenders
CCI members push the city's Planning and Zoning Commission to cap the number of payday lenders in town.
READ THE DES MOINES REGISTER ARTICLE |
CCI members push for payday lending regulations
At a public meeting, more than a dozen CCI members called for tough regulations for payday lenders and pawn shops.
READ THE DES MOINES REGISTER ARTICLE |
Victory! City Council freezes pawn and payday loan shops
As part of our campaign for good affordable credit, CCI members applaud the city council's decision to declare a six-month moratorium on pawn and payday loan shops.
READ THE DES MOINES REGISTER ARTICLE
READ ANOTHER REGISTER ARTICLE ON THE ISSUE |
Iowans to March against Big Banks in Kansas City
As part of the movement to hold Big Banks accountable, CCI helped lead the "Showdown in the Heartland" in Kansas City.
READ THE PRESS RELEASE
MORE SHOWDOWN INFORMATION |
Iowa CCI Recognized for Housing Efforts
Iowa Home Ownership Education Project (IHOEP) Honors CCI During 10th Anniversary Celebration
READ THE PRESS RELEASE |
Iowa CCI Members tell Wells Fargo: Stop financing payday lenders!
CCI wins commitment to meet with top Wells Fargo official Oct. 21
READ THE PRESS RELEASE |
Small Loans, Big Plans
An article in the Business Record highlights CCI's small-dollar loan program and payday lending campaign to make affordable credit in our communities.
READ THE ARTICLE |
CCI members out Wells Fargo for funneling hundreds of millions of dollars to payday lenders
The Des Moines Business Record released CCI's information citing Wells Fargo as a major provider of payday lending funds.
READ THE ARTICLE |
CCI members angry at banks, overseers
An excellent article in the Des Moines Register highlights CCI's Aug. 22 meeting with the Federal Reserve Board of Governors.
READ THE ARTICLE |
CCI wins commitment from Federal Reserve to respond to all demands in writing within 30 days
In a community meeting with the Federal Reserve Board of Governors, CCI members urged the Fed to Put People First.
READ THE PRESS RELEASE |
Governor Culver Signs Consumer Protections Bill
CCI members, who for years have been pushing for stronger protections for consumers, are hopeful of this bill's future and other legislation that puts people first before corporate interests.
READ THE PRESS RELEASE |
Legislature Moves Significant Bills to Protect Iowa's Homeowners
Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement members applaud legislature's bipartisan moves to tackle foreclosure crisis.
READ THE PRESS RELEASE |
CCI Applauds Legislature's Moves to Protect Iowa's Consumers
Individual Iowans are one step closer to having needed protections against certain types of consumer fraud, as the legislature moved two critical bills out of committee this week at the Statehouse. CCI members, who have been pushing for this much-needed legislation for the past few years, applaud this decision.
READ THE PRESS RELEASE |
CCI Statement Regarding $700 billion mortgage bailout
CCI board member Brenda LaBlanc released a statement on behalf of CCI, calling for Congress to enact policies that benefit Main Street, not just Wall Street.
READ THE PRESS STATEMENT |
CCI Member Addresses Chairman of Federal Reserve
CCI member Brenda LaBlanc traveled to Washington, D.C. to meet with Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke, along with a handful of others from across the United States, to address the foreclosure crisis.
This meeting came as a follow up to a visit to Bernanke's home with 500 others of National People's Action.
To read the Des Moines Register article that highlights Brenda's meeting with Bernanke, click here. |
Immigrant
Rights
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CCI Applauds Department of Justice Suing Arizona
The DOJ sues Arizona, on the grounds that the state's new immigration law illegally intrudes on federal prerogatives. An Arizona-type approach would be wrong for Iowa.
READ THE PRESS RELEASE
|
Iowa CCI members recover $9,178 in unpaid wages from Park Avenue Laundry Services
Nine CCI members and employees of PALS wage a worker-justice campaign and win nearly $10,000 in unpaid wages.
READ THE PRESS RELEASE |
CCI members March for America in Washington, D.C.
More than 10 CCI members and immigrant students joined with more than 200,000 others in Washington, D.C. for the Reform Immigration for America March.
READ THE PRESS RELEASE |
Governor Culver Signs Child Labor Reform Bill into Law
The Iowa legislature has taken significant steps to pass a bill (HF 618) that will penalize child labor violations and protect all workers, regardless of immigration status.
READ THE PRESS RELEASE |
Calling for the rights of all workers
Marissa Graciosa, of the Center for Community Change, co-host with CCI of the Heartland Presidential Forum, wrote a great editorial calling for the rights of all workers to be put first. READ MORE HERE. |
July 2008 Postville Rally
More than 1,000 people rallied in Postville in response to the Postville raids, the largest in Iowa history. SEE PHOTOS HERE |
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Faith leaders respond to raids
In May 2008, Bishop Gregory Palmer of the United Methodist Church released a statement calling for an end to immigration raids.
READ
MORE HERE
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Another
perspective on the raids
On September 28, 2007, 16 people were arrested in Grinnell for identity theft.
The daughter of one of the men arrested in the raid shares her story.
READ
THE 10/8/07 ARTICLE |
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CCI and OSHA
sign landmark partnership agreement
READ PRESS RELEASE
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Neighborhood-Based
Issues
Voter-Owned
Elections
CCI members deliver our message of "Put People First" to gubernatorial candidates
As part of our statewide convention, hundreds of CCI members took our message to Terrace Hill and Governor Branstad's campaign headquarters.
READ THE DES MOINES REGISTER ARTICLE |
Rep. King attempting to sell out Congress
Representative Steve King pushes to eliminate contribution limits to candidates for federal office and open the door for unlimited special-interest money.
READ THE PRESS RELEASE |
Iowa's 3rd Congressional District Wants Fair Elections Now Act
A recent poll reveals that voters in Iowa's 3rd Congressional district are concerned about special-interest influence on members of Congress and expect Congress to fix our broken political system.
READ THE PRESS RELEASE |
CCI calls for oversight of lobbyist reports to be restored to the Ethics and Campaign Disclosure Board
On Tuesday, Sept. 8, the Senate Ethics Committee formally reviewed CCI's ethics complaint against the Iowa Pharmacy Association for a disclosure violation and dismissed the complaint with no further action taken. CCI members are calling for bold action next legislative session.
READ THE DES MOINES REGISTER ARTICLE
READ THE
ASSOCIATED PRESS ARTICLE
READ THE IOWA INDEPENDENT ARTICLE |
Influence Should Not be for Sale
CCI member Tim Urban wrote an op-ed in the Des Moines Business Record, calling for campaign contribution limits.
READ THE ARTICLE |
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Grassley Fundraiser Hosted by Mortgage, Insurance Lobbyists and PAC
Special interest fundraiser comes after Grassley voted against bill opposed by hosts to allow bankruptcy judges to renegotiate mortgages.
READ THE PRESS RELEASE
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VOICE Featured on Front Page of Dubuque Telegraph Herald
The Dubuque Telegraph Herald featured an excellent article on campaign spending and VOICE in its Sunday, Oct. 26 edition.
READ THE ARTICLE |
Survey Shows Widespread Political Donors Support VOICE
A recent CCI survey reveals political donors’ overwhelming support (nearly three-fourths) of public financing of elections – Voter Owned Iowa Clean Elections (VOICE).
READ THE PRESS RELEASE |
Iowa Independent Shows Influence of Money and 527s in Political Campaigns
The Iowa Independent, a statewide blog, highlighed the activity of 527 groups here in Iowa. This information was available because of CCI members' efforts to make 527s file disclosure reports with the State Ethics and Disclosure Board. It is a great first step, but we still are working towards reducing the influence of money in politics through VOICE, which would also reduce the influence of 527 groups.
READ THE ARTICLE |
Des Moines Business Record Opinion Article Highlights CCI's Work on VOICE
CCI member Tim Urban wrote an opinion article for the Des Moines Business Record on CCI's recent VOICE donor poll survey.
READ THE ARTICLE |
In
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Press Releases
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