An investigation on Iowa Independent has found the blog has deep roots in state Democrat politics. And, unlike MoveOn.org, a similar group advocating liberal causes, it’s easy to determine who is actually behind the Iowa “Independent”. The key players include:
John Deeth: “He left journalism to do campaign fieldwork for the Democrats.” I believe writing for the Iowa Independent allows this statement to continue to be accurate.
Dien Judge: “son of Iowa Lt. Gov. Patty Judge and former state Senator John Judge.”
Alec Schierenbeck: “president of College Democrats of Iowa.”
Lynda Waddington: “on the Democratic State Central Committee.”
The only place where I see Iowa “Independent” as being “independent” is with Doug Burns. He is sooooooo “independent” that they even list that “He is registered to vote as an Independent.” Oh, but then again he used to work for “U.S. Rep. Pat Danner of Missouri, a Blue Dog Democrat.”
Delores Cutler
· 1 year ago
What do we have here? It sure as heck looks like a liberal front group called the "Iowa Independent."
Go to the Iowa Secretary of States website and see what you find.
When you do a search for "Iowa Independent" and think you might get a business, corporation, or non-profit -- guess what you get?
You get a registered trademark.
"Iowa Independent" is merely a registered trademark of a liberal non-profit group based in Washington, D.C.
The same group that is funded by the likes of SEIU and Tim Gill.
That kind of looks like "Iowa Independent" is the group that is really operating in the shadows.
Digging through much of what is written here -- and where the funding for this group comes from -- makes it pretty ripe for a complaint with the IRS and the Iowa Ethics and Campaign Disclosure Board.
Does "Iowa Independent" even maintain a bank account? Do they have a board? Who makes their editorial decisions? How much money is disbursed to them from SEIU's DC-supported charity? What does that group tell them to write or do?
Peggy
· 1 year ago
The title of this article makes it sound as though Steve King said "drill, drill, drill" but it was actually some of his Fifth District constituents that were chanting it. Now THAT's spin!
CIM Network
· 1 year ago
Unlike most of the rest of the comments on this thread, I think your criticism is fair. We have edited the headline to avoid implying that King said "Drill, Drill, Drill," because it was actually the audience who said it.
We do make an effort to treat subjects of our stories fairly, and we make all possible biases as public as possible to make sure that our readers know where we're coming from when they read our work.
When others respectfully criticize our work, we take it seriously. So thanks.
Western Iowa Reader
· 1 year ago
An investigation into the Iowa “Independent” finds these not-so-independent donors, who are obviously using this site to discredit the likes of conservatives they disagree with, such as Steve King.
Just look at some of the "Independent" groups funding this site:
ESPECIALLY this ARCA group. Did you know that they are pro-Cuba and pro-Sandinista? And these - literally - communists are trying to pollute journalism right here in our state of Iowa?
This is downright frightening. Your readers deserve to know this.
Harold Bornkrust
· 1 year ago
I wouldn't even allow these guys into any gathering or event.
It's one thing if they are legitimate journalists.
It's another thing if they are funded by pro-Cuba groups and out-of-state liberal activists.
Go ahead - Google ARCA - see what you find.
And yet, they say they have journalistic "ethics."
Against King, who is knee deep in money from big oil, we are going to need small donors to defeat him. The majority of Americans and the majority of sane people would like to see King booted off the hill, now is the time for action! Make your donation to Rob Hubler today!!!
PS Iowa Independant is a GREAT news source, I am sorry if they are not slanted enough to your conservative point of views. It is amazing that these far far far right wing neo-con fascist crazies are so use to seeing news completely slanted to there whims that they throw a hissy fit when anything is fair and balanced.
Jamie Slennest
· 1 year ago
Kim K -
So, if they are funded by communist money, Tim Gill and George Soros, that's OK?
Oh no. King took money from a company and legally reported it on his forms.
IA Independent, however, gets there money from these liberal, pro-communist, pro-sandinista billionaires.
Yeah, that's much worse.
And by the way - nice typing. Did you go to Iowa public schools or something? Shoulda been held back!
iridiumred
· 1 year ago
"gets there money"? And you're criticizing someone's typing?
Jamie Slennest
· 1 year ago
Kim -
Pro-communist, pro-Cuba and pro-Sandinista funding...along with Tim Gill...along with George Soros is NOT fair and balanced.
King gets money from a legitimate company and discloses it legally - good for him.
Hiding your true (red) colors - bad for Iowa Independent.
Randall Haugen
· 1 year ago
King is nuttier than a fruitcake,He got his Ass handed to him by T Bone Pickens and should heed his advice. Drilling does Nothing to solve our energy crisis. President Obama and a Democratic Congress and Senate Will.
Your fact checking is about as good as the Iowa Independent's.
Kim K
· 1 year ago
Wait there Jamie, check the FEC, George Soros also gives money to John McCain. The Standard Bearer of the Republican Party!! You don't even hold true to your own conservative principals and are just as liberal with your spending and as big government with your patriot act as any liberal.
daddysteve
· 1 year ago
I can agree with energy development. For King to say he's a fiscal conservative and then advocate our huge military is just ridiculous. This country has FINANCIAL problems. BTW- if you people out there think any media outlet is unbiased then you are naive children. This place allows comments. If I find one of their posts factually or philosophically incorrect then I will be happy to say so.
Peggy2
· 1 year ago
daddysteve,
We're not naive at all. We're just calling this particular blog on its obvious misnomer...independent.
If Doug Burns is unbiased and independent, why did he follow Steve King to every town hall meeting he had the other day? What did he think Steve King was going to say in Denison that he hadn't already said in Creston or Council Bluffs? What was he looking for?
And, in case you didn't notice, our country has been at war for the last several years thus the requirement for military spending. Whether you agree with the war or not, we're in it and we have to win now or it was all for nought.
Cutting military spending during a war is like a man telling his pregnant wife that she should forego her monthly OB appointments to save the family money.
Peggy2
· 1 year ago
Quoting Dana Boone from www.browniowa.com re Obama's caucus victory in Iowa:
"We did it! Iowans showed up and did their part! Now it's up to the rest of the states to keep it going! We set it off! Victory!!!"
hoglot
· 1 year ago
Burns only reported public comments supporting King's position on energy--hardly independent reporting. He failed to report in Creston these opposing, documented federal agency, energy reports: In lease sale 8-20-08, for drilling rights to 1.8 million acres off the Gulf of Mexico, the high bidder was Statoil, a foreign company. American oil companies did not bid on 90% of tracts made available by the U.S. federal government. EIA reports new drilling would not reduce gas prices now or only pennies in the future. The EIA reported record amounts of U.S.refined gas and diesel were shipped to foreign countries while Americans struggled to pay heating and gas bills. In Apr. 377,000 barrels of diesel were shipped to foreign countries--the most since WWII. The U.S. has only 3% of the world's oil supply and uses 26%, leaving 23% still to be imported. New medical studies report lung cancer in non smokers is linked to dangerous carcinogens produced in combustion engines in cars and coal plants. These were all public comments made at the Creston Town Hall meeting.
All Comments
Dana Boone: Voter Registration – Democrat
Jason Hancock: Voter Registration – Democrat
Chase Martyn: Voter Registration – Democrat
T.M. Lindsey: Voter Registration – Democrat
Other “players” straight from http://iowaindependent.com/about:
John Deeth: “He left journalism to do campaign fieldwork for the Democrats.” I believe writing for the Iowa Independent allows this statement to continue to be accurate.
Dien Judge: “son of Iowa Lt. Gov. Patty Judge and former state Senator John Judge.”
Alec Schierenbeck: “president of College Democrats of Iowa.”
Lynda Waddington: “on the Democratic State Central Committee.”
The only place where I see Iowa “Independent” as being “independent” is with Doug Burns. He is sooooooo “independent” that they even list that “He is registered to vote as an Independent.” Oh, but then again he used to work for “U.S. Rep. Pat Danner of Missouri, a Blue Dog Democrat.”
Go to the Iowa Secretary of States website and see what you find.
When you do a search for "Iowa Independent" and think you might get a business, corporation, or non-profit -- guess what you get?
You get a registered trademark.
"Iowa Independent" is merely a registered trademark of a liberal non-profit group based in Washington, D.C.
The same group that is funded by the likes of SEIU and Tim Gill.
That kind of looks like "Iowa Independent" is the group that is really operating in the shadows.
Digging through much of what is written here -- and where the funding for this group comes from -- makes it pretty ripe for a complaint with the IRS and the Iowa Ethics and Campaign Disclosure Board.
Does "Iowa Independent" even maintain a bank account? Do they have a board? Who makes their editorial decisions? How much money is disbursed to them from SEIU's DC-supported charity? What does that group tell them to write or do?
We do make an effort to treat subjects of our stories fairly, and we make all possible biases as public as possible to make sure that our readers know where we're coming from when they read our work.
When others respectfully criticize our work, we take it seriously. So thanks.
Just look at some of the "Independent" groups funding this site:
http://newjournalist.org/donate/
Arca Foundation
http://www.discoverthenetworks.org/funderprofil...
Arkay Foundation
http://www.arkayfoundation.org/
Bauman Family Foundation
http://www.activistcash.com/foundation.cfm?did=55
Better World Fund – Ted Turner’s org
http://www.betterworldfund.org/about.htm
Bohemian Foundation
http://www.bohemianfoundation.org/
Brett Family Foundation
http://www.brettfoundation.org/ Michael Brewer, Executive Director, Brett Foundation
Michael Brewer is the legal director of The Center's Legal Initiatives Project (CLIP), which is a program of the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender Community Center of Colorado (www.coloradoglbt.org).
Gill Foundation
http://www.gillfoundation.org/
Open Society Institute – Soros
http://www.soros.org/
Park Foundation
http://www.parkfoundation.org/index.php
Quixote Foundation
http://www.quixotefoundation.org/about/founder
Rockefeller Family Foundation
SEIU
Sunlight Foundation
http://www.sunlightfoundation.com/
Surdna Foundation
Wallace Global Fund
ESPECIALLY this ARCA group. Did you know that they are pro-Cuba and pro-Sandinista? And these - literally - communists are trying to pollute journalism right here in our state of Iowa?
This is downright frightening. Your readers deserve to know this.
It's one thing if they are legitimate journalists.
It's another thing if they are funded by pro-Cuba groups and out-of-state liberal activists.
Go ahead - Google ARCA - see what you find.
And yet, they say they have journalistic "ethics."
Yeah. Right.
http://www.actblue.com/entity/fundraisers/17951
Against King, who is knee deep in money from big oil, we are going to need small donors to defeat him. The majority of Americans and the majority of sane people would like to see King booted off the hill, now is the time for action! Make your donation to Rob Hubler today!!!
PS
Iowa Independant is a GREAT news source, I am sorry if they are not slanted enough to your conservative point of views. It is amazing that these far far far right wing neo-con fascist crazies are so use to seeing news completely slanted to there whims that they throw a hissy fit when anything is fair and balanced.
So, if they are funded by communist money, Tim Gill and George Soros, that's OK?
Oh no. King took money from a company and legally reported it on his forms.
IA Independent, however, gets there money from these liberal, pro-communist, pro-sandinista billionaires.
Yeah, that's much worse.
And by the way - nice typing. Did you go to Iowa public schools or something? Shoulda been held back!
Pro-communist, pro-Cuba and pro-Sandinista funding...along with Tim Gill...along with George Soros is NOT fair and balanced.
King gets money from a legitimate company and discloses it legally - good for him.
Hiding your true (red) colors - bad for Iowa Independent.
Too bad T. Boone says he wants to drill. Don't believe me? Listen to him in his own words here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oN6nciNgXHI
Oooooh, sorry. You were close though.
Your fact checking is about as good as the Iowa Independent's.
We're not naive at all. We're just calling this particular blog on its obvious misnomer...independent.
If Doug Burns is unbiased and independent, why did he follow Steve King to every town hall meeting he had the other day? What did he think Steve King was going to say in Denison that he hadn't already said in Creston or Council Bluffs? What was he looking for?
And, in case you didn't notice, our country has been at war for the last several years thus the requirement for military spending. Whether you agree with the war or not, we're in it and we have to win now or it was all for nought.
Cutting military spending during a war is like a man telling his pregnant wife that she should forego her monthly OB appointments to save the family money.
"We did it! Iowans showed up and did their part! Now it's up to the rest of the states to keep it going! We set it off! Victory!!!"