Iowa Democratic Party Chair Troy Price released the following statement after Republicans passed a provision in the 2019 budget bill that would require Attorney General Miller to seek the assembly’s permission before pursuing certain litigation:
“This is yet another power grab by Republicans in the Statehouse who have become so entrenched in playing short-sighted political games that they have lost any regard for the democratic process, the will of Iowa voters, or the future of our state. Attorney General Miller is the longest serving AG in the country, and his tenure exemplifies the work that he does to protect Iowans.
“This bill is an unprecedented overreach, and would make Iowa the only state in the country to restrict the Attorney General’s powers in this manner. Republicans are undermining the will of the voters by significantly changing the way our state government functions purely for political gain. Not only does this bill disregard the overwhelming majority of Iowans who voted for AG Miller, it violates our constitutional checks and balances and separation of powers.
“If Governor Reynolds cares about our democratic process, she should veto this bill immediately. We will continue to speak out against Republicans’ attempts to rig the system in their favor, and I encourage Iowans to sign our petition to tell the Governor to stop this political power grab.”