Iowa Ag Summit draws protesters, detractors

DES MOINES - Democrats warned Iowans Saturday to be wary of Republican candidates who come to the state to talk about supporting agriculture but take opposite actions when they leave.

R.T. Rybak, vice chairman of the Democratic National Committee, joined Iowa Democratic Party chairwoman Andy McGuire on Saturday for a news conference rebuttal to the Iowa Ag Summit, which drew nine GOP presidential hopefuls to the Iowa State Fairgrounds.

Rybak said congressional Republicans at the summit support agricultural interests such as wind energy - which employs 6,000 Iowans - while they're in the Hawkeye State but vote against them in Washington.

'Every one of those jobs is jeopardized by Republicans in Congress who voted against the very supports that have put jobs in Iowa,” he said.

McGuire also leveled criticism at the daylong summit's organizer, Iowa entrepreneur and philanthropist Bruce Rastetter.

'Today's Ag Summit, which has been pitched as a symposium on issues affecting rural Americans, is sponsored by one of the most wealthy and well-connected money men in Iowa,” McGuire told reporters at a downtown hotel.

Protests against the summit weren't limited to the official Democratic news conference. Noisy demonstrators protesting over corporate agriculture, animal rights and labor issues greeted summit attendees at the fairgrounds.

R.T. Rybak, vice chairman of the Democratic National Committee, and Iowa Democratic Party chairwoman Andy McGuire, greeted with skepticism the 2015 Iowa Ag Summit that drew nine GOP presidential hopefuls to the state fairgrounds, where they were greeted by noisy demonstrators protesting over corporate agriculture, animal rights and anti-labor issues.

The day-long event was organized by Bruce Rastetter, an Iowa entrepreneur and philanthropist who was aided by a number of corporate sponsors that were featured in commercials aired via video boards at the fairgrounds' Elwell Family Center between candidate discussions with Rastetter.

'Today's Ag Summit, which has been pitched as a symposium on issues affecting rural Americans, is sponsored by one of the most wealthy and well-connected money men in Iowa,” McGuire told a news conference at a downtown hotel. 'So, while I applaud the organizers for attempting to address our challenges in rural Iowa related to clean air, clean water, clean energy, Iowa's mainstream economics, I promise you that at today's event you're not likely to hear in-depth discussion on these issues.”

Rybak said the congressional Republicans in attendance Saturday support agricultural interests such as wind energy - which employs 6,000 Iowans - while they're in Iowa but vote against them in Washington, such as wind energy, which employs more than 6,000 Iowans.

'Every one of those jobs is jeopardized by Republicans in Congress who voted against the very supports that have put jobs in Iowa,” he said.

Democrats weren't the only ones standing in opposition to the Republicans at the Ag Summit on Saturday. Members of Among the protesters were members of Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement, which hosted several events to disparage the summit as a 'Corporate Ag Summit.”

The group's protests included a visit to Iowa Republican Party headquarters that ended with a police call.

Des Moines Police Sgt. Bob Crouse said 30 to 50 protesters entered the GOP state headquarters in Des Moines, locked the door and taped leaflets on every flat surface, including the ceiling. The only employee in the office asked them to leave and when they refused, police were called.

Crouse said when officers arrived, the group chanted about their cause for a few minutes before slowly exiting the building. No arrests were made.

Hugh Epsey, CCI executive director, said the goal was to leave a letter for GOP state party chairman Jeff Kaufmann requesting a meeting with him, other Republican leaders and GOP candidates about the group's vision for the agriculture industry.

The labor protesters at the fairgrounds were there in response to in response to a recent speech by Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker in which he seemed to compare union protesters with Islamic State terrorists. Walker, who was among the summit speakers, also is expected to sign right-to-work legislation passed by the Wisconsin legislature next week in Wisconsin.

The South Central Iowa Federation of Labor also held a protest against Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, R-Wisconsin, in response to a recent speech in which he seemed to compare union protesters with Islamic State terrorists. He also is expected to sign right-to-work legislation passed by the Wisconsin legislature next week in Wisconsin.'I'm personally offended that he would make remarks saying we, American citizens, are terrorists,” said protester Vincent Variale, a New York City EMS lieutenant who responded to the September 11, 2001 terrorist attack 9/11 attacks. Several Democratic presidential hopefuls were invited but declined to participate in Saturday's summit. Rybak said those candidates will have several opportunities to meet with Iowans, but for now he's glad the Republicans are here.

'We are very excited to be here in Iowa because frankly the more Republicans campaigned in the last election the less support they got, and I think you're going to see another example of that here today,” he said.