Branstad withdraws two nominees

Two former legislators – a Democrat and a Republican – have become “collateral damage” in the fight between Gov. Terry Branstad and Senate Democrats over his appointees to state boards and commissions.

Branstad, a Republican, has withdrawn the nominations of former Sen. Tom Rielly, an Oskaloosa Democrat, to the Transportation Commission and former Rep. Nick Wagner, a Marion Republican, to the Iowa Utilities Board.

“It is clear that these two fine individuals were going to be collateral damage in the larger fight over the (Board of) Regents nominees,” Branstad spokesman Tim Albrecht said Monday. “The governor is withdrawing their names to preserve all of his options once session has ended.”

A senior Democratic senator said that following the governor's decision to withdraw the nominations, the Senate would “take down” Branstad's regents nominees, Craig Lang of Brooklyn and Robert Cramer of Grimes.

Senate Majority Leader Mike Gronstal, D-Council Bluffs, said the withdrawals were the governor's decision.

“It wasn't on our advice or at our suggestion,” he said. “They made their decision. It was neither encouraged or discouraged.”

Senate Democrats opposed Wagner's nomination for a variety of reasons, including the fact he would be the second board member from Marion and he is not an attorney. Some senators objected to his support for past legislation that would have paved the way for development of a small-scale nuclear power plant.

Senate Republicans had deferred on Rielly's confirmation, saying they wanted more information about him. Rielly was the former chairman of the Senate Transportation Committee.

Branstad has no plans to nominate replacements for Wagner and Rielly ahead of the April 15 deadline for confirmation. His appointees to those panels will be subject to confirmation next year.