Grassley plans ‘fast in, fast out’ visit to GOP convention

CEDAR RAPIDS - Despite his reluctance to pay inflated costs for a hotel room during the Republican National Convention this summer, Sen. Chuck Grassley has decided to make a brief appearance to meet with fellow Iowans in Cleveland.

'Fast in, fast out,” Grassley said about his plans to spend about 36 hours in Cleveland during the GOP convention, where it appears businessman Donald Trump likely is to be nominated for president.

Last month, Grassley, known for his frugality, expressed doubts about attending, calling the inflated cost of a hotel room during the July 18-21 convention, 'A waste of money.”

Fox 8 TV in Cleveland recently reported that hotel rooms that go for $45 a night in Strongsville, Ohio, which is about 30 miles from Cleveland, are listed at $749 during the convention.

'I've gone to every convention since 1980 and every time I got done with a convention I said I never was going to go back to another one, but I keep going back,” Grassley said recently.

'The biggest determination is how much interaction can I have with the Iowa delegation when I go because that's the purpose of going,” Grassley said.

He said he doesn't plan to stay with the Iowa delegation because of its hotel's distance from the convention and the cost.

'The delegation is going to be a long ways out from the convention center,” Grassley said, adding he hopes to find a place that is 'a lot cheaper.”

The Iowans will be staying at the Homewood Suites in Beachwood, about 25 minutes from the convention site, according to the state party.

Sen. Joni Ernst also plans to attend the convention and plans to stay with the Iowa delegation, a spokeswoman said.