Protesters zero in on Dix’s home to draw attention to harassment case

SHELL ROCK - Protesters are planning to picket Saturday across the street from the home of Iowa Senate Majority Leader Bill Dix.

Demonstrators organized by Teamsters Local 238 are set to arrive by bus at 1 p.m. across from Dix's Shell Rock home. They plan to protest what they perceive as Dix's attacks during the last legislative season on working families, veterans, education, health care and seniors.

Former Iowa Senate employee Kirsten Anderson is expected to speak about how Dix ignored her complaints of sexual harassment and a toxic work environment in his Senate caucus where she was communications director. Anderson ultimately was awarded a judgment of $1.75 million.

'That's why America is a great place to work and live and raise our families,” Dix said Wednesday about the planned protest. 'These are people that are just exercising their constitutionally guaranteed rights.”

Butler County Democrats also will serve a chili lunch from noon to 4 p.m. at the Boyd Building in downtown Shell Rock. Tracy Freese, a Democratic candidate against Dix for Senate District 25, is scheduled to be there.