Let’s start with some full disclosure: As much as he annoys me on occasion, I like Governor Branstad. I especially like Lt. Governor Reynolds. So it’s a little hard for me to be critical of them over an issue that is something of a tempest in a teapot. Nonetheless, I think they’ve handled this speeding incident about as badly as it could have been handled.
First, this could have been put to rest immediately simply by apologizing immediately. An investigation or review into the incident is pointless (no one disputes the Governor’s SUV was speeding), and just drags the matter out and makes Branstad and Reynolds look bad. Reynolds’ remarks on Monday weren’t helpful. They keep “an ambitious” schedule? I’ll try using that excuse the next time I get pulled over.
Second, and I have no idea who was the genius ultimately behind this, why was DCI agent Larry Hedlund placed on administrative leave after making a complaint to his supervisors? If the action was truly taken over an unrelated matter, why wasn’t the action taken with different timing? Those who did this have the management skills of a 5 year old in a sandbox.
If Branstad and Reynolds were unaware that the trooper was driving that fast, they can say so but they need to apologize anyway along with a commitment that it won’t happen again.
It’s what they should have done a long time ago.
Brian Myers
He and his wife Debbie have been married thirty-eight years and have four children and twelve grandchildren. His passions are politics, history, theology, economics, business, and basketball!
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Apologize? Baloney! According to the DSM Register they were going 84 mph. Who hasn’t gone 14 over especially on the interstate. This is nothing more than a democrat witch hunt! You know as well as I do the Gov & Lt Gov were talking business or just resting, not paying attention to the speed. Why do we always cave to the relentless press and liberal news casts?
Witch Hunt? Please.
The actions of the driver are obvious for all to see. He is above the law. The speed limit law and enforcement of the law may be bad public policy or good public policy, but the outrage and disgust I have is that there are persons serving the people who have no regard for the rule of law. The passengers are not responsible, though their silence speaks much to their character. The officer should certainly not be greeted in the usual way; grab the perp by the hair, tazor him until he urinates and deficates in his trousers and then beat the living hell out of him for resisting arrest. Nor would I think appropriate to search his vehicle, cite him for driving at dangerous speeds with a loaded gun and be dragged to Tampa Florida and be strapped to a gurney and have his blood drawn. In Minnesota, the cops tazer and then pepper spray in the ear and the face while he’s handcuffed in the back seat of a car, though I giggle at the thought it would happen to this particular tyrant with a badge.
So the media lapdogs hype the story about the pudgy governor and the lieutenant dolt. Why didn’t the media focus on the lawlessness of our exalted 3rd responders and non-heros?