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Branstad’s Private Blackberry

March 24, 2015 By Shane Vander Hart



Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad addresses the Iowa Teachers & Administrators Leadership Symposium held on 8/4/14. Photo credit: Iowa Department of Education (Public Domain)

Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad addresses the Iowa Teachers & Administrators Leadership Symposium held on 8/4/14.

Photo credit: Iowa Department of Education (Public Domain)

When I read the “news” that Iowa Governor Terry Branstad has a private Blackberry my first thought was this.

People still have Blackberry devices?  Seriously… why would someone still use one?

My second thought was “so what?”

What made former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton use of a private email scandalous is that she conducted government business on said email with a private email server.  That isn’t transparency.  There is absolutely nothing wrong with an elected official having a private smart phone, iPad, or other device provided they don’t use it for state business.

Actually it’s perfectly reasonable that he has a private device to not only conduct personal business, but also any political business as that can’t be done with state resources.

Here’s the thing though… even if he received work email from a state email address on his device email sent to him and by him still run through a state email server (not that I would recommend using a personal device for that).

He doesn’t though.  Roxanne Conlin and State Senator Janet Petersen (R-Des Moines) seem to think that it is improbable for a Governor to exist without email.  What did they think he did in his first two to three terms?  Email didn’t really become a thing until the mid 1990s, so he’s quite adept at being Governor without email.  Also do they honestly think he has time to sit and wade through email?  I know how time consuming it is for me with the amount of email I receive.  There are days I wished I had people handling my email correspondence.

But he’s not even using it for that, so there is really nothing to this “story.”  Reading news and maintaining or reading a schedule on a personal device should not even remotely be considered “conducting state business.”

So keep the device, but I’d recommend an upgrade.

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Shane Vander Hart

Editor & Founder at Caffeinated Thoughts
Shane Vander Hart is the founder and editor-in-chief of Caffeinated Thoughts.  He is also the President of 4:15 Communications, LLC, a social media & communications consulting/management firm.  Prior to this Shane spent 20 years in youth ministry serving in church, parachurch, and school settings.  He has also served as an interim pastor and is a sought after speaker and pulpit fill-in.  Shane has been married to his wife Cheryl since 1993 and they have three kids.  Shane and his family reside near Des Moines, IA.

Latest posts by Shane Vander Hart (see all)

  • The Top 15 Most Popular Governors Are Republican - April 19, 2018
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Filed Under: Iowa News & Politics Tagged With: electronic communications, Janet Petersen, Roxanne Conlin, Terry Branstad

About Shane Vander Hart

Shane Vander Hart is the founder and editor-in-chief of Caffeinated Thoughts.  He is also the President of 4:15 Communications, LLC, a social media & communications consulting/management firm.  Prior to this Shane spent 20 years in youth ministry serving in church, parachurch, and school settings.  He has also served as an interim pastor and is a sought after speaker and pulpit fill-in.  Shane has been married to his wife Cheryl since 1993 and they have three kids.  Shane and his family reside near Des Moines, IA.

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