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PJO22's avatar

You are right on! The newspapers in Iowa just publish Grassley’s press releases and puff pieces. I wonder how many Iowans are aware of the real Chuck Grassley. Thank you for doing such an important newsworthy column in today’s misinformation age.

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Barry Piatt's avatar

Thank you, PJO22! Your comment is much appreciated.

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Kathi Zimpleman's avatar

One just runs out of words to discuss this man’s reprehensible behavior.

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Marcy Russell's avatar

I could likely find a few more; however, in all seriousness, it IS truly exhausting, but that’s part of the methodology, isn’t it?

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Barry Piatt's avatar

It is exactly the methodology, Marcy. You are absolutely right about that. You are also right about there being a plethora of other examples of Grassley’s outrageous, fawning, ultra partisan and destructive behavior.

I was writing a column, not a book, so I had to make some choices, narrow them down, and list just a few. Feel free to list others that come to mind for you here to remind readers just how long his list is in reality.

Thanks!

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Marcy Russell's avatar

Totally appreciate your calling him out. The push to negate judicial rulings is very scary stuff.

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Barry Piatt's avatar

Very true, Kathi. And it’s been going on a very long time. It seems to be accelerating to “warp speed” lately, too, sadly.

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Marcy Russell's avatar

Iowans who follow politics know that Grassley has been horrifically partisan on any number of issues for decades. The past decade of behavior is a five-alarm inferno of egregious toady-ing and perhaps mental decline at best, as illustrated by your noted examples. At worst, which is where I think we are, his actions are a conscious effort to dismantle the checks and balances system of our Constitution and ramrod our country into a grifting, bullying, frightening dictatorship. What is the pay off for him and our other so- called representatives? It’s certainly not a lovely legacy.

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Josiah Wearin's avatar

Keep at him. If asked about your columns, he will say, "I probably won't read them." Master of deflection....and neglect of his constituents.

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Barry Piatt's avatar

Exactly. Thanks for your encouragement!

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Jim Sayers's avatar

Thank you for this significant post, Barry. Other comments ahead of mine accurately communicate the angst I am currently feeling.

As an older person myself (not Grassley vintage, but seeing those years hopefully on the horizon) I have started to consider what my life will have meant to others after I am gone.

It’s surprising Grassley or his family have seemingly not even thought about this!

Thank you for keeping us aware.

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Barry Piatt's avatar

Thank you, Jim. It’s a real puzzle to me why he doesn’t think more about what he’s doing to his legacy - especially given what he does for a living, in a place filled with monuments and statues and portraits. Constant reminders that people do leave legacies behind when their work is worth remembering and celebrating.

He could have left big footprints at one time. Now? He’s become more of a cautionary tale.

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Melissa Bishop's avatar

Great summary. He’s been awful for a long time. His whole career in my honest opinion. What’s particularly worrisome is that I believe he’s stayed this long to hold the seat for his grandson Pat Grassley (IA House Speaker) who is just as bad, if not worse, than Chuck. Grassley should have retired about the same time that Harkin did. I really miss being purple!

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Barry Piatt's avatar

I hope Iowans don’t allow it. Pat Grassley will likely have to go through Governor Reynolds to get it, though, don’t you think?

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Melissa Bishop's avatar

Grassley’s seat won’t be available until after Reynolds leaves office barring any unforeseen changes in his health status so there’s hope. My biggest concern is that he will run and the uninformed will see Grassley (R) and assume it’s Chuck and pull the trigger. Pat is much younger and Iowa cannot afford another 30 years of a Grassley in a national leadership position representing corporations and not Iowa voters.

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Tim Grover's avatar

From govt watchdog to Cheeto lapdog. Sad, bigly.

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Barry Piatt's avatar

Excellent way to put it and some up his sad journey.

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Suzanna de Baca's avatar

Excellent piece.

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Barry Piatt's avatar

Thank you, Suzanna. BTW, I loved your comments Friday in the Zoom “Office Lounge” gathering about “Fast Poetry” and “Response Poetry.” I really enjoy reading your poetry here on Substack!

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Christopher Wood's avatar

Grassley was and is an imbecileic, ignorant, unserious moron, who spoke the conservative line pre-Trump, and jumped on the Mindless-Train-to-Nowheresville so he can collect his fat pension.

But then, dude could keel over 2morrow.

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Chris Siebrasse's avatar

An addendum to your point about Grassley shamefully denying President Obama the right to nominate Merrick Garland to SCOTUS: Grassley vociferously said at the time (and I, as a constituent, have his response in a letter to prove it) that presidents shouldn't be allowed to nominate for this office in a presidential election year. "Let the people decide."

So, what nominee in October of 2020, a couple weeks before a presidential election, did Grassley vote to place on SCOTUS? Trump's nominee, Amy Coney Barrett, to succeed the deceased Ruth Bader Ginsburg.

Of course, Grassley had plenty of Republican companions in rank hypocrisy. Here's PBS's list:

https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/what-every-republican-senator-has-said-about-filling-a-supreme-court-vacancy-in-an-election-year

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Barry Piatt's avatar

Excellent point. They have no principles. They believe in whatever works best for them at the time.

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BA Appliquer's avatar

You are exactly right! Thank you for speaking truth to power. Obviously, Grassley doesn't care that he is destroying his legacy.

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Barry Piatt's avatar

Thank you. It is, indeed, very strange.

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Tom Gronstal's avatar

I emailed Grassley last week and told him he should resign over his votes to confirm Trump’s boot licking cabinet nominees. I told him he and Trump make it hard to be proud of our state and nation.

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Baker’s Heartbeat's avatar

It takes Barry Piatt to point out what all Iowans should understand about 91-year-old Senator Chuck Grassley. Thank you 🙏

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