Robert Kelly of Carroll came out on a cool and blustery Wednesday morning to hold up a sign at the corner of Anthony and Clark Streets outside of St. Anthony Regional Hospital in Carroll in protest of Sen. Charles Grassley, who was speaking at a town hall meeting for St. Anthony employees. Kelly and three other Carroll residents joined Progress Iowa representatives from the Des Moines area to demonstrate in favor of Judiciary Committee nomination hearings for Judge Merrick Garland. Kelly said he believes people ought to obey the constitution, and if Sen. Grassley doesn’t have to do so, then he doesn’t believe Robert Kelly should have to do it either. Executive Director of Progress Iowa, Matt Sinovic, says Grassley has a duty to Iowans and the nation.
The group has been following Grassley across Iowa to hold protests and has even set up a “Where’s Chuck” hotline.
Frank Hermsen of Carroll said he feels very strongly about this and there is nothing in the Constitution about the Senate not confirming the nominee if it is the President’s last year in office. He said Grassley has a long history of bi-partisan politics, but Hermsen believes he is wrong in this instance. The signs they held spelled out “Senator Grassley, Do Your Job,” to which Grassley had a reply.
He added he believes the nomination hearings would be a waste of time.
Grassley concluded by saying part of doing his job is to attend private and public events and that the Progress Iowa group is enacting their right to freely express their opinions on the topic.
