Republican Norlam Mommsen
Received this from a friend.
PLEASE FEEL FREE TO SHARE MY EXPERIENCE!
This weekend I called one of our Iowa legislators, Norlin Mommsen, and told him my concerns for the proposed changes to Chapter 20. I told him he needed to vote "no" to these changes and that if he didn't, I would remember it at election time. I have since found out that apparently, in his opinion, this was threatening to him.
First of all, when I tried to call him I didn’t get through or even have an opportunity to leave a message. Then this morning I was finally able to leave a quick message. I said, “I am Mary Jo Petersen and I would like you to give me a call back to talk about the changes to Chapter 20. Please vote no. If you don’t, I will remember at the election.”
I then went to a Chapter 20 rally in Davenport. There a speaker shared how this is a policy that the Koch brothers are pushing across the country to completely gut protections that have been put in place for 40 years.
After I left the rally, he called me back and I began to share how these changes can hurt my entire family, that I am a teacher, I have a son who is a firefighter, a son who is a police officer, a daughter-in-law who is a teacher and a daughter who is going to the University of Iowa to be a teacher. I asked him to please vote no and that we all know this is being pushed by the Koch brothers and he said, “Excuse me?” I commented, “Oh, we all know this is being pushed by the Koch brothers. Don’t tell me you don’t know that.” He said, “Ma’am, I need to stop you right there. I am letting you know that I will be turning you in to the Iowa State Police for threatening me.” I said, “For threatening you?” He said, “When you left the voice message you threatened me.” I said, “Because I said I wouldn’t vote for you?” He commented, “You know you wouldn’t vote for me.” I said, “Yes, and I want to tell everyone why.” He told me to “Expect a visit or a phone call from the State Police.”
Can our legislative representatives really bully us when we say we are not going to vote for them? I have been upset ever since because I thought it was our legal right to call and tell them our concerns. Aren’t they working for us? Can Norlin Mommsen really bully a constituent?
Are they this scared?
