This weeks Civic Skinny 11/16/05

http://www.dmcityview.com/skinny.shtml


Looking into possible Culver violation

(I'd re-title this, Looking to cause trouble where none exists...debi)

Chet Culver's recent announcement at Hoover High School during a school day that he's running for governor walks a very fine line in the use of a school building for political purposes, a top state source told us, who said officials are looking into launching an investigation. "Politicians visit public school all the time, but these visits are often orchestrated to have some educational benefit for children and generally overt political advertising is not permitted," our source said. "Culver's announcement was nothing but for his own benefit." According to district policy: "The Board of Directors recognizes the rights of its employees, as citizens, to engage in political activities during non-working hours. School property, school time, or other school resources shall not be used by employees for political activities except as provided for in uniform policies and regulations pertaining to the use of school property." We're told initial questions that could be asked are which school official made the arrangements for the announcement, did school employees participate in the announcement and did Culver pay for the facility as is dictated in another policy? "I wonder if the district would allow an evangelical Republican candidate to announce during the school day onsite?" a political consultant asked us. "Or what about a candidate who thinks public education should be abolished and wanted to use a school as a backdrop?"

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And finally, an inside source told us that lobbyist Tom Jochum left the large rally (where they did not blow up the rat) he helped put together for the Building Trades early last week after asking a friend to hand Tom Gillespie, the Building Trades honcho, an envelope, which contained Jochum's letter of resignation. Our source told us that the reason Jochum gave had to do with the fact that he had become a distraction regarding the PLA issue, and that his continued representation would give Polk County Supervisor John Mauro and his allies an excuse to continue to make Jochum the issue instead of the PLA.