A Picture Worth 1000 Stories

In support of those bringing sunlight to the dark corners of Iowa politics.

The late Jerry Szumski General Assignment and State House Reporter 1974

The year was 1974 and I was back at Drake finishing my j-school degree and working at Micheal Gartners’ Des Moines Register again, this time as a general assignment reporter with Jerry Szumski as a mentor. In search of the truth, the reporters of that time invariably socially engineered their way around any 1st Amendment-testing constraints placed on them by legislators. The legislators, knowing that, established a wary detente and reporters were allowed the run of the place. Witnessing the challenges that Laura Belin, Randy Evans and so many others face when dealing with (largely Republican) intrasigence on matters of tranparency I start to contemplate frogs in pans of ever-increasingly heated water.

What happened in the last 50 years to create the present situation?

Photos above and below of Register reporters in close quarters with legislators 1974 both taken on the senate floor by the author.

For Laura Belin to have to sue to do her job as a (credible, industrious, accurate and well-sourced) local, independent journalist sends two messages:

1. This years’ crop of lawmakers are scared to death of her which must mean…

2. They understand that she is really good at reporting and analyzing what they’re up to under the golden dome.

Amicus briefs anyone?