Dear Editor:

A commentary in The News of July 8, 2020, took issue with the practice, started by Senator Grassley, of elected officials visiting each of Iowa’s 99 counties and taking questions from constituents.

There is plenty in politics to complain about, but Senator Grassley’s 40-year tradition of making sure he hears from each and every part of Iowa every single year is not one of them.

Just because you and your friends weren’t the ones asking questions this year, doesn’t mean he’s not facing tough questions. Everyday Iowans have as much a right to be heard by our federal elected officials as anyone else.

Of course, it’d be great if the more than three million residents of our state could bend the senator’s or the governor’s or a congressperson’s ear anytime. But calling Senator Grassley “inaccessible” is just a little laughable.

Your title, “The ‘Full Grassley’ is just a media stunt,” implies that Senator Grassley does what he does simply for the media exposure. Far from the truth.

He responds to each person who writes to him. His office actually answers phone calls. And he’s spent four decades listening to and answering Iowans from river to river.

I know we don’t like to give credit to people who have different politics these days, but we ought to give kudos for establishing a culture of open dialogue between elected officials and the people they serve.

Unfortunately, Mr. Sullivan, it appears much of your disgust with Senator Grassley is a result of failing to have the truth about his county meetings.

His office is completely transparent regarding these meetings. You can look at his website at any time and see where and what kind of county meeting it was. 

Some are “town hosted” and some are hosted by businesses, service clubs, high schools, factories, hospitals, etc. 

As to your comment “his staff REFUSES (my emphasis) to announce where or when” these county meetings are to occur, it has always been my understanding that it is the host’s position to announce these things.

Whether you’re a liberal Democrat, a conservative Republican or anything in between, it’s a blessing to have Senator Grassley racking up the miles to listen to Iowans as it is with any other elected officials who follow HIS lead.

Lynn Brown

Riverside