ICYMI: CONSERVATIVE SUPPORT FOR CRIMINAL JUSTICE REFORMS GROWS IN IOWA AS FORMER ACTING ATTORNEY GENERAL MATT WHITAKER PENS OP-ED
Whitaker Praises Sen. Grassley’s Leadership, Notes Opportunity to Build on Pres. Trump’s Criminal Justice Reform Record
Op-Ed Comes After Entire Iowa House Delegation Votes Yes on Bipartisan Sentencing Reform Bill & Reforms Gain Momentum in the Senate
(Washington, DC) – Matthew Whitaker, Acting United States Attorney General under President Trump, published an op-ed commending Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA) for his leadership on criminal justice reform and encouraging him to build on that legacy.
As Acting Attorney General, Whitaker saw first-hand how Senator Grassley worked with President Trump to pass the landmark First Step Act, and how that groundbreaking legislation became a legislative and political success story. Whitaker identifies four bills currently pending in the Senate, that could help Senator Grassley replicate that success, and extend his record of enacting commonsense, conservative justice reform.
Read the op-ed here.
In the op-ed, Whitaker endorsed the EQUAL Act, a bill that would fully eliminate the sentencing disparity between crack and powder cocaine, highlighting the legislation’s support from law enforcement leaders and public safety experts, including the Major Cities Chiefs Association, the National District Attorneys Association, and every member of the Iowa delegation in the House of Representatives. Whitaker also announced his support for the First Step Implementation Act, Safer Detention Act, and Prohibiting Punishment of Acquitted Conduct Act, all sponsored by Senator Grassley.
“These bills each have broad bipartisan support,” Whitaker wrote, “because they offer second chances to those who have earned them, focus precious taxpayer resources on the truly dangerous in our system, protect our constitutional rights and limit government overreach. Trump conservatives will support them.”
Whitaker will discuss these vital criminal justice reforms and their growing conservative support in Iowa, on Iowa Politics with Jeff Stein, KXEL-AM, Today, October 29, at 10:10am (CT), and Need to Know with Jeff Angelo, 1040 WHO, Monday, November 1, 9:20am (CT).
Polling conducted by Public Opinion Strategies this summer showed strong support for criminal justice reform, including the EQUAL Act, from conservative Iowa voters.
By a margin of 71-20, Iowa Republicans support the EQUAL Act.
That support was high among key GOP constituencies, including 68% of Trump Voters, and 70% of those who described themselves as Very Conservative.
74% of Iowa Republicans agreed that the federal government is spending too much on locking up low-level drug offenders and should shift that funding to other pressing public safety needs.
63% of Iowa Republicans said the criminal justice system needs significant improvements, while only 33% said it was working pretty well as it is.
Just this week, the EQUAL Act was co-sponsored by Senators Lindsey Graham (R-SC) and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), who joined Senators Rob Portman (R-OH), Thom Tillis (R-NC), and Rand Paul (R-KY) in supporting the bill.
The EQUAL Act is also supported by the Association of Prosecuting Attorneys, ALEC Action, Americans for Prosperity, Americans for Tax Reform, Faith & Freedom Coalition, FreedomWorks, Prison Fellowship, R Street Institute, Due Process Institute, National Association of Evangelicals, and Taxpayers Protection Alliance.