Iowa Conservatives Slap Grassley?

Matt Lewis | July 14, 2008 9:51 AM

This last weekend was the Iowa GOP convention. According to a reliable source, some conservatives (believing Sen. Grassley has lately been drinking too much water from the Potomac), decided to punish the sitting senior senator by not including him as a national delegate for the Republican National Convention. I'm told Grassley's investigation into Evangelical organizations was one of the offending factors.

Update: Sen. Grassley's office just returned my call. They tell me that no federal officials from Iowa became delegates. The rationale was that federal officials already have floor passes -- so why not give someone else from Iowa the opportunity? This explanation was confirmed to me by another Iowa federal official's office.

Update: The controversy continues. I am now told by my original source (who has never been wrong) that the decision was made by the House members. Grassley was apparently late to the convention. While the House members agreed to give up their delegate status, I am told the decision was essentiall made for Grassley by the conservative activists. Assuming this is true, it stands to reason that he would not want it to appear he had this decision thrust upon him ...