Advertisement

Joni Ernst dodges newspaper editorial meetings after controversial gun comments

"She has also begged off meetings with The Cedar Rapids Gazette and The Dubuque Telegraph-Herald."

By Matt Bradwell

DES MOINES, Iowa, Oct. 23 (UPI) -- Republican Senate nominee Joni Ernst canceled a meeting with the editorial board of the Des Moines Register Thursday morning, at least her fourth blackout of a media outlet in the course of her Iowa campaign.

The latest refusal comes a day after audio surfaced of Ernst threatening to use her 9 millimeter Smith & Wesson on "the government, should they decide that my rights are no longer important."

Advertisement

According to columnist Rekha Basu, "After much negotiating, [Ernst] was scheduled to meet this morning with writers and editors at The Des Moines Register, but last night her people called to unilaterally cancel."

"She has also begged off meetings with The Cedar Rapids Gazette and The Dubuque Telegraph-Herald."

"Joni Ernst would privatize Social Security and gamble Iowans retirement savings on Wall Street, abolish the federal minimum wage, and block women's access to common forms of birth control," Justin Barasky, spokesman for the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee," explained to Bloomberg.

"It's no surprise she's hiding from Iowa editorial boards and TV reporters. This is a campaign on the run and in trouble."

Advertisement

"Is Ernst that sensitive to the kinds of criticisms that invariably will come in such a high profile U.S. Senate race?" echoed Basu.

"Is she afraid of the scrutiny? Sure, it's stressful, but all the other candidates for Congress are doing it to get their messages out, including Steven King, the target of frequent editorial criticism. Would Ernst similarly thumb her nose at the press while serving in the Senate?"

Latest Headlines