While Doug Bishop and his pack of good old boy bullies at the courthouse have tried to tear down my brother, our State Representative Dan Kelley, I’ve remained silent.
It shouldn’t surprise anyone who gets my vote, my brother Dan. He works hard, stands up for single-working mothers like me, and shows he cares about the kids in this community by fighting for our local schools.
I’ve never been involved in politics other than supporting my brother and voting for Democrats.
But when Doug Bishop’s sister wrote a letter to this newspaper saying my brother wasn’t good enough to serve in the legislature because he doesn’t have enough money, I decided it was time to respond.
Doug Bishop is a bully. Everyone who went to Newton schools in the 80s knows it, the hard-working Maytag UAW members he failed know it, and as a result of his dishonest political attacks on Dan, Jasper County Democrats get it.
Veterans get it too. Doug is using his status with veterans to bully anyone who doesn’t follow his orders. I’m proud of Dan for standing up to him.
Dan fights hard for veterans. Always has and always will. In fact, he’s sponsored and voted for many bills to help those who have sacrificed and served. He does so in honor of our grandpa who served our country as a gunner on a battleship during World War II. Doug Bishop insults my grandfather’s service, his memory and my family with his dishonest smear campaign against Dan. The blood spilled by my family for this country is just as red as the blood spilled by Bishops.
Dan is fighting to make good on a promise the legislature made to veterans before he was even elected. He wants them to get what they were promised, a fully funded Veterans Trust Fund.
I know for a fact, Dan reached out to Doug and asked him to help with this effort as well as to help bring the Home Base Iowa program to Jasper County. Doug replied with a letter to the paper bad-mouthing Dan and then sent him a childish, name-calling text message.
A few days later, Wes Breckenridge, called Dan and said, “Doug Bishop told me to tell you to be quiet.” Breckenridge is just a “yes man” for a bully.
Vote for my brother, Representative Dan Kelley on June 7.
Kathie Klonglan
Newton