March 28, 2024

Kelley has fought for crime victims

In recent years, a number of cities, nationally and in Iowa, have passed local rules that penalize crime victims for calling the police when they need to. These ordinances have had a terrible impact on survivors of domestic violence. They force women to choose between calling for help and keeping their home. This is shameful.

Since 2014, I have worked at the legislature to ban these harmful ordinances. You would think this would have been easy — because people should never be evicted because they are a victim. But big cities fought back hard against this common sense proposal. They used every lobbying tactic they had. They almost won.

In spite of that opposition, Dan Kelley was one of the first legislators to understand the seriousness of this issue. In fact, more than a year ago, he wrote about it in this very paper. He insisted the legislature act. At the same time, tens of thousands of dollars were spent to defeat this proposal. That would have been catastrophic for survivors of domestic violence. It would have meant they could never be safe in their own homes.

But Dan stuck with it. He was right, and his opponents were wrong.

Eventually, supporters of crime victims went from being just a few — Dan, and a small group of legislators — to the entire legislature. In one of the last major items of the 2016 legislative session, the legislature passed the “Right to Assistance Act,” which will guarantee the safety of women who have been abused, and that of all crime victims. Common sense and victims’ rights prevailed over big city, big money interests. Dan Kelley was there, long before anyone else — fighting the good the good fight. And he won.

When so few thought doing this was even possible, there was Dan. When big city money was spent at the expense of thousands of his constituents, he kept on pushing until it was done. Iowa will become one of the best states in the country because of this law, and because Dan stood up to the cities and their interests. It was an easy call for him to make.

I want Dan’s constituents to know this story, because it’s important. Iowa will be a safer place for survivors of domestic violence because of Dan’s work. I encourage the people of Jasper County to support Dan Kelley.

Pete McRoberts

West Des Moines