i9 Fact Checker: Ad attacks DeJear for not standing during a speech

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (KCRG) - A new ad is attacking Democratic candidate for Governor Deidre DeJear (D) for not standing to support local law enforcement during Gov. Kim Reynolds (R) Condition of the State address in January 2022. Then, asks the viewers to imagine her policies as Governor.

Source: Kim Reynolds for Iowa

According to Iowa Ethics and Campaign Disclosure Board documents, Kim Reynolds for Iowa is the committee for Gov. Kim Reynold’s reelection campaign. She is running against DeJear.

Claim #1: Every Democrat, every Republican, every Iowan stood for our police. Everyone except Deidre DeJear. She refused to stand up.

Analysis: The ad is based on a tweet from the Iowa Field Report, which is an ultra-conservative media outlet. A picture shows DeJear sitting down while everybody is standing up during the Governor’s Condition of the State address in January 2022.

The standing ovation, which is shown in the attack ad, happened after Gov. Kim Reynolds announced she planned on giving law enforcement and correctional officers a $1,000 retention bonus. The money for the bonus was funded through the federal government’s American Rescue Plan Act.

The specific moment came after this part of the speech:

“When officers are treated like villains and other jobs are plentiful, it’s no wonder that applications nationally are down and resignations are up. It’s no wonder that our young people are saying “no thanks” to a career in public safety. While we can’t fix attitudes in other states, we can certainly let our officers—and officers across the country—know that in Iowa, they’re welcome and will receive the respect and support they deserve.”

DeJear told Axios Des Moines she didn’t stand during the speech because she believes Gov. Kim Reynolds didn’t address the challenges law enforcement faces on the job.

“To be clear, our officers deserve more than a pat on the back and a one-time $1,000 bonus,” DeJear said in a statement to Axios Des Moines.

DeJear also told the publication she applauded law enforcement during the speech and that officers had her utmost respect.

Conclusion: The ad’s other assertions are political opinions. Regardless, DeJear didn’t stand for local law enforcement during the speech. This gets an A.

Copyright 2022 KCRG. All rights reserved.