Randy Evans

Evans: Enforcement of Texas abortion law in un-American

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Let’s set aside our views on abortion. Instead, let’s consider one aspect of the new Texas abortion law that took effect last week. All of us should be able to agree on this, whether we find abortions abominable or support a woman’s right to end her pregnancy: The enforcement mechanism created by Texas lawmakers is un-American. It farms out enforcement of a state’s laws to vigilantes and bounty hunters. Iowans who followed news of the new law and the U.S. Supreme Court’s 5-4 decision last week to let it go into effect, at least for now, can be forgiven if they missed details about this enforcement mechanism.

Evans: A church and its misplaced priorities

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Talk about lousy timing. The biggest religion story in Iowa last week was a jaw-dropper. Attorney General Tom Miller announced he has concluded a three-year investigation of sexual abuse allegations against priests in the four Roman Catholic dioceses in our state. 

Miller’s staff examined church records, some dating to the 1930s, that involved about 100 priests. His office also received and looked into 50 allegations against 36 priests, many of whom were the subject of earlier complaints. Most of the cases involved priests who are now deceased or retired.

abortion debate in Iowa

Iowa Legislator Wants To Push For Personhood Rights For All Fetuses

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An Iowa state senator said he wants the Iowa Legislature to define life as beginning at conception following a June 27 U.S. Supreme Court decision that limits how much states can restrict abortion access. But the constitutionality of any legislation along those lines would be contrary to previous Supreme Court decisions, an Iowa legal expert says.