爱荷华州得梅因-一名州法院法官认定，民主党人艾比·芬克瑙尔不能出现在6月7日的美国参议院初选中，这可能会淘汰被许多人认为是该党最有可能击败共和党参议员查尔斯·格拉斯利的候选人。
共和党州长金·雷诺兹(Kim Reynolds)2018年任命的斯科特·贝蒂(Scott Beattie)法官周日晚间提交了一份裁决，推翻了一个由州民选官员组成的三人小组的决定。该小组上周得出结论，芬克瑙尔的竞选工作人员基本上遵守了爱荷华州的法律，该法律要求候选人获得3500个名字，包括来自至少19个县的至少100个签名。
Finkenauer计划对该决定提起上诉，爱荷华州最高法院计划周三举行听证会，并承诺在本周末之前就此事做出裁决，以满足向海外选民发送选票的最后期限。
两名共和党人质疑Finkenauer的请愿书，称至少有两个县的签名没有附带要求的日期。
过去，包括国务卿、司法部长和州审计长在内的这个小组发现，即使签名缺失或难以解释，请愿书在很大程度上符合法律。司法部长汤姆·米勒(Tom Miller)和审计员罗布·桑德(Rob Sand)都是民主党人，他们投票支持芬克瑙尔的请愿书，援引过去的先例，对使用适当形式并努力遵守法律的竞选活动给予尊重。国务卿保罗·佩特，共和党人，投票反对芬克瑙尔的请愿书。
金·施米特和符晓薇·佩莱特，前共和党人选举上周，美国官员对签名提出质疑，然后对爱荷华州异议小组的决定提起上诉。
贝蒂得出结论，陪审团的法律解释是错误的，法律明确规定每个签名都应该附有日期。他的决定取消了Finkenauer提名请愿书中来自Allamakee和Cedar县的签名，这意味着她的竞选活动未能按照要求提交来自至少19个县的至少100个签名。
贝蒂说他对这个决定并不满意。
“这个法庭不应该在选举中有所作为，芬克瑙尔女士和她的支持者应该有机会提升她的候选人资格。然而，这个法庭的工作是作为一个裁判，不带激情或偏见地适用法律。它被要求在不考虑当时政治的情况下进行统治。在这里，法院试图发挥这一作用，”他说，
芬克瑙尔指责贝蒂听命于格拉斯利和他在华盛顿的盟友。
“这一误导性的午夜裁决是对策划这场毫无价值的法律行动的华盛顿共和党人的一份令人愤慨的党派礼物，”她说。“我们正在探索我们所有的选择，以回击这种毫无价值的党派攻击，并确保艾奥瓦人的声音在投票箱中被听到。”
Finkenauer说，她的请愿书已经有超过5000个签名，她相信自己已经满足了参加投票的要求。
贝蒂上周承诺，他将在周日午夜前做出决定，给双方时间向爱荷华州最高法院上诉。他在周日晚上10:49提交了决定。佩特说，他必须在周五之前知道芬克瑙尔是否有资格参加投票，以便给他时间将选票打印出来并发送给海外选民，他们必须在4月23日之前拿到选票，以遵守法律。
Finkenauer在2019年至2021年期间在美国众议院任职一届，寻求与退休海军上将民主党人Mike Franken和医生兼明登市议会成员Glenn Hurst一起投票。初选获胜者将面对格拉斯利，他正在寻求第八次连任参议员。
联邦筹款数据和全州民调显示，格拉斯利将于9月份满89岁，他很有可能将他自1981年以来占据的席位再保留六年。
格拉斯利筹集了超过470万美元，芬克瑙尔大约190万美元，弗兰肯180万美元。赫斯特筹集了66000多美元。将在共和党初选中与格拉斯利竞争的共和党州参议员吉姆·卡林筹集了282，151美元。
11月公布的《得梅因登记/医学通讯》民意调查显示，格拉斯利领先芬克瑙尔18个百分点。
Schmett和Pellett的律师Alan R. Ostergren说，法官的决定是法治的胜利。
他在一份声明中说:“艾奥瓦人希望候选人遵守州法律，并遵守与其他数百名成功获得投票资格的候选人相同的规则。”“任何参与过政治活动的人都知道，你可以通过提交超过最低签名数的签名来轻松避免问题。艾比·芬克瑙尔出于某种原因没有这样做，结果被抓了个正着。”
Democrat Finkenauer knocked off US Senate primary ballot
DES MOINES, Iowa -- A state court judge has concluded that Democrat Abby Finkenauer cannot appear on the June 7 primary ballot for U.S. Senate, potentially knocking off the candidate considered by many to be the party's best chance to unseat Republican U.S. Sen. Charles Grassley.
Judge Scott Beattie, a 2018 appointee of Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds, filed a ruling late Sunday that overturned a decision by a three-member panel of state elected officials. The panel concluded last week that Finkenauer's campaign staffers had substantially complied with Iowa law that requires candidates to obtain 3,500 names, including at least 100 signatures from at least 19 counties.
Finkenauer plans to appeal the decision and the Iowa Supreme Court scheduled a hearing Wednesday with a promise to rule on the matter by the end of the week to meet deadlines for sending ballots to overseas voters.
Two Republicans challenged Finkenauer's petition papers, saying signatures from at least two counties did not have the required date accompanying them.
In the past, the panel, which includes the secretary of state, attorney general and state auditor, has found petitions to be in substantial compliance with the law even though signatures were missing or difficult to interpret. Attorney General Tom Miller and Auditor Rob Sand, both Democrats, voted to allow Finkenauer's petitions citing past precedent for giving deference to campaigns that used the proper forms and made efforts to comply with the law. Secretary of State Paul Pate, a Republican, voted against Finkenauer's petition.
Kim Schmett and Leanne Pellett, former Republican countyelections officials, challenged the signatures and then filed a court appeal of the Iowa Objection Panel's decision last week.
Beattie concluded that the panel's legal interpretation was wrong and that the law clearly says each signature should be accompanied by a date. His decision knocked signatures from Allamakee and Cedar counties off of Finkenauer's nomination petitions, which meant her campaign failed to submit at least 100 signatures from at least 19 counties as required.
Beattie said he took no joy in the decision.
“This court should not be in the position to make a difference in an election, and Ms. Finkenauer and her supporters should have a chance to advance her candidacy. However, this court’s job is to sit as a referee and apply the law without passion or prejudice. It is required to rule without consideration of the politics of the day. Here the court has attempted to fulfill that role,” he said,
Finkenauer accused Beattie of doing the bidding of Grassley and his allies in Washington.
“This misguided, midnight ruling is an outrageous and partisan gift to the Washington Republicans who orchestrated this meritless legal action," she said. “We are exploring all of our options to fight back hard against this meritless partisan attack, and to ensure that the voices of Iowans will be heard at the ballot box."
Finkenauer said her petitions had more than 5,000 signatures and she’s confident she has met the requirements to be on the ballot.
Beattie promised last week he would file a decision by midnight Sunday to give either side time to appeal to the Iowa Supreme Court. He filed the decision at 10:49 p.m. Sunday. Pate has said he must know whether Finkenauer qualifies for the ballot by Friday to give him time to have ballots printed and sent to overseas voters who must get their ballots by April 23 to comply with the law.
Finkenauer, who served one term in the U.S. House from 2019-2021, seeks to be on the ballot with Democrats Mike Franken, a retired Navy admiral, and Glenn Hurst, a doctor and Minden City Council member. The primary winner will face Grassley, who is seeking an eighth term in the Senate.
Federal fundraising data and statewide polling indicate that Grassley, who turns 89 in September, is well positioned to retain the seat he has held since 1981 for another six years.
Grassley has raised more than $4.7 million, Finkenauer about $1.9 million and Franken $1.8 million. Hurst raised just over $66,000. Republican state Sen. Jim Carlin, who will be on the Republican primary ballot opposite Grassley, raised $282,151.
The Des Moines Register/Medicom Poll published in November gave Grassley a lead of 18 percentage points over Finkenauer.
Alan R. Ostergren, the attorney for Schmett and Pellett, said the judge's decision is a victory for the rule of law.
“Iowans expect candidates to follow state law and to follow the same rules as the hundreds of other candidates who successfully qualified to be on the ballot," he said in a statement. "Anyone who has ever been involved in a political campaign knows that you can easily avoid problems by turning in more than the bare minimum number of signatures. Abby Finkenauer didn’t do this for some reason and got caught short.”
