Talked with Iowa Representative Mary Wolfe!

Yesterday a friend of mine who's boyfriend is also incarcerated at Fort Dodge with Benjamin under a mandatory minimum, talked on the phone with Iowa's Representative Mary Wolfe. She was able to provide lots of good insight on why reducing
mandatory minimums bills aren't passing. Here are the main highlights:
-Mandatories never use to be a thing in Iowa until they decided to be "tough on crime" in 1996.
-Iowa is the only state in the Midwest to still have mandatory minimums.
-One of the people in charge of passing bills is a DCI agent that thinks when these people plead guilty, a majority of them "got a deal" because they plead down or had other charges dismissed. He says it would be "wrong and unfair" to let them out sooner.
-Another person in charge of passing bills in a deputy sheriff in Johnson County who has the same mindset, stating that "most of them got a break and it would make Iowa look soft on crime."
-These people incarcerated with mandatory minimum don't even get "good time earned".
-Next year Mary Wolfe is trying for chair of the judiciary committee and she will have a special committee that will look at this very issue. She will be able to talk to the DOC and BOP and have more negotiating power with them along with the Senate. So unfortunately, nothing will probably happen this year, but at least at lease we know how to move forward.
-So everyone who is on this crazy journey with me and advocating for Iowa to reduce or eliminate mandatory minimums and prison reform, keep fighting the good fight! We are making progress!
I'm finding out the two guys above names to be able to directly contact them (I got a bone to pick with them!) so when I get their information I will send it out so we can flood their phones and emails advocating for prison reform!
Thank you all again, so much, for your love and support! �

Ps-I also should note that I personally seem to be having trouble getting through or in contact with a lot of Iowa's
legislatures. I think some how they know or realize I don't live in Iowa so they don't really care to talk to me, probably because I'm not a constituent gaining their potential vote. So a lot of information will come from Breanna Bond or people who have formerly been incarcerated in Iowa that I have connected with too. � Also, that's why I need all my friends, family and supporters in Iowa's help!