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Governor Kim Reynolds is threatening to cut state funding to Winneshiek County in an act of unconstitutional overreach. She is threatening to punish the county because Sheriff Dan Marx is upholding constitutional principles and not agreeing to detain individuals unless proper judicial warrants accompany a detainer request. This is in part to avoid potential civil liabilities that come from wrongful arrests of US Citizens that can, and has occurred when ICE agents detain people without proper warrants signed off on by a judge. Not having a warrant accompany a detainer request can leave a county Sheriff's department open to large civil lawsuits and other potential violations of the constitution if anyone is wrongfully detained. Sheriff Dan Marx's official statement from social media is linked below.

Original Statement from Sheriff Marx: 

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1MzfAuJhMU/

In response Kim Reynolds has threatened to cut funding to Winneshiek county. The Winneshiek County Sheriff's office is currently under investigation by the Iowa State AG Brenna Bird at the request of Governor Kim Reynolds. There has been no outcome to the investigation and is currently ongoing. Kim's response to Sheriff Marx's social media post is listed below. 

Response Letter from Governor Kim Reynolds: 

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/14wTipwYDR/

This is an abuse of state authority, setting a dangerous precedent where state leaders financially punish counties for lawful law enforcement discretion.

This decision puts public safety, local services, and community autonomy at risk with no clear explanation of what funding will be cut or how it will impact residents. We must act now to protect our county’s funding and prevent the state from using financial threats against local governments for making legally sound decisions.

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Why This Matters:

• Local Law Enforcement Should Not Be Controlled by the Governor – Sheriffs take an oath to uphold the Constitution, not to be coerced by state officials into enforcing policies that violate due process.

• The Consequences of Funding Cuts Are Unclear but Could Be Devastating – Since Iowa has never enforced this penalty before, there is no official explanation of which services will be impacted. However, state funding supports public safety, education, road maintenance, and essential county services. If these funds are cut, residents—not politicians—will bear the cost.

• This Is the First Time Iowa Has Ever Attempted to Enforce This Penalty – Although Iowa Code 27A was enacted in 2018, no county has ever faced funding threats under this law—until now. This untested enforcement action raises serious concerns about legality, fairness, and constitutionality.

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Our Demands:

We, the undersigned, demand that:

✔ Governor Reynolds and Attorney General Brenna Bird immediately halt any effort to cut funding to Winneshiek County.
✔ Iowa respects local government autonomy and does not use funding as leverage to enforce controversial policies.
✔ State officials follow legal principles instead of using punitive measures against lawful local decision-making.

Take Action Now: Contact State Officials

📢 Tell Governor Reynolds, Attorney General Bird, and Representative Holt to STOP this unconstitutional overreach!

Governor Kim Reynolds

📍 Office of the Governor
Iowa State Capitol
1007 East Grand Avenue
Des Moines, IA 50319
📞 (515) 281-5211
📧 Contact Form: https://governor.iowa.gov/contact-office-governor

Attorney General Brenna Bird

📍 Office of the Attorney General
Hoover State Office Building
1305 E. Walnut Street
Des Moines, IA 50319
📞 (515) 281-5164
📧 Email: webteam@ag.iowa.gov
📧 Contact Form: https://www.iowaattorneygeneral.gov/contact-us

Representative Steven Holt (Chair, Judiciary Committee)

📍 Iowa State Capitol
Des Moines, IA 50319
📞 (515) 281-3221
📧 Email: steven.holt@legis.iowa.gov

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Sign and Share This Petition:

Every signature strengthens our message: DO NOT cut funding to Winneshiek County for upholding the Constitution.

✔ Sign this petition now.
✔ Share with friends, family, and community members.
✔ Call and email Governor Reynolds, Attorney General Bird, and Representative Holt to demand action. Calling works best and if you leave a voicemail ask for a return phone call. 

Winneshiek County must not be punished for following the Constitution. Stand with us to protect local law enforcement, public safety, and the rule of law! 

Sign and share today!