Essential Estrogen

While it's unusual to see a generally conservative group dining on a Republican lawmaker, it seems Iowa Sen. Nancy Boettger (R-Shelby) has drawn the ire of a national tax watchdog group for her vote to add $1 per pack to cigarettes.

In a recent press release, Americans for Tax Reform stated disappointment in Boettger for breaking a signed promise to "oppose and vote against any and all efforts to increase taxes."

"It is disappointing that Sen. Boettger violated her Taxpayer Protection Pledge...Her constituents were counting on her to vote against higher taxes and she let them down," continued [ATR President Grover] Norquist.

The press release added that six of Iowa's Senators have signed the pledge; however EE administrators could only find five listed on the ATR site: Boettger (SD 29); Sen. James Hahn (SD 40); David Johnson (SD 3); Larry McKibben (SD 22) and Mark Zieman (SD 8). In another discrepancy, the release indicated 19 members of the Iowa House had signed the pledge, but the document referenced above provides 23 names. Perhaps four have already broken a promise?

The obvious person missing from the list of Senators is Mary Lundby. Perhaps Boettger should take a page out of the longtime lawmaker's book, "never say never," and save herself some future embarrassment.