“I think that we’re seeing a backlash and, frankly, an exaggerated backlash, an overreaction to all of that,” Bohannan said at a 2021 virtual legislative forum on social justice issues.
asserted
Bohannan → think → issues
“That’s what’s happening.
asserted
what → ’ → ?
A lot of this is happening because they just don’t have a lot of minorities in their districts.
asserted
they → happen → districts
They don’t interact with people on any kind of regular basis, and, so, they don’t see these issues.”
asserted
they → interact → issues
To some onlooking critics, her resurfaced comments are further proof of what they’ve characterized as her soft-on-crime stances, positions they believe are at odds with the electorate of the Hawkeye State as she wages her third campaign to unseat Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks, R-Iowa.
asserted
she → resurface → Meeks
“There is a reason why this DEI queen has been rejected twice by voters.
asserted
queen → be → voters
She is straight up nuts, and her soft-on-crime agenda would endanger all Iowans.
asserted
agenda → endanger → Iowans
Bohannan launched her career in education, teaching at the University of Iowa College of Law, where she remained until 2020, when she won a seat in the Iowa House of Representatives, unseating a 20-year Democratic incumbent.
asserted
she → launch → incumbent
Bohannan has run for Congress before.
asserted
Bohannan → run → Congress
In 2022, she lost to Miller-Meeks in a 53.4% to 46.6% contest.
asserted
she → lose → contest
She tried again in 2024 and got closer, losing by a fraction of a percent, 50.0% to 49.8%, and by just 799 votes.
asserted
She → try → votes
In all three races, Republicans have attacked her for her statements as an academic and her voting record as a state legislator, painting her as a soft-on-crime candidate.
asserted
Republicans → attack → candidate
In the resurfaced clip, Bohannan was referring to Senate File 342, signed by Gov. Kim Reynolds in 2021.
asserted
Bohannan → resurface → 2021
Among other provisions, the bill raised penalties for rioting, making it a class D felony punishable by five years behind bars, and implemented more stringent punishments for unlawful assembly.
asserted
it → raise → assembly
The law came amid a wave of anti-police sentiment that swept the country after George Floyd, a Black man from Minneapolis, died after Officer Derek Chauvin knelt on his neck area during a restraint.
asserted
Chauvin → come → restraint
The incident sparked widespread debate about law enforcement safety and profiling.
asserted
incident → spark → safety
Where states like Minnesota and Washington passed restrictions on police and other law enforcement officers, Iowa lawmakers rallied to their support.
asserted
lawmakers → pass → support
Iowa Rep. Jarad Klein, a Republican and the bill’s sponsor, framed the legislation as a clear way to support embattled public servants in a floor speech.
asserted
Klein → frame → speech
“Let me be clear: If you support law enforcement, truly support law enforcement, you will be voting ‘yes’ tonight.
asserted
you → let → enforcement
If you stand up and say you support law enforcement, your words will become meaningless with a ‘no’ vote.
asserted
words → stand → vote
Actions speak louder than words,” Klein said.
asserted
Klein → speak → words
Gov. Reynolds echoed that thinking at her signing.
asserted
Reynolds → echo → signing
“I made it clear in my Condition of the State Address that Iowa’s law enforcement will always have my respect, and I will always have their back.
asserted
I → make → back
Today’s bill embodies that commitment in a historic way.
asserted
bill → embody → way
The public peace is too important, and the safety of our officers too precious to tolerate destructive behavior,” Reynolds said in a press release.
asserted
Reynolds → tolerate → release
For her part, Bohannan said she opposed the legislation, arguing it went too far.
asserted
it → say → legislation
“The bill that’s coming over to the House from the Senate about the protestors actually would make it OK for a person to drive negligently or grossly negligently and hit a protester, and there would be immunity for that.
asserted
person → come → that
It’s sick.
asserted
It → ’ → ?
These are kids, mostly,” she said.
asserted
she → say → ?
The final version of the bill does have a provision that protects drivers from civil liability.
asserted
that → have → liability
But it only applies to drivers “exercising due care” and who cause injury to someone engaging in disorderly conduct by blocking traffic on a public street or highway.
asserted
who → apply → street
Bohannan’s campaign did not respond to a request for comment from Fox News Digital on her statements from 2021 or whether she stood by her views of the Back the Blue bill.
asserted
she → respond → bill
The Aporia
