Iowa House Oks Restrictions On Attorney General

DES MOINES — A protracted debate Tuesday on a $602.5 million Justice Systems budget wasn’t about the money.It was, Republicans and Democrats agreed, about politics.For the record, the Justice Systems budget would include $583.8 million from the general fund — a $13 million increase that would raise most agencies’ budgets to cover, among other things, salary increases for contract and non-contract employees.But it was a Republican proposal to limit the state attorney general’s independence that sparked an hour-plus debate before the Iowa House approved the budget, 54-45.“This is a political move,” Rep.