Iowa GOP Chair Calls for Medical Pot, Leader Calls for his Ouster

A.K. Spiker (Photo via the Des Moines Register

In a newspaper guest opinion piece today, departing Republican Party of Iowa Chairman A.J. Spiker argues for the legalization of medical marijuana.

And in reaction, one Iowa GOP board member called for Spiker’s immediate firing.

“It is time for Republicans to give freedom back to doctors, to patients and to those who know far better than the politicians which treatments they truly need. It is time to allow the use of medical marijuana,” Spiker wrote for the opinion section of the Sunday Des Moines Register.

Spiker announced earlier this month that he’s soon stepping down as party chairman; the Register broke the news that he’s going to work for potential 2016 presidential candidate Rand Paul.

“The Republican Party promotes itself, above all, as a party of freedom,” Spiker wrote. “A party created to end slavery. A party that championed the right of women to vote. A party that seeks to cut taxes and allows people to live and work without government intrusion.”

Jamie Johnson, a Christian conservative who has long criticized Spiker’s leadership, in an online post called for his fellow Republican Party of Iowa State Central Committee members to fire Spiker.

“Mr. Spiker is no longer worthy of the chairmanship of our state party, neither does he deserve to serve out his final week in office,” Johnson wrote last night in the comment section on the Register’s website.

group of Iowa legislators – five Republicans and five Democrats – last week introduced a resolution seeking a study on the feasibility of legalizing medical marijuana in Iowa.

Spiker has said his resignation will take effect upon the election of a new chairman at the next board meeting at party headquarters, scheduled for this Saturday. Johnson, however, called for party leaders to boycott any meeting where Spiker is present, including the one Saturday. UPDATE: Johnson has since removed his comment. 

Iowa GOP Chair Calls for Medical Pot, Leader Calls for his Ouster

Article by Jennifer Jacobs for the Des Moines Register

Comments

comments