Mark Zieman
From dKosopedia
Categories: Iowa State Senators | Iowa Republicans
Mark Zieman (R) is an Iowa State Senator for the largely rural 8th Senatorial district, covering Allamakee, Winneshiek, Chickasaw and Howard counties in the northeastern corner of the state map, *pdf format. He easily won his seat when it was vacated by his father, Lyle Zieman. He is is expected to run for re-election in 2008.
A millionaire, he claims to be a farmer and trucker, but in reality he and his wife Jennifer are among the biggest recipients of Federal farm subsides in the state. Jennifer teaches at Northwestern Iowa Community College, at Calmar.
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Bottom feeders
In April, 2005, speaking on the floor of the Senate, he made an enormous gaffe when he characterized schoolteachers, police and sheriff's officers and the such as "bottom feeders" because of their state-funded pension plans:
I went down and met with the BAC Board on Monday. The Benefits Advisory Committee. Maybe let’s go over and see who sits on this board. We have the Iowa State education Association. We have the Iowa Association of Community College Trustees, the School Administrators of Iowa, the Iowa Association of School Boards, Retired School Personnel Association, Sheriffs and Deputies, Sheriffs Association, Iowa Association of Counties, State Police Officers, State of Iowa, Chiefs of Police Association, Iowa League of Cities, the IPERS Improvement Association, AFSMCE, and, guess what, one public member representing the taxpayer. Every fall, when I start going to meetings, I get to meetings and here they are, the bottom feeders, out there with their hand out. They’ve got their hand out. source
He has since tried to back-pedal, but the self-inflicted damage is permanent.
Committees
- Commerce
- State Government
- Transportation
- Ways and Means, Co-Chair
- Administration and Regulation
- Appropriations Subcommittee
Contact information
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Des Moines
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Postville
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