Great moments in golf outings: The state Republicans had a golf outing and fundraiser last week at Willow Creek Golf Course. It was named for Bob Ray — who was there greeting folks from a golf cart — and a lot of big guys were there: Congressman Tom Latham, legislators Pat Ward and Brad Zaun and Jack Whitver and Pete Cownie and Chris Hagenow and Kevin Koester, and a bunch of candidates including Jake Highfill (presumably without his shotgun).

And some Hooters girls. Not particularly shy ones, either.

Hooters girls hired for a Republican fundraiser.

“It was embarrassing,” said a guy who was there.

Another guy, always trying to be helpful, sent Skinny this email:

“For those keeping score, the state GOP platform contains the following provision:

“6.17. We believe access to sexually explicit material, especially on the internet, poses a serious threat to our families and children. Therefore we must strengthen and enforce our laws to protect our families and children.

“It also declares its support for the public display of the Ten Commandments — which includes not coveting thy neighbor’s wife or maidservant.”

Can anyone say “Mingo?” ...

Great moments in employee relations:

Marc Mills is the former general counsel of the University of Iowa who was fired in 2008 by President Sally Mason as an outgrowth of the most recent athletic sex scandal at the school. He has sued, and the suit is rising on the docket of federal district court in Des Moines. One of the exhibits, filed last month, is Mills’ affidavit. Paragraph 25 says:
“On Friday, September 19, 2010 [it was actually 2008] Mason informed me that she was going to remove me as Vice President for Legal Affairs and General Counsel, and requested that I provide her a letter of resignation early the following week. She stated that I would have another job within the University.”

And he adds:

“She also gave me a hug and told me that she had never had to fire someone who had done nothing wrong.”

In her deposition, also filed last month, Mason doesn’t mention the hug but does say she doesn’t “recall saying that.” But she does recall talking about finding another job for him at the university. “It was my hope that we could find a graceful way to make a mea culpa, and resignation, and then perhaps at some point he could have employment here. Didn’t work out that way.” ...

Great moments in pissing matches between lawyers:

Email from Erik Fisk of the Whitfield law firm to Joe Gamble at the Duncan law firm about the case in which Suzanne Levitt is suing a South African diamond operation (it’s too complicated to go into again):

“Joe, Ms. Levitt: I will be responding to your Motion to Reconsider today based on the misrepresentations made to the Court about my compliance with Rule 7. As a preliminary matter, I take my obligations to comply with the Rules before the Court quite seriously, and I do not take kindly to the falsehoods set forth in Ms. Levitt’s Motion....”

Joe Gamble’s reply: “Erik....I have to say since you got involved in this case, your approach is proving to be beyond what can be considered ‘aggressive.’ You’re e-mailing me accusing me of being associated with falsehoods and ongoing misrepresentations to the Court. This is a first for me. I also did not appreciate your reference to me in your filing on Friday. These are all things to which I do not take too kindly. I expect this from out of state lawyers, but not from across the street. I have gotten along well with you and your partners in the past. I hope we can get back on track.” ...

Great moment in character building:

Character Counts is a fine organization that works with young and old to promote what it calls the six pillars of character: trustworthiness, respect, responsibility, fairness, caring and citizenship. Each year, it recognizes those who personify those pillars. Last year’s Iowa Character Award went to...

...Russell R. Wasendorf Sr.

Next year: A seventh pillar, fraud. ...

Great moments in Senate debate:

Sen. Patrick Leahy of Vermont, the chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, going off point a bit during an exchange with Sen. Charles Grassley, the ranking minority member, about delays in confirming judges nominated by recent presidents:

“We read the horror stories of secret money going into campaigns. If we can’t restrict the amount of money, at least let’s know where it comes from. It is bad enough the Supreme Court has said corporations are people, as though having elected General Eisenhower as President, we could now elect General Electric as President, or electing yahoos such as Millard Fillmore as Vice President means we could elect Yahoo as Vice President.”

Great moments in journalism:

The Des Moines Register last Wednesday had a piece that began: “Ramsey Auto center in Urbandale is giving up its Buick-GMC business to focus on its other brands, Subaru and Mazda, said the company’s president, Tom Carey.”

Unsaid: It is “giving up” the business because General Motors sued the dealership in federal district court to force the issue, saying sales had fallen below an agreed-upon target. Also unsaid: “As reported, and more thoroughly, in Cityview three weeks ago.” ...

Great (loopy) moments in politics:

Randi Shannon, the Republican candidate running against state Democratic senate incumbent Liz Mathis of Linn County, quit the race last week after determining that the United States is an unlawful republic full of laws passed “without the consent of We the People.” Instead, she says in a lengthy statement on her website, “I have accepted the position of U.S. Senator in The Republic of The United States of America, where I may better serve You and All of The People of Iowa.” The Republic of the United States, she says, “is the Republic founded in 1787 and then abandoned during the Civil War,” when it was replaced by the current unlawful nation.

Shannon was a Ron Paul supporter during the primary campaign. ...

The Iowa Supreme Court has issued 121 nondisciplinary decisions since the three new justices joined in April, and 102 of them were unanimous, the law blog of the Nyemaster law firm noted the other day. On the split decisions, there are two clear blocks: Holdover justices Wiggins, Appel and Hecht, and Chief Justice Cady along with new justices Waterman and Mansfield. That leaves Bruce Zager as the swing judge, and he has been in the majority on every single case, siding with the Cady group in six 4-3 decisions and with the Appel group in four. ...

From the Polk County Republican website: “Our next big fundraiser will be the Annual Summer Picnic at the Polk County Fairgrounds.” No mention of Playboy Bunnies.

When was the last time anyone used the word “maidservant?” …

“I have wasted many years of my life trying to prepare for a future that never came to be.” — Nancy Sebring. CV