Libertarian U.S. Senate candidate Thomas Laehn wants to end the federal tax credits that fund carbon capture pipelines and rein in the president’s power to make war without a declaration of Congress.
Laehn, the county attorney in Greene County and the only Libertarian to hold an elected office in Iowa, made his remarks at the Des Moines Register’s Political Soapbox at the Iowa State Fair.
He began his remarks by introducing his family: his wife, Susan; 1-year-old son, Felix; and 7-year-old daughter, Sophia; who took the mic to introduce herself.
“Please vote for my dad this year,” she said.
Laehn faces Republican Ashley Hinson and Democrat Josh Turek in the race for Iowa’s open U.S. Senate seat this year.
Here’s what Laehn said.
Thomas Laehn calls carbon capture pipeline ‘biggest boondoggle’ in Iowa history
If elected to the U.S. Senate, Laehn said one of the first pieces of legislation he’ll introduce will be to eliminate the 45Q and 45Z tax credits that provide financial incentives for carbon capture pipelines.
He criticized a proposed pipeline that Summit Carbon Solutions is seeking to build across Iowa to sequester carbon dioxide from ethanol plants underground, saying that the project won’t provide any financial benefit and will enrich those behind it, including Summit CEO Bruce Rastetter, a major Republican donor.
“It’s the biggest boondoggle in the history of our state,” Laehn said. “A project that actually doesn’t do any good at all, except to make Bruce Rastetter and his investors billionaires.”
He said he wrote the first draft of legislation that Gov. Kim Reynolds vetoed last year that would have banned eminent domain from being used to construct hazardous liquid pipelines.
“Not only is this a project that doesn’t do any good and wastes our taxpayer dollars, this private company has been vested with the power of eminent domain to take property from unwilling landowners along its proposed route,” he said.
Congress has ‘abdicated’ responsibilities to the president, Thomas Laehn says
Laehn said “Congress has absolutely abdicated its constitutional responsibilities,” leaving the president with more power to declare war and legislate via executive order.
“When’s the last time Congress declared war? Who knows?” Laehn asked the crowd. “1941, World War II. Every war since World War II, presidents have taken our country to war without a declaration of war in violation of the Constitution of the United States.”
Laehn criticized the war in Iran, which was “launched unilaterally by the president,” and the billions of dollars being spent on the effort.
“In the meantime, Social Security will be bankrupt in 2032,” he said.
He criticized President Donald Trump for issuing executive orders that he said purport to take the place of legislation passed by Congress, adding that “it would have been no different if it was Kamala Harris.”
“We’re now making law not through the legislative process — by executive order,” he said.
Thomas Laehn said he isn’t beholden to special interests
Laehn said if elected he will represent the people of Iowa directly because he isn’t beholden to the Republican or Democratic parties.
“Ashley Hinson was nominated by the Republican Party. Josh Turek was nominated by the Democratic Party,” he said. “I was nominated by the people themselves. My campaign submitted nearly 10,000 signatures to the Secretary of State’s office, signed by individual Iowans, directly nominating me for the United States Senate.”
Hinson and Turek will appear on the Nov. 3 general election ballot as the Republican and Democratic nominees after winning their party’s primary election. Laehn submitted paperwork directly to the Iowa secretary of state’s office to appear on the ballot. Hinson and Turek also gathered signatures to appear on the primary ballot.
“When I’m elected, I will not be beholden to any political party or interest group,” Laehn said. “There are no PACs funding my campaign. Every donation I’ve received has been from an individual Iowan. And I will go to Washington, D.C., and I will represent all of you.”
Stephen Gruber-Miller is the Capitol bureau chief for the Des Moines Register. He can be reached by email at sgrubermil@registermedia.com, by phone at 515-284-8169 or on X at @sgrubermiller.
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: At Soapbox, Thomas Laehn bashes carbon pipelines, presidential power
Reporting by Stephen Gruber-Miller, Des Moines Register / Des Moines Register
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Stephen Gruber-Miller, Des Moines Register | USA TODAY Network
