When he was arrested early February 11, State Representative Kerry Burt (D-Waterloo) brought up his position as a state representative and firefighter, and that he had been drinking at a reception attended by Governor Chet Culver, according to a police report and video released this week. Burt faces a charge of Operating While Intoxicated.

According to the report, Burt tried to tell the officer that he couldn't be arrested. "I better show you this. ... I'm a representative," Burt said. "I'm also a firefighter. Is there professional courtesy?"

The report revealed that Burt's preliminary breath test showed his blood-alcohol level at 0.131, above the state's legal limit of 0.08. When the officer asked Burt how much he had to drink, he replied that whom he was drinking with was more important than how much he had to drink. He then said in a soft voice, "The governor."

Culver confirmed to reporters that he saw Burt at a February 10 reception hosted by the Iowa Pharmacy Association and dinner at the Embassy Suites hotel in downtown Des Moines.

"I was with Mr. Burt for all of about 30 minutes at a dinner with about 15 people," Culver said. "I had no idea what he did after I left that dinner at 8:55 p.m. I was home by 9 o'clock. He was arrested at 2 a.m. I have no idea really what he did between 9 and 2."

Culver also confirmed there were alcoholic beverages served at the reception. "There was some alcohol that was served at the pharmacy reception," Culver said. "I had a glass of wine and had a quick dinner and went home."

A report filed Wednesday with the Iowa Ethics & Campaign Disclosure Board showed the Iowa Pharmacy Association spent $2,438 on alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages for the reception and $4,689 on food. Between 175 to 200 people attended the reception, including as many as 20 lawmakers. Each guest was given one ticket for wine, beer, or a soft drink.

The Iowa Pharmacy Association failed to file a disclosure report within five days of the legislative reception, as required by law.

Black Hawk and Dubuque county GOP chairs joined the chorus of Republicans calling for Burt's resignation. Aside from his drunken-driving charge, Burt is accused of using an incorrect address to avoid paying $37,139 in fees to the Malcolm Price Laboratory School.

Sotomayor Clears Judiciary Committee Despite Grassley

Sonia Sotomayor, the Latina judge nominated by President Barack Obama for the U.S. Supreme Court, won 13-6 approval Tuesday from the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee, despite U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley and most other Republicans voting against her.

Grassley was the sixth of 19 to speak during the confirmation vote, and said in a 12-minute speech that he would be voting against Sotomayor. "She's a remarkable woman, she's a talented individual, a woman of substance and personality, a trailblazer," Grassley said. "There's no doubt of her intelligence, integrity, or distinguished legal background."

But he went on to say: "Unfortunately, I'm not convinced that Judge Sotomayor will be able to set aside her personal biases and prejudices and decide cases in an impartial manner based upon the Constitution. I'm not convinced that Judge Sotomayor will protect important constitutional rights, nor am I convinced that she will refrain from creating new rights under the Constitution. I'm not convinced that Judge Sotomayor understands the proper role of a judge in our system with checks and balances."

Grassley said he was concerned whether Sotomayor would protect the Second and Fifth amendments.

He also said his vote for Justice David Souter nearly 20 years ago "has come back to haunt me time and time again," adding that one of Sotomayor's responses "left me with the same pit in my stomach I've had with Justice Souter's rulings that I had hoped to have cured with his retirement."

It was Grassley's first time voting against a Supreme Court nominee.

January 2010 Caucuses Set for Saturday

The January 2010 Iowa caucuses will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday, January 23, rather than a weekday evening, state party chairs announced in a joint statement this week.

"To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time either party has held its precinct caucuses on a Saturday," said Iowa Democratic Party Chair Mike Kiernan and Republican Party of Iowa Chair Matt Strawn. "Our decision to hold these important organizational meetings on a Saturday was made to encourage greater participation in an off-year caucus and get more Iowans actively involved with the work of our parties."

The mid-term caucuses don't draw the kind of international media attention they do in presidential years, but they are still key in organizing and selecting delegates.

That's because with a handful of Republicans already running for governor, the race could go to a convention. Iowa Code says: "If there are more than two candidates for any nomination and none of the candidates receives 35 percent or more of the votes cast by voters of that party for that nomination, the primary is inconclusive," and the choice of nominee would then go to the Republican state convention.