Hello friends,
My name is Tara McGovern and I am one of the seven trans protesters arrested by the UIPD and charged by Democratic Johnson County Attorney Rachel Zimmermann Smith for our participation in a peaceful protest on The University of Iowa campus in October 2023.
I would like to personally thank you for your support and solidarity. As you may have learned in March, I had the privilege of a jury trial where I was acquitted (found not guilty by a unanimous jury of twelve Johnson County residents) of both charges against me.
Despite the trial victory, the associated fees for myself and for the other six trans people who settled out of court were overwhelming and we could not have gotten through that difficult time without the help of our community.
Along with this update and the one at the end of this message, I would like to ask for your help one more time. I am asking not for a monetary donation but for your vote in the primary election that is taking place TODAY (June 4, 2023).
I would like to direct your attention to the Democratic primary ballot for the Board of Supervisors election and to ask that you vote for Mandi Remington only. While it is possible to vote for up to three candidates, voting for Mandi will give her a better chance of getting on the ballot.
Mandi is the only candidate who deserves your vote.
The three incumbents who are on the ballot (Green–Douglass, Porter and Sullivan) have not demonstrated a commitment to reigning in the law enforcement overreach that is ruining Johnson County and the only other candidate (Conrad) is a state trooper who has been receiving donations from people such as Ian Mallory (the lead detective who targeted the JoCo7), other law enforcement as well as from several donors who typically vote for Republicans.
Only Mandi will work for much needed law enforcement oversight alongside her commitments to improving access to basic needs such as low-barrier, high-quality affordable housing, shelter, transportation, food, medical services and childcare in Johnson County.
Please set aside any preconceived notions of primary elections being unimportant. In the case of today’s elections, the candidates who are voted onto the ballot will almost certainly become our new Johnson County supervisors in the November election.
This is important because only the board of supervisors has any kind of authority (albeit only budgetary) over the county attorney’s office and over the sheriff’s office and jail.
Thanks again for your time, your attention and your generosity in caring about the well being of residents of Johnson County.
Please continue to visit JoCo7.org for ongoing updates. My case is currently under investigation for a first amendment retaliation for how I was targeted and updates about that will be on the JoCo7 website.
Please visit Mandi’s website to learn all about her exceptional qualifications and join me in voting for Mandi and only Mandi for Johnson County supervisor.
Gratefully,
Tara McGovern
Coralvillains 