Shawn Hamerlinck (born 1980) served one term in the Iowa State Senate, representing the 42nd District. He lost re-election in 2012. Hamerlinck was named in a sexual harassment lawsuit, which claimed that Hamerlinck often commented about women's breasts[3]

Shawn Hamerlinck
Born1980 (age 43–44) estimated
EducationDavenport West High School
Loras College B.A.
Loyola University of Chicago (M.A.)
Occupation(s)Youth Field Specialist
Adjunct Professor
Employer(s)Iowa State University, Scott County Extension office
Black Hawk College
Augustana College
Political partyRepublican
Websitewww.legis.iowa.gov
Notes

He sits on these committees: Economic Growth, Education, Local Government, Rebuild Iowa (Ranking Member), Ways and Means, Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation, Infrastructure, and Capitals, and the Appropriations Subcommittee.

In 2005, and again in 2007, he was elected an alderman for Davenport's second ward.

He is an adjunct faculty member at Black Hawk College and Augustana College.

U.S. Senator Charles Grassley's Hawkeye PAC (a leadership PAC) donated $3000 to Hamerlinck's campaign on October 18, 2008.[4]

Hamerlinck endorsed Tim Pawlenty in the Iowa caucus phase of the Republican Party presidential primaries, 2012.[5][6]

2011 education budget

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In a budget hearing on 6 June 2011, a number of student leaders from the regents institutions of Iowa testified that they and their institutions were financially squeezed, and were likely to be further squeezed absent a bigger allocation from the state. They were: Spencer Walrath, president of the University of Northern Iowa student government; Jared Knight, vice president of the Government of the Student Body at Iowa State University; Elliot Higgins, president of the University of Iowa Student Government; Dr. Lyndsay Harshman, a graduate of the University of Iowa medical school who is past president of the Council of Graduate & Professional Students; and Michael Appel, a University of Iowa College of Law student who is vice president of the Executive Council of Graduate & Professional Students. After listening to their remarks, Sen. Hamerlinck told them, "I do not like it when students actually come here and lobby me for funds. That's just my opinion. I want to wish you guys the best. I want you to go home and graduate. But this political theater, leave the circus to us, OK?"[7]

The right to petition government is protected by the First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States. All student leaders testifying on 6 June 2011 were of majority age and citizens of Iowa and the United States.

Hamerlinck objected that Democrats were exploiting student sentiment to drive a political wedge, and urged the students to focus less on politics and more on their own studies and careers.[8]

References

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  1. ^ "State Senator Shawn Hamerlinck, Scott County" (PDF). NorScottarian. Rotary Club of North Scott. April 1, 2009. Retrieved 2012-03-09.
  2. ^ "Candidate - Shawn Hamerlinck". Our Campaigns. Retrieved 2012-03-09.
  3. ^ "Lawsuit: Iowa Senate GOP accused of sexual harassment". Des Moines Register. Retrieved 2018-03-16.
  4. ^ "Payee: Committee to Elect Shawn Hamerlinck". ProPublica. Retrieved 2012-03-09.
  5. ^ Derby, Kevin (June 28, 2011). "With Michele Bachmann Riding High, Fellow Minnesotan Tim Pawlenty Focuses on Iowa". Sunshine State News. Tallahassee, Florida. Archived from the original on April 21, 2013. Retrieved 2012-03-09.
  6. ^ "Pawlenty lines up Iowa state lawmaker support". The Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier. Waterloo, Iowa. June 28, 2011. Retrieved 2012-03-09.
  7. ^ Petroski, William (6 June 2011). "Republican lawmaker tells Iowa student leaders "Go home"". Des Moines Register. Archived from the original on 13 July 2012. Retrieved 2012-03-09.
  8. ^ Boshart, Rod (June 6, 2011). "Hamerlinck: Students used as 'propaganda'". Quad-City Times. Retrieved 2012-03-09. Hamerlinck issued a written statement after what he called "Senate Democrats' dog and pony" education hearing, stating that "students should never be put in the position to be used as political pawns and that is exactly what took place today. It saddens me to see bright young Iowa students being misled about our state's financial situation. Their view of Iowa's budget is inaccurate and it is my hope that our Regents institutions are educating them on the facts rather than political propaganda."
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Preceded by Iowa State Senate district 42
2008–present
Succeeded by
incumbent