DEFENDING CLAIMS: Boswell Stands Behind Plant Shut Down Comments

Congressman Leonard Boswell is defending his statements that a shutdown at the Firestone plant in Des Moines this week was due to the failure to pass a new farm bill, but the company says that is not true.

Boswell held a press conference Monday saying 1400 workers were furloughed at the plant because tractor tire sales have slowed as congress failed to pass a farm bill.

But Firestone company officials say it’s just a routine shutdown because inventory is too high.

In a WHO radio debate Tuesday, Boswell defended his comments saying workers at the plant told him about the shutdown.

Boswell blames his challenger, Republican Congressman Tom Latham, for not pushing Republican leadership to pass the farm bill.

In the debate Latham called Boswell’s press conference a Political stunt.