Most Talked-About Controversies Linked to Chuck Grassley

A closer look at the most debated and controversial moments involving Chuck Grassley.

Chuck Grassley is a prominent American politician and the senior United States Senator from Iowa, serving since 1981. A Republican, he currently holds the position of president pro tempore of the Senate, a role he also filled previously. As a long-serving senator, Grassley is a significant figure in American politics.

Sections (5)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Success & Recognition Controversies & Scandals

1976: Introduced measures to increase taxation on Americans abroad

In 1976, Chuck Grassley began repeatedly introducing measures aimed at increasing the level of taxation on American citizens living abroad, including retroactive tax hikes.

October 1983: Grassley voted against establishing MLK Day

In October 1983, Chuck Grassley voted against establishing a legal holiday to commemorate Martin Luther King Jr.'s birthday.

November 1, 1984: Grassley signed contempt of Congress citation against Attorney General William French Smith

On November 1, 1984, Chuck Grassley signed a one-page citation of contempt of Congress against Attorney General William French Smith due to Smith's not turning over files on an investigation into Navy shipbuilding.

October 1987: Grassley Criticized Reagan's Handling of Bork Nomination

In October 1987, Chuck Grassley criticized President Reagan's handling of Robert Bork's Supreme Court nomination, accusing Reagan of being "asleep at the switch." He also likened the groups lobbying against Bork's nomination to the McCarthyism of the 1950s. Later that month, as party leaders of the Senate Judiciary Committee met on the Supreme Court nomination of Douglas H. Ginsburg, Grassley released the text of a letter he intended to send to the American Bar Association suggesting the association was dragging its feet in reviewing Ginsburg's record.

January 1991: Grassley Voted Against Joining Coalition to Force Iraq Out of Kuwait

In January 1991, Chuck Grassley was one of only two Republican senators to vote against joining the international coalition to force Iraq out of Kuwait.

February 12, 1999: Grassley voted to convict and remove Bill Clinton from office

On February 12, 1999, Chuck Grassley was one of 50 senators to vote to convict and remove Bill Clinton from office.

2000: FBI internal report examined agent misconduct

In 2000, the FBI created an internal report that examined 107 instances of either serious or criminal misconduct by its agents over a 16-year period.

February 2004: Grassley Released FBI Internal Report

In February 2004, Chuck Grassley released an internal report composed by the FBI in 2000 that examined 107 instances of either serious or criminal misconduct by its agents over a 16-year period.

2006: Amendment increasing taxes on Americans abroad goes into effect

In 2006, an amendment Grassley attached to a piece of legislation went into effect. The amendment increased taxes on Americans abroad by targeting housing and living incentives paid by foreign employers and holding them accountable for federal taxes, even if they did not reside in the United States.

November 5, 2007: Investigation Announced into Tax-Exempt Status of Ministries

On November 5, 2007, Chuck Grassley announced an investigation into the tax-exempt status of six ministries led by Benny Hinn, Paula White, Eddie L. Long, Joyce Meyer, Creflo Dollar, and Kenneth Copeland, conducted by the United States Senate Committee on Finance.

December 6, 2007: Deadline for Ministries to Comply with Finance Committee Request

By the December 6, 2007, deadline, only three of the six ministries under investigation by the United States Senate Committee on Finance, led by Chuck Grassley, had shown compliance with the committee's request for financial information.

March 11, 2008: Follow-up Letters Sent to Ministries

On March 11, 2008, Chuck Grassley and Finance chairman Max Baucus sent follow-up letters to Kenneth Copeland, Creflo Dollar and Eddie Long, explaining that the Senate reserved the right to investigate the finances of their organizations under federal tax laws.

2008: Request for Disclosure of Drug Industry Funds to APA

In 2008, Chuck Grassley asked the American Psychiatric Association (APA) to disclose how much of its annual budget came from drug industry funds. The APA reported that industry contributed 28% of its budget ($14 million at that time) mainly through paid advertising in APA journals and funds for continuing medical education.

2008: Investigation into Payments to Physicians by Pharmaceutical Companies

In 2008, Chuck Grassley led a Congressional investigation that found that well-known university psychiatrists, who had promoted psychoactive drugs, had violated federal and university regulations by secretly receiving large sums of money from pharmaceutical companies that made the drugs. The investigation revealed unreported income by psychiatrists from Harvard and Stanford.

March 2009: Suggested AIG employees should resign or commit suicide

In March 2009, amid a scandal involving AIG executives receiving large bonuses from the taxpayer-funded bailout of AIG, Grassley suggested that those AIG employees receiving large bonuses should resign immediately or commit suicide. He later dismissed the comments as rhetoric after facing criticism.

August 12, 2009: Commented on end-of-life counseling provisions

On August 12, 2009, at a meeting in Iowa, Grassley responded to an audience question about end-of-life counseling provisions in the House health care bill, H.R. 3200, by saying that people were right to fear that the government would "pull the plug on grandma".

2015: Opposition to Bipartisan Senate Bill on Cannabis

In 2015, Chuck Grassley voiced his opposition to a bipartisan senate bill, the Compassionate Access, Research Expansion, and Respect States Act. This bill aimed to move cannabis from Schedule I to Schedule II, allowing states with medical cannabis laws to legally prescribe it and enable further research into its medical efficacy.

2015: Statement on Same-Sex Marriage Ruling

In 2015, following the Supreme Court's ruling in Obergefell v. Hodges that same-sex marriage bans were unconstitutional, Chuck Grassley released a statement expressing his belief that marriage should be between one man and one woman, criticizing the court for not leaving the issue to the states.

2016: Said the 'American people shouldn't be denied a voice' in Supreme Court nomination

In 2016, Senate Republicans refused to consider Obama's nomination of Merrick Garland to the Supreme Court. At the time, Grassley said that the "American people shouldn't be denied a voice" in the nomination, which was "too important to get bogged down in politics".

2016: Russia 2016 investigation

In January 2018, Grassley condemned Feinstein, saying that her decision was "confounding" and that it deterred future witnesses in the Russia 2016 investigation.

2016: Russian Interference in the 2016 Election

In January 2018, Grassley recommended charges against Christopher Steele, who sought to expose Russian interference in the 2016 election.

February 2017: Statement on Russian Interference and U.S. Involvement in Foreign Elections

In February 2017, Chuck Grassley stated that while Russian interference in U.S. elections was "bothersome", the United States also had a history of interfering in foreign elections, citing the 1948 Italian election as an example.

April 2017: Co-sponsorship of the Israel Anti-Boycott Act

In April 2017, Chuck Grassley co-sponsored the Israel Anti-Boycott Act (s. 720), which would make it a federal crime for Americans to encourage or participate in boycotts against Israel and Israeli settlements in the West Bank if protesting actions by the Israeli government.

May 2017: Advising to "Suck it up and move on" after Comey firing

In May 2017, after Trump fired FBI director James Comey, Chuck Grassley advised people suspicious of the Trump administration to "Suck it up and move on."

August 2017: Judiciary Committee Interview with Glenn Simpson

In August 2017, the Judiciary Committee, including Chuck Grassley, conducted a ten-hour interview with Glenn Simpson, co-founder of Fusion GPS, regarding the Steele Dossier on alleged connections between Trump and Russia. The full transcript of this interview became a point of contention in January 2018.

October 31, 2017: Grassley Ignores Questions on Indictments

On October 31, 2017, while a group of Republicans were facing questions from reporters concerning recent indictments, Chuck Grassley ignored the questions and left the room.

2017: Expressed concerns about the Paris Agreement

In 2017, regarding the Paris Agreement, Grassley said, "unequal terms put the U.S. economy at a significant disadvantage while letting large economies like China’s and India’s off the hook". He also said he didn't like that the Senate had not voted on the agreement.

2017: Received commodity subsidies over 21 years

In 2017, the Environmental Working Group stated that Grassley received $367,763 in grain commodity subsidies over 21 years.

2017: Sponsored legislation expanding firearm access for mentally disabled individuals

In early 2017, Grassley sponsored legislation that expanded access to firearms by mentally disabled individuals, claiming that the previous ban against mentally ill individuals purchasing guns "mistreats disabled Americans".

January 2018: Criminal Referral Recommendation for Christopher Steele

In January 2018, Chuck Grassley, along with Lindsey Graham, recommended charges against Christopher Steele, who sought to expose Russian interference in the 2016 election. They believed Steele had lied to federal authorities.

January 2018: Condemnation of Feinstein for Releasing Glenn Simpson Transcript

In January 2018, after Chuck Grassley and Judiciary Committee Republicans refused to release the full transcript of an August 2017 interview with Glenn Simpson, Senator Dianne Feinstein unilaterally released it. Grassley condemned Feinstein, saying her decision was "confounding" and deterred future witnesses in the Russia 2016 investigation.

2018: Suggested reasons for lack of women on Senate Judiciary Committee

In 2018, Grassley suggested that no women were serving on the Senate Judiciary Committee because of the heavy workload. He later added that he would "welcome more women" to serve on the Committee "because women as a whole are smarter than most male senators. And they work real hard, too".

October 1, 2019: Defense of Trump-Ukraine Scandal Whistleblower

On October 1, 2019, Chuck Grassley defended the whistleblower in the Trump–Ukraine scandal, breaking with his party line. He stated that the whistleblower "appears to have followed the whistleblower protection laws and ought to be heard out and protected".

2019: Condemnation of the BDS Movement

In 2019, Chuck Grassley was one of 14 Republican senators to sign a letter from Marco Rubio that involved condemning the BDS movement.

2020: Supported prompt vote on Trump's Supreme Court nominee

In 2020, after a Supreme Court vacancy arose due to Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg's death, Grassley supported a prompt vote on Trump's nominee, backing the decision of "the current chairman of the Judiciary Committee and the Senate Majority Leader".

May 28, 2021: Vote Against Independent Commission to Investigate January 6 Attack

On May 28, 2021, Chuck Grassley voted against creating an independent commission to investigate the January 6 United States Capitol attack.

2021: Participated in certification of Electoral College vote, reacted to Capitol attack

In 2021, Grassley was participating in the certification of the 2021 United States Electoral College vote count when Trump supporters attacked the U.S. Capitol. In the wake of the attack, Grassley said that Trump "displayed poor leadership in his words and actions, and he must take responsibility".

2022: Support for Same-Sex Marriage and Vote Against the Respect for Marriage Act

In 2022, Chuck Grassley stated his support for same-sex marriage, a shift from his earlier stance. However, he voted against the Respect for Marriage Act, citing religious liberty concerns and deeming the legislation unnecessary.

July 21, 2024: Comments on Biden's Withdrawal from the 2024 Presidential Race

On July 21, 2024, after President Biden withdrew from the 2024 presidential race, Chuck Grassley posted on X (formerly Twitter), criticizing the Biden-Harris administration's border policies and the high cost of living.