Iowa Politicians “Break In” to WWII Monument for Veterans

The federal government might be shut down, but that didn't stop 150 veterans from visiting the World War II and other monuments in Washington D.C. on Tuesday.

A contingent of Story County veterans who left Ames Tuesday on a Freedom Flight were among a larger group of veterans honored on the annual trip. When the veterans arrived they found temporary fences blocking access to the open air World War II memorial.

Various politicians such as Sen. Tom Harkin and Congressman Steve King helped the veterans topple the gates and complete their journey.

CNN live blogged the visit.

“Some Republican members of Congress and a Democratic senator were on site, blasting the federal government for fencing off the memorial. Outraged and baffled, Sen. Tom Harkin, D-Iowa, crossed through an opening in the railing earlier in the morning–before the breach–and got on the phone to try and reach the secretary of the Department of Interior.

"I don't get it. I'm furious. I'm trying to get a hold of people," he said, standing on the other side of the barricade and looking around for help. "But I can't seem to get a hold of anybody."

And Steve King was one of several Republicans who helped veterans break through the gates. Leo Shane III, a Stars and Stripes reporter tweeted that King distracted a park police officer while vets and staffers knocked down fences, according to a report on WHO.TV.

The National Parks Service closed the memorials along with other national parks due to the federal government shutdown.

See a full recap of the visit on the Ames Tribune.