Former GOP congressman speaks at rally for Democrat facing felony election misconduct charges in Iowa

RED OAK, Iowa (KMTV) — Joey Norris, a Democrat accused of felony election misconduct, went on trial in Red Oak as a former Republican congressman spoke in his support and a key prosecution witness took the stand.

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Norris is accused of impeding the absentee ballot count in Montgomery County during the 2024 general election. He was an election worker on a bipartisan board of six people counting the ballots.

Iowa Assistant Attorney General Joshua Duden told jurors, in his opening statement, that he would show Norris willfully hindered the process of counting ballots. Duden called county auditor Jill Ozuna to the stand first.

She said the ballot count was difficult: "Because of constant interruption, constant arguing. Constant — lots of interruptions."

Defense counsel Gina Messamer presented a different perspective in her opening statement.

"It's not a crime to speak up about what you think the rules are. Joey Norris helps and Joey Norris follows the rules," she said.

Supporters of Norris say the trial is about politics. Before the day's proceedings began, friends and family of Norris gathered in the town square, including former GOP Congressman Steve King. KMTV asked King what he meant when he called the trial "lawfare."

"Charges that are not intended by the legislature when they wrote the law and maybe cannot produce a conviction, but the process is the penalty," King said.

The trial is expected to last at least through Thursday.

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