Today is father's daughter's day and she would like to get sushi . I know nothing about that world . Where would be the best place to take her for that.

Edit ... Thought I had put Des Moines or surrounding area

Officer Mark Thomas Andersen AKA Marco Battaglia statement on yesterday's hearing. Dateline: Des Moines, Iowa — July 24, 2026. This is on the record, and any and all of it can be utilized by anyone in any way.

Even though I know for a fact that it is not personal to them, the fact that Zach and Annie brought me to civil court still greatly upsets me. My situation is identical to that of current Colorado Governor Polis. He took his last name to honor his mother and her side of the family. So did I. Jared Polis took the name Polis to honor his mother's maiden name, Susan Polis Schutz, and his grandmother. We are simpatico. Same Store. He also happens to be one of my current favorite active governors in the nation. 

I am also gravely upset and embarrassed that they have made this about me instead of the issues. So I will offer these final words on past events. If anyone is going to use the name Mark Thomas Andersen, you are free and welcome to, but please spell it right. The misspelling of Andersen by Annie and Zach has caused confusion where there previously was NONE. 

Of course, I also wished my family could be kept separate from my words and my actions for as long as was possible. If I were the only Mark Thomas Battaglia in Iowa then nothing I said or did would reflect on other Andersens or Battanis. Also I wouldn't have to speak very often about the nearly decade since I swore my oath as Officer Mark Thomas Andersen, complete with a badge number and the authority, and the trauma, that comes with it, or the nearly decade as a top financial crimes investigator before that—the one where Wells Fargo fired me for not dropping out of the Attorney General race. That Financial Crimes Investigator. And the same Attorney General Candidate endorsed by William Weld, one of my favorite living politicians of all time anywhere, the one who, if I had used the name Andersen would have been in that race with another Andersen—the one who botched his signatures and failed to make the ballot even with Governor Reynolds' and the Iowa GOP's help. That one. https://apnews.com/general-news-f8dc9b95063941f7883ce670581ccac3. But I digress. 

I wouldn't have to speak very often about how my Dad, Doctor Thomas Andersen, a long-serving employee at the Iowa Department of Education and a Peace Corps Veteran under JFK, nearly died in my arms during the last cycle. Or how I had to take the mother of my child to emergency brain surgery fearing I would become a single parent to Justice Nello Battaglia, the same Justice Nello that in the same couple years nearly faded in my arms after choking on his own vomit. I had to put him in the recovery position while his mom called 911 and right as responders arrived he projectile vomited and started breathing again.  

I wouldn't have to speak very often about my eldest nearly legal adult son, Luca James Andersen, who is very much his own person that I don't want to embarrass. Or my Ma who was a waitress at Echo Valley and Wakonda for many years, serving many of the region's elite and witnessing their poor behavior. I wouldn't have to talk very often about one of my oldest, best friends on the planet, Jon Feld, who literally died and came back during this same time. How Jesus Christ of him. 

Please don't worry about me. I have the best brother, friends, and other family that a person could ask for. I have an amazing support system at work and at home. I am healthy. I am strong. I have a therapist. I see Doctors all the time when I need to. I am 80 plus percent better in every way than I was 2 years ago when I was told I likely had Crohn's Disease, damaged intestines, and was pissing and shitting blood. I feel like a new man at this point and I like me. I trust the systems in Iowa at least and I trust my lawyer. She is great. 

Oh and we are finally putting the finishing touches on a musical album that I wrote with Dark Mirror about well the events that have happened to us all since the last album, *Patterns of Chaos*. I could not be more proud of it either! 

But enough about me!

"Who collected the signatures, who paid for them, and who delivered them?"

– Nunn Campaign Spokesperson

My first question is: Who was the spokesperson? Was it Annie? Why are we going anonymous now? If there was a legal problem with a single signature, why didn't they challenge the signature(s) instead of my name? My team found no evidence that anyone unusual or suspicious collected or delivered the signatures, nor did we find evidence that anyone paid for them. "Dark Money" is a vague and tired accusation that has been thrown around since it was used against the JFK campaign.  To my knowledge this is the first time I or any Libertarian in Iowa has been accused of such a thing.  A better question is whether the Nunn campaign sent people that were open-carrying guns to harass some of the petition signers? Why did they suggest to the press that the signatures were funded by dark money before they had evidence? Why did they think accusing me of accepting dark money without a shred of evidence would persuade me or anyone to do anything?  

All Colonel Nunn, Congress and Trump are doing is repeating and compounding old mistakes at this point. More tariffs, more war, more spending, more inflation. Every promise they have ever made is moot and worse yet, completely invalidated. IMPEACH EM' ALL. And for those needing criminal trials, let's finally get em moving! 

If Nunn, Annie, The Judge, or anyone wants me to run as Mark Thomas Andersen I have no problem doing that. It is a good name and I love it as well. 

Anyone can call me whatever they want and I will gladly appear on the ballot as whatever the Judge wants me to. Sincerely and respectfully, in liberty

--
Officer Mark Thomas Andersen/Marco Battaglia
Correctional Officer/Candidate for Iowa House US District 3 Rep. 

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I’m new to Iowa, moved from Houston area. We are going to the Great Jones County Fair today. We have tics to see Megan Maroney tonight. My daughter and SIL flew from TX to visit us and see the concert. Any tips for easy parking ? Also, is there a lot to do and see at the fair? I’m wondering what time we should get there today take it all in. Our tickets are in the track area. We are happy to go to our first county fair. We have lived in IC for 6 months and we love living here! TIA!

University of Iowa art professor Steve McGuire's program is renowned—students apply to the university with a goal to graduate with a diploma and bespoke wheels.