OMAHA, Neb. (KMTV) — Steve King, the former congressman known for die-hard conservative views, and a staff member for the left-leaning environmental group, Sierra Club, are among the Iowans who received cease and desist letters from Summit Carbon Solutions.

• The carbon capture pipeline company accused King of making false and defamatory statements.
• Brian Jorde — an Omaha attorney who represents some of the landowners opposed to the pipeline — said he’s seen some of the letters. He believes “they’re designed to intimidate.”
• King called the letter a “bully tactic.”

I’m Southwest Iowa neighborhood reporter Katrina Markel with an interesting update on the ongoing debate over whether or not to allow a private company to build a Carbon Capture pipeline through miles and miles of private Iowa farmland.

I’ve learned that the company behind the project is sending cease and desist letters to outspoken opponent, in a move that a local attorney is calling a scare tactic.

“… I just read the first paragraph and my wife said it took me three minutes before I stopped laughing before I could read the rest of it,” said former Congressman Steve King.

One of the reasons I find this story interesting: this issue has placed historical political opposites like the left-leaning Sierra Club to former U.S. Representative and staunch conservative, Steve King, on the same side.

A bolded sentence in the letter sent to King reads: “Your statements about Summit Agricultural Group and Summit Carbon Solutions are false and defamatory.”

“It’s just a bully tactic is what it is,” said King.

I reviewed the letters with Omaha-based attorney Brian Jorde.

“Well, first and foremost these are designed to intimidate,” he said.