I’ve been writing about the exploits of Iowa CCI, the community group that has been challenging Presidential candidates and local politicians in Iowa alike. Because of Iowa CCI, Mitt Romney delivered his “corporations are people” remark. And Iowa CCI has no problem criticizing Democrats who fail to uphold their principles of protecting the social safety net and making banks pay for the devastation they caused the economy during the financial meltdown. Recently, Iowa CCI attacked Tom Miller, the state Attorney General, for kicking Eric Schneiderman off the foreclosure fraud executive committee and pursuing a whitewash settlement with the banks over their foreclosure operations.

You’ll be unsurprised to know that the state Democratic Party doesn’t think highly of this principled aggressiveness. They criticized Iowa CCI for their conduct at a Republican town hall event.

On Monday, members of the progressive group Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement showed up at a town hall meeting for Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) in a small town in the central part of the state and pressed him on preserving Social Security. Afterward, Iowa CCI members reportedly hurled insults and crowded around Grassley in a hallway, blocking his path to his car while they continued to hound him on issues.

On Monday night, the group put out statements proclaiming victory in their “confrontation” and “take over” of the town hall.

But the Iowa Democratic Party was less pleased.

“It’s unfortunate that they continue to mistake screaming for persuasion and embarrass themselves in this manner,” party Chairwoman Sue Dvorsky said in a statement released Wednesday.

Apparently the Iowa Democratic Party Chairwoman followed news accounts of the story rather than talking to the activists themselves.

For what it’s worth, the activists aren’t really that concerned about this:

Covington said Iowa CCI wasn’t worried about making the Democratic Party upset. “We stand for progressive policies that put people first, not a particular party,” he said. “I think right now a lot of folks, not only across Iowa but across the country, feel let down by both parties — that they are putting our lives on the chopping block while asking nothing of the people who can afford it.”

I’m sure Iowa CCI will continue to make both parties completely uncomfortable in the weeks to come.