A bipartisan Iowa House Ethics Committee quickly voted unanimously Friday to dismiss two ethics complaints against state Rep. Abby Finkenauer, and lawmakers from both parties called the allegations partisan and without merit.
Finkenauer, a Dubuque lawmaker, is the Democratic nominee in a heated battle for Congress against U.S. Rep. Rod Blum, a Dubuque Republican, in northeast Iowa's 1st District. The complaints alleged that Finkenauer had misused taxpayer funds to benefit her campaign, but both Republicans and Democrats found no basis that either allegation was true.
"Anybody can make a complaint about anybody else, but I have no time for partisan politics on the Ethics Committee," said Rep. Rob Taylor, R-West Des Moines, who chairs the House Ethics Committee.
Rep. Phyllis Thede, D-Bettendorf, told Taylor she couldn't agree more.
"Our business on the Ethics Committee is to hold everything to a high standard. But when we get complaints like this, this is not what we want to be doing," she said.
The complaints were filed by Carol Sullivan of Cedar Rapids, a homemaker who has donated a total of $9,572 to Blum's campaign since Sept. 3, 2014, according to Federal Election Commission records.
Finkenauer, represented by lawyer Shayla McCormally of Des Moines, filed a written response that said the complaints were "politically motivated and have no basis in Iowa law."
Kate Waters, a spokeswoman for Finkenauer's campaign for Congress, said in an email Friday that Finkenauer's campaign was confident from the start that the "bogus" complaints would be dismissed. She contended Blum was using the complaints as a distraction from "shady" practices used by the congressman in his own business.
Neither Blum's campaign, nor his congressional aides, had an immediate comment. Sullivan could not be reached for comment.
Complaint called 'disturbing'
The first complaint claimed that Finkenauer used her official biographical page on the Iowa Legislature's website to direct Iowans to her campaign website, voteAbby.com. The campaign website has no other purpose than to promote her candidacy for Congress, Sullivan wrote, and she contended that Finkenauer acted "in clear violation of the law."
But Taylor said it's routine for all lawmakers to provide links to other resources on their official biographical pages on the Legislature's website. He noted the public is provided a warning they are leaving the Iowa Legislature website.
"There isn't a misuse of power or resources here," Taylor said.
Sullivan's second complaint alleged that Finkenauer acted improperly by using a photo of her serving in the Iowa House in a televised campaign advertisement.
"Her real purpose behind her speech was revealed: her advocacy was nothing more than a taxpayer-funded campaign appearance," Sullivan said.
Rep. Shannon Lundgren, R-Peosta, voted to dismiss the second complaint, which she called "disturbing."
"There is an assumption here that the person who made the complaint knows what the intention of the representative was," Lundgren said.
Rep. Dennis Cohoon, D-Burlington, agreed, saying the second complaint simply reflected Sullivan's opinion.
The committee rejected both complaints "with prejudice," which means they cannot be considered again by the House ethics panel. Taylor, who is not seeking re-election in November, said he was pleased that the House Ethics Committee has acted in a non-partisan manner to consider ethics complaints.
"In our political environment today that is incredibly refreshing," Taylor said.
https://www.press-citizen.com/story...use-ethics-panel-campaign-finance/1614115002/
Finkenauer, a Dubuque lawmaker, is the Democratic nominee in a heated battle for Congress against U.S. Rep. Rod Blum, a Dubuque Republican, in northeast Iowa's 1st District. The complaints alleged that Finkenauer had misused taxpayer funds to benefit her campaign, but both Republicans and Democrats found no basis that either allegation was true.
"Anybody can make a complaint about anybody else, but I have no time for partisan politics on the Ethics Committee," said Rep. Rob Taylor, R-West Des Moines, who chairs the House Ethics Committee.
Rep. Phyllis Thede, D-Bettendorf, told Taylor she couldn't agree more.
"Our business on the Ethics Committee is to hold everything to a high standard. But when we get complaints like this, this is not what we want to be doing," she said.
The complaints were filed by Carol Sullivan of Cedar Rapids, a homemaker who has donated a total of $9,572 to Blum's campaign since Sept. 3, 2014, according to Federal Election Commission records.
Finkenauer, represented by lawyer Shayla McCormally of Des Moines, filed a written response that said the complaints were "politically motivated and have no basis in Iowa law."
Kate Waters, a spokeswoman for Finkenauer's campaign for Congress, said in an email Friday that Finkenauer's campaign was confident from the start that the "bogus" complaints would be dismissed. She contended Blum was using the complaints as a distraction from "shady" practices used by the congressman in his own business.
Neither Blum's campaign, nor his congressional aides, had an immediate comment. Sullivan could not be reached for comment.
Complaint called 'disturbing'
The first complaint claimed that Finkenauer used her official biographical page on the Iowa Legislature's website to direct Iowans to her campaign website, voteAbby.com. The campaign website has no other purpose than to promote her candidacy for Congress, Sullivan wrote, and she contended that Finkenauer acted "in clear violation of the law."
But Taylor said it's routine for all lawmakers to provide links to other resources on their official biographical pages on the Legislature's website. He noted the public is provided a warning they are leaving the Iowa Legislature website.
"There isn't a misuse of power or resources here," Taylor said.
Sullivan's second complaint alleged that Finkenauer acted improperly by using a photo of her serving in the Iowa House in a televised campaign advertisement.
"Her real purpose behind her speech was revealed: her advocacy was nothing more than a taxpayer-funded campaign appearance," Sullivan said.
Rep. Shannon Lundgren, R-Peosta, voted to dismiss the second complaint, which she called "disturbing."
"There is an assumption here that the person who made the complaint knows what the intention of the representative was," Lundgren said.
Rep. Dennis Cohoon, D-Burlington, agreed, saying the second complaint simply reflected Sullivan's opinion.
The committee rejected both complaints "with prejudice," which means they cannot be considered again by the House ethics panel. Taylor, who is not seeking re-election in November, said he was pleased that the House Ethics Committee has acted in a non-partisan manner to consider ethics complaints.
"In our political environment today that is incredibly refreshing," Taylor said.
https://www.press-citizen.com/story...use-ethics-panel-campaign-finance/1614115002/
