• Home
  • News
    • Politics & Government
    • Business & Economy
    • Crime / Courts
    • Health / Medicine
  • Sports
    • High School Sports
    • Radio Iowa Poll
  • Affiliates
    • Affiliate Support Page
  • Contact Us
    • Reporters

Radio Iowa

Iowa's Radio News Network

You are here: Home / Crime / Courts / Governor defends handling of Film Office situation after more firings

Governor defends handling of Film Office situation after more firings

February 23, 2010 By O. Kay Henderson

Governor Chet Culver

Governor Chet Culver

Governor Chet Culver says this week’s firing of three more Department of Economic Development officials is part of an “on-going” investigation. “As you know, the attorney general has stepped in,” Culver says. “There’s a criminal element to this.”

Last fall Culver fired Film Office manager Tom Wheeler after the first public airing of discrepancies in the way state tax credits for movies made in Iowa were being awarded.

Earlier this month Wheeler was charged with misconduct in office and two Minnesota-based filmmakers were charged with first degree theft for what prosecutors say are the highly-inflated costs they claimed for making the movie “The Scientist” in Iowa.

Three administrators who were involved in overseeing the Iowa Film Office were let go Monday. Culver says that was the decision of D.E.D. director Bret Mills. “Because it’s a personnel matter, I’m not going to discuss the specifics other than to say that Director Mills is in charge of all those personnel matters,” Culver says. ”

Late Friday, September 18, Culver’s press office announced the governor had suspended the state’s film tax credit program and accepted the resignation of Department of Economic Development Director Mike Tramontina. Culver said at the time that he had taken decisive action when he was made aware of problems in the Film Office by suspending the state tax credit program and showing the agency’s director and the Film Office manager the door. Yet three other people involved in the program’s operations remained on staff for five more months, until this week’s dismissals.

Culver today defended the way his administration has handled the matter. “Director Mills has been on the job less than a month. He is going to address any and all issues that he has concerns with in that department, as any director of any state agency would,” Culver said. ” so this has been an on-going situation. We have taken swift and decisive action at every turn and we will continue to take any and all action necessary.”

Culver cites the recent announcement that 1,600 jobs would be saved at Whirlpool in Amana as evidence the Department of Economic Development isn’t distracted by the Film Office scandal. According to Culver, the new D.E.D. director and the Economic Development Board put the deal together with Whirlpool in a week.

Share this:

  • Facebook
  • Twitter

Filed Under: Crime / Courts, Politics / Govt, Recreation / Entertainment

Featured Stories

DOT plow crews struggling against blizzard conditions

Iowa delegation breaks along party lines on Trump impeachment vote

Two northeast Iowa men admit to illegally harvesting ginseng

Do you have to pay tax on your stimulus check?

All six in Iowa’s congressional delegation confirm Electoral College results

TwitterFacebook
Tweets by RadioIowa

Iowa State-Kansas postponed

Iowa-Michigan State postponed

Fire damage to Riverfront Stadium electrical system will cost Waterloo thousands

Iowa State at Kansas State postponed

Iowa State’s Foster to miss remainder of the season

More Sports

eNews and Updates

Enter your email address:

Delivered by FeedBurner

Archives

Copyright © 2021 ยท Learfield News & Ag, LLC