• 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 / News / Leaders mum about ethics complaint against central Iowa senator

Leaders mum about ethics complaint against central Iowa senator

April 19, 2013 By O. Kay Henderson

The two party leaders in the Iowa Senate are saying little in public about a development that will put the Senate Ethics Committee in a national spotlight.

The Minneapolis Star Tribune reports Michele Bachmann’s former chief of staff has agreed to testify that Republican State Senator Kent Sorenson of Milo was paid with campaign money funneled through a Colorado consulting firm. Senate rules forbid senators from being paid by presidential campaigns. Sorenson, who was Bachmann’s state chairman, says the charges are “totally baseless.”

Senate Democratic Leader Mike Gronstal said it’s “not appropriate” for senate leaders “to engage in directing” what the Senate Ethics Committee does.

“It is an evenly balanced committee, equal numbers of Democrats and Republicans. That committee has to decide what it’s going to do,” Gronstal told reporters Thursday. “We’re going to stay out of it.”

Senate Republican Leader Bill Dix echoed those sentiments.

“There’s a process in place and that process is going to continue to move forward,” Dix told reporters Thursday. “People on the committee have their work to do and I’m confident they will do it.”

The matter does not have to be resolved when the 2013 legislature adjourns. The Senate Ethics Committee has up to nine months to handle the original complaint against Senator Sorenson. The complaint was filed in February by a Florida pastor who worked on Bachmann’s Iowa campaign.

Officials with the FEC and the Office of Congressional Ethics are also investigating the allegations against the Bachmann campaign.

Share this:

  • Facebook
  • Twitter

Filed Under: News, Politics / Govt Tagged With: Democratic Party, Iowa Caucuses, Legislature, Republican Party

Featured Stories

Bill would limit placement of solar arrays on farm ground

Marquette casino moving to land, leaving only 2 casino boats in Iowa

Reynolds signs her ‘school choice’ bill into law

Governor Reynolds touts 2024 Iowa Caucuses in Inaugural Address

University of Iowa grad presiding over U.S. House Speaker vote

TwitterFacebook
Tweets by RadioIowa

No coaching changes coming for Iowa football

Iowa State names new receivers coach

No. 2 Iowa visits No. 1 Penn State in wrestling dual Friday night

Iowa’s Clark brings increased exposure to women’s basketball

No. 18 Iowa State women visit TCU

More Sports

Archives

Copyright © 2023 · Learfield News & Ag, LLC