• 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 / Governor says accusations Covid testing directed to donors’ firms are ‘unjustified’

Governor says accusations Covid testing directed to donors’ firms are ‘unjustified’

January 27, 2021 By O. Kay Henderson

Gov. Kim Reynolds.

The Associated Press is reporting the state set up a Covid testing site in West Des Moines to screen workers at a company owned by major campaign donors to Governor Kim Reynolds.

Thirty-two employees were tested at the corporate headquarters of Iowa Select Farms, owned by Jeff and Deb Hansen.

A company spokeswoman told the AP employees discovered they may have been exposed to someone with Covid and testing for the staff was set up following a call to the governor’s office.

Earlier today, Governor Reynolds said the state set up rapid testing at more than 60 Iowa companies, including meatpacking and manufacturing plants. Reynolds said any allegation that her administration played favorites is “unjustified.”

“There’s criteria. You qualify. To my knowledge, nobody was told no,” Reynolds said. “If you called and wanted to try to facilitate a way to get your employees tested so that you could ensure them that they were working in a safe environment, that’s what companies were doing and we were doing everything that we could to facilitate that and I will make no apologies for doing that. None.”

The Associates Press reports state testing for Iowa Select Farms staff was conducted on July 13.

State Auditor Rob Sand has announced he will investigate whether other another donor to the governor secured state testing resources for a company in Waverly, while the state denied the local health department’s request for rapid testing elsewhere in the county. Those allegations were first reported on the Bleeding Heartland blog.

Share this:

  • Facebook
  • Twitter

Filed Under: News, Politics / Govt Tagged With: Kim Reynolds

Featured Stories

Exhibit features lesser known works of Grant Wood

Testing finds 21 new CWD cases in deer

It may become a crime in Iowa to use fake urine in workplace drug tests

February trending 18 degrees below average temperature

Iowa House Education Committee votes to end tenure at UI, ISU, UNI

TwitterFacebook
Tweets by RadioIowa

Confusion at MVC Tournament as UNI exits prior to quarterfinal round game

Iowa State looks to avoid winless Big-12 season

New look and new format at girls’ state basketball

Youngstown State takes action against assistant football coach

Iowa’s Jack Nunge lost for the season

More Sports

eNews and Updates

Enter your email address:

Delivered by FeedBurner

Archives

Copyright © 2021 ยท Learfield News & Ag, LLC