The Iowa Supreme Court has ruled in a dispute between two state elected officials over the release of records from the city of Davenport.
State Auditor Rob Sand’s office sought records for an audit after more than three million dollars in payouts were made to Davenport city employees following harassment claims. The city resisted the effort to turn over the records.
Attorney General Brenna Bird’s office first agreed the State Auditor’s office had the power to subpoena the records, then changed course and said her office should be the one taking action. The Iowa Supreme Court says the Attorney General does not want to argue for the State Auditor’s legal authority in part because of legitimate concerns about the impact such a decision would have on other state officers. The court says that is a conflict of interest and the State Auditor can use its own attorney to argue for the release of the records.
Auditor Sand released this statement:
“The Iowa Supreme Court’s decision affirms what the State Auditor’s Office has emphasized all along – that taxpayers in Davenport, and across the state, deserve transparency and accountability. It also reinforces that the Iowa Attorney General cannot unilaterally silence other constitutional officers or deny them access to the courts.”