The Iowa state auditor said he wants new legal counsel in his investigation of settlement payments made by the City of Davenport in 2023.
Auditor Rob Sand announced Monday, March 3rd, that he’s asking the Iowa Supreme Court to remove the state attorney general as his office’s legal representative in the case.
Auditor Sand said the attorney general’s office has pursued a legal strategy that misrepresents his efforts to obtain the records.
"The evidence to this point shows that the former Davenport City Attorney authorized nearly $2 million in settlements without approval from the Council, and now wants to hide behind attorney-client privilege,” Sand said in an emailed news release. “The Attorney General doesn’t want the Auditor’s Office to argue we should get this evidence of waste, fraud, and abuse, because that could lead to us getting evidence about other waste, fraud, and abuse in other cases.”
WVIK reached out to Attorney General Brenna Bird's office for comment. They responded over email, disagreeing with Auditor Sand's statements that a conflict of interest exists.
"Iowa law makes clear that it is the job of the Attorney General’s office to represent the State in court, not the Auditor’s. We have checks and balances for a reason," Bird said in an email statement. "As we have thoroughly discussed with the Auditor’s team, our brief makes the most sound and strategic arguments to help the State win its case in court."
Sand is seeking closed-door recordings related to nearly 2 million dollars that Davenport paid to three former staffers, allegedly without proper approval from the city council. A district court ordered Davenport to turn over the records, but the city has asked the Supreme Court to intervene.
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