The Iowa Federation of Labor AFL-CIO, (IFL) has filed a formal ethics complaint against Americans for Prosperity (AFP) regarding the apparent illegal lobbying action of Drew Klein, State Director or Iowa Representative of the Americans For Prosperity.
The legislative session began in early January, and it was not until February 21, 2017 that Klein officially registered as a lobbyist.
The charges officially filed are: Klein is employed as a lobbyist for AFP and has been active in lobbying as defined by Iowa Code section 68B.13 a (1) and (2) for the passage of HF 291 and SF 213 during the 87th General Assembly. “Mr. Klein has been lobbying as defined by Iowa Code and has failed to lobby as required by code and rule.” Said Ken Sagar. “This has occurred basically since session in January of 2017 and has continued throughout these contentious fights over public policy in Iowa”
The recent publicized photograph of Klein and Governor Branstad, at the signing of the two bills, gutting collective bargaining, and makes it very clear to us that AFP was lobbying and using “dark money” to fund for passage of these bills.
The Iowa Republicans worked on this anti-worker bill, in secret, for a long time. They claim they asked for and got, meetings for input from unions, which is not true. The Republicans are taking a page out of the “alternative facts” process of President Trump White House.
It is very apparent to the Iowa Federation of Labor, that AFP used their dark money to fund, support and lobby for this, and possibly, other bills, that hurts Iowa Workers. Clearly, AFP violated the Iowa Code in their attack on Teachers and Public Sector Workers. We call on legislative leaders to require AFP to follow the same rules as Iowans do.
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