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GOV. TERRY BRANSTAD (R-IA) was elected in 2010.

He had previously served four consecutive terms as governor, from 1983 to 1999. CRONYISM Gov. Branstad appointed his top campaign donor, Bruce Rastetter, to the Iowa Board of Regents and initiated a shakeup that allowed Mr. Rastetter to become the board president in June 2013.1 Mr. Rastetter, who founded an ethanol company and is currently the chief executive officer of an agriculture company, has been accused of using his board position to stifle academic freedom and to promote a pro-agriculture agenda at the states three universities.2 Gov. Branstad appointed Mr. Rastetters brother, Brent, also a major donor, to the board of the Iowa Environmental Protection Commission, the state environmental oversight panel.3 Brent Rastetter owns a business that builds large livestock operations regulated under clean water laws overseen by the commission.4 PRESSURING PUBLIC OFFICIALS Gov. Branstad sought to pressure and remove the state workers compensation commissioner on behalf of business interests. After taking office, Gov. Branstad asked for the resignation of all state department heads.5 Iowa Workers Compensation Commissioner Chris Godfrey, whose six-year term is meant to shelter him from political interference, repeatedly refused to resign.6 Gov. Branstads administration then reduced his salary from $109,000 to $73,259 a year, the lowest possible for his pay grade.7 Gov. Branstad said he was encouraged to force out Mr. Godfrey by the Iowa Association of Business and Industry, though the associations president denied asking for Mr. Godfreys removal.8 Mr. Godfrey filed a lawsuit against the state over the situation, alleging mistreatment and sex discrimination, among other things.9 The lawsuit is pending.10

http://www.followthemoney.org/database/StateGlance/candidate.phtml?c=116516; http://iowaindependent.com/4203/secrets-of-the-american-future-fund; Press Release, Office of Governor of Iowa Terry Branstad, Gov. Branstad appoints Bruce Rastetter, Katie Mulholland and Nicole Carroll to the Iowa Board of Regents, February 25, 2011; http://www.regents.iowa.gov/BoardMembers/boardmembers.html; Hog, Ethanol Baron Bruce Rastetter Now a Republican Kingmaker, Associated Press, August 4, 2011; Ryan J. Foley, Rastetter Picked to Lead Iowa Board of Regents, Associated Press, June 5, 2013. 2 Jim Rutenberg, Don Van Natta Jr., and Mike McIntire, Offering Donors Secrecy, and Going on Attack, New York Times, October 11, 2010; Ryan J. Foley, Rastetter Picked to Lead Iowa Board of Regents, Associated Press, June 5, 2013. 3 http://www.followthemoney.org/database/StateGlance/contributor.phtml?d=1283676980; Associated Press, Aug. 4, 2011; Perry Beeman, Iowa CCI Files Ethics Complaint Against Environmental Commissioner Brent Rastetter, Des Moines Register, August 16, 2011. 4 Id.; Ethics Complaint Against Rastetter Dismissed, Associated Press, November 17, 2011. 5 Jason Clayworth, Branstad First Demands Resignation and Then Sinks Commissioners Pay, Des Moines Register, July 12, 2011. 6 Id. 7 Id. 8 Jason Clayworth, Business Group Says It Did Not Encourage Branstad to Fire Commissioner, Des Moines Register, July 13, 2011. 9 Jason Clayworth, Iowas Workers Compensation Commissioner Files $1 Million Lawsuit Against the State, Des Moines Register, January 11, 2012. 10 Branstad Lawsuit Bill Tops $370,000, Associated Press, April 3, 2013.

SELF ENRICHMENT Additionally, because he previously held office for 26 years, Gov. Branstad draws a pension while also paid a salary.11 His 2012 salary was $121,188 and he also received $53,480 in pension payments from the Iowa Public Employees Retirement System.12 He has defended double-dipping.13 PARTISAN POLITICS On his first day in office, Gov. Branstad signed an executive order reversing a six-year policy of his Democratic predecessors to automatically reinstate the voting rights of felons once they were discharged from state supervision.14 Under the terms of the new order, felons were required to apply to the governor to regain their voting rights and were required to submit a credit report.15 After the NAACP criticized the rules as disproportionally harming blacks, Gov. Branstad amended the policy.16 Now, applicants still must apply to the governor, but need only to be current on their payments of fines, restitution, and court costs.17

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http://www.senate.iowa.gov/democrats/ap-branstad-earns-salary-plus-pension/; http://www.nndb.com/gov/941/000051788/; Tom Beaumont, Branstad Defends Receiving Pension and Salary, Des Moines Register, February 21, 2011. 12 Governor Branstad Earning $130k Salary, Plus $50k Pension, Associated Press, February 15, 2011; https://webapp.iecdb.iowa.gov/PublicView/pfd/2010/Branstad_Terry%20E..pdf; Branstad Releases 2012 Tax Information, The Gazette, April 19, 2013. 13 Beaumont, Des Moines Register, Feb. 21, 2011. 14 Ryan J. Foley, Iowa Felons Voting Rights: Terry Branstads Executive Order Disenfranchises Thousands, Associated Press, June 26, 2012. 15 Id. 16 Jason Noble, Terry Branstad Announces Changes to Application for Restoring Felons Voting Rights, Des Moines Register, December 28, 2012. 17 Id.

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