Statement by State Senator Jeff Danielson, chair of the Senate State Government Committee, following dismissal of election misconduct charges in Council Bluffs that were prompted by Iowa Secretary of State Matt Schultz’s investigation:
“We have always been willing to work with the Secretary of State on bipartisan legislation to improve Iowa’s elections. Despite the Secretary of State’s current failed voter purge campaign, Iowa’s elections have a solid reputation of being accessible, fair and efficient without disenfranchising a single voter. His actions are giving the false impression that Iowa’s election integrity is in doubt. It is not.”
“In light of today’s announcement that a judge has dismissed Mr. Schultz’s charges of alleged voter fraud and in light of an ongoing federal investigation into his use of federal Help America Vote Act funds, it’s time for Secretary Schultz to suspend his high-profile voter purge campaign. Everything we know tells us that other cases around the state will have similar results to those in Council Bluffs. “
“Because we all agree that only eligible Iowans should be allowed to vote, we encourage any Iowan who has evidence of voter misconduct to contact the appropriate local officials—their county auditor or county attorney—with the legal responsibility to investigate such allegations. They are the elected officials accountable for elections in their local communities.
“The Secretary of State could have avoided the embarrassing fallout from the Council Bluffs case if he had relied on local officials—rather than his personal investigator—to handle this matter.
“Before he spends another dime of taxpayer money, the Secretary of State should pull the plug on his voter purge campaign.”
