Amid bickering over transparency, Iowa Democrats retain prominent attorneys to review caucus chaos (still counting)

The Des Moines Register via MSN ^ | 2/14/20 | Nick Coltrain

[Libloather]

The Iowa Democratic Party will ask a former Iowa attorney general and a former U.S. attorney for the Southern District of Iowa to investigate the events leading to problems on caucus night and the party's response to them.

The party's State Central Committee, which acts as a governing board, approved up to $50,000 to retain attorneys Nick Klinefeldt, who was a federal attorney appointed by President Barack Obama, and former Iowa Attorney General Bonnie Campbell to conduct the investigation. Both are Democrats in Des Moines. Party officials hope the review will take 45 days or less.

But it wasn't a clean decision for the 40-plus State Central Committee members on the teleconference meeting Thursday night. A quarter of the participants voted to table the motion to work with the attorneys. Some people were concerned about the process that led to starting the external review, and some wanted more time to consider what members would vote on. The Des Moines Register listened in to the phone meeting.

"I think for the independence that would give people confidence in our result, we should be looking at an outside firm and not individuals who have affiliations with the party, who may have publicly supported one or more candidates in the election," said Jon Klein, a committee member representing the 4th Congressional District and part of the Story County Democrats. "I don't know. I'm sure they probably caucused, and that's their right, but I don't feel like we have enough information to make this decision today."

[Libloather]

She said she didn't believe there was anything "nefarious" going on, but was wary of making mistakes due to moving too quickly.

You've got until November. Bus a move.

[SpaceBar]

[cgbg]

Democratic lawyers—it just cannot get sleazier than that!

[Do_Tar]

We need to (pretend to) show transparency.
I know! Let’s hire some lawyers!

[Savage Beast]

The Democrats still don’t know who won the Iowa Caucus?

[DUMBGRUNT]

Ruth Thompson, a State Central Committee member, said she was "uncomfortable" with a lack of requests for proposals from competing firms, and the appearance that members were "less concerned with if they are good Democrats than if they are good investigators."

Just another NO Bid whitewash. Nothing to see here...