Rastetter ethics complaint dismissed, CCI members slam decision
CCI members will continue campaign to force Rastetter off the Board of Regents
Over 60 Iowa CCI members who attended today's Iowa Ethics and Campaign Disclosure Board slammed their decision today to dismiss our conflict of interest complaint against Iowa Regent Bruce Rastetter.
Here's the statement a member, nurse and family farmer Barb Kalbach read to the press immediately after the decision:
“The Iowa ethics board made the wrong decision today, a decision that puts them squarely on the side of bad government of, by, and for the corporations. But the truth is, we win no matter what you did with our complaint today. Because the power of ordinary people to shed light on the inner workings of a government captured by corporate power has been proven. Rastetter’s disclosure, recusal, and amended financial form were concessions we extracted from him because of public pressure. We were doing our job while the ethics board was asleep at the wheel. And if any changes are made in the future, it will be because of people like us. Iowa CCI members will continue to fulfill our role as a government watchdog and hold people like Bruce Rastetter - who believe they are above justice – accountable to everyday people. We will not stop, give up, or quit. We will continue to make our case in the public arena that Rastetter is not fit to serve on the Board of Regents and will now pursue this end by other means.”
>> Here are the five points CCI member Ross Grooters presented in our allotted 10 minutes:The 5 items the Ethics Board must consider (and 25 precedent setting questions they must answer)
The board chose to take a narrow definition of state code and cited that Rastetter has never taken a public vote as a Regent on the Tanzania/Iowa State University project as justification for dismissal. But, ultimately, we don't believe one has to take "a vote" to use their appointed position for their personal financial interests.
And, on the issue of Rastetter's amended financial disclosure form, the board dismissed it saying that leaving it wildly incomplete does not make it false or fradulent. But, as member and farmer George Naylor quipped, "Rastetter listing his sole employment as 'self-employed farmer, is like Al Capone listing his profession as 'home-brewer'."
But despite this news, the 60+ members in attendance today agreed that we are winning the battle of public opinion and that we must keep pushing on this issue.This campaign has engaged over 1,000 Iowans through a petition effort, meetings around the state with Food & Water Watch, dozens of letters to the editors, a meeting with the Oakland Institute and a visit to the Iowa Regents August meeting.
The majority of Iowans have close ties with our public universities. Iowans have want public universities and public officials that work for the common good, not to line their own pocket. And, we shouldn't have to wonder if that is happening.
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