Rob Sand has built his political brand around a simple message. He’s not like the other politicians.
He rails against “Des Moines insiders.” He criticizes partisan politics. He tells Iowans he’s the independent watchdog willing to challenge both parties and put taxpayers first.
That’s why his recent use of the State Auditor’s office is so surprising.
Over the past month, Sand’s office has released two reports that looked less like independent audits and more like campaign messaging, each reinforcing issues central to his gubernatorial campaign.
That’s not what Iowans expect from an office whose job is to follow the facts wherever they lead.
The first report focused on Pharmacy Benefit Managers and suggested spread pricing could be occurring because it had been found in other states. Yet the report itself acknowledges that spread pricing is already prohibited under Iowa Medicaid and presents no evidence that the practice is actually occurring in Iowa.
A week later came another report criticizing Iowa’s Education Savings Account program. The report advanced a headline-grabbing claim that taxpayers are spending more than $37,000 for every student who switched from public to private school, a conclusion supporters of the program say rests on flawed assumptions and selective analysis.
Reasonable people can debate PBMs. They can debate ESAs.
But that’s different from using the official resources of the State Auditor’s office to publish reports that just happen to align perfectly with the themes of a campaign for governor.
Meanwhile, some of the state’s most significant unresolved audit issues continue to sit on the shelf. The long-awaited review of the Judicial Branch’s court debt collection problems remains unfinished. Iowa City Community School District’s financial concerns continue to mount while delayed audits leave taxpayers looking for answers.
That’s the work Iowans expect from an independent watchdog.
Sand often argues that public office shouldn’t be used for politics. It’s a principle worth agreeing with.
The question now is whether he’s living up to it.
