The Des Moines Register would like you to know they are very concerned about how Governor Kim Reynolds travels.
So concerned, in fact, that they’ve now run two separate stories scrutinizing the governor’s legal use of a state plane. Yes, the legal use of a state plane. After their extensive, top-notch investigation, they found a nothingburger. But they did put a spicy headline on the front page, so gotcha there.
It is worth noting that the plane in question is a Cessna Caravan—a rugged, single-engine turboprop that is even less comfortable than a Spirit Airlines flight, but with significantly less charm.
But while the Register is digging through flight logs and breathlessly questioning routine, lawful travel by a sitting governor, they seem far less interested in another story involving the Iowa Democratic Party’s little prince.
What is NOT newsworthy, according to the Des Moines Register? The fact that Rob Sand accepted $250,000 from Reid Hoffman, a California billionaire who has extensive documented ties to Jeffrey Epstein.
According to reporting highlighted by Republicans, the donor stayed at Epstein’s Manhattan townhouse and flew on Epstein’s plane. That same donor then sent a quarter-million dollars to support Sand’s political ambitions.
Now, you might think a contribution that large from someone connected to one of the most infamous criminal networks in modern history would raise a few eyebrows in a newsroom.
But at the Register?
Crickets.
No investigative deep dive. No front page analysis. No “accountability journalism.”
Did anyone from the Register even go through Rob’s financial report? Do we think this would be a front-page story (over several weeks) if this candidate were a Republican?
Apparently, that story doesn’t meet the paper’s definition of “newsworthy.”
What does qualify as breaking news about Rob Sand?
A deer.
Yes, seriously.
The Register recently ran a feature about Sand entering a buck in the Iowa Deer Classic’s “Biggest Buck Contest.” The article details the antlers, the event, and Sand’s participation.
Don’t worry, though, guys – they did NOT ask a single question about Sand’s actual policy positions on guns.
Does Rob Sand support the Second Amendment?
Does he agree with Joe Biden’s push for gun restrictions? (He was on his national steering committee, after all).
Does he support the broader Democratic agenda that routinely targets law-abiding gun owners?
Those questions might seem relevant when you’re writing a story about a statewide elected official proudly posing with a harvested deer.
But apparently the Register’s curiosity ends at the size of the rack.
No questions about policy. No questions about contradictions.
Just a friendly feature. And a pattern that is only getting worse.
Aggressive scrutiny for Republicans. Soft features and lifestyle pieces for the prince.
The message from the Register is loud and clear: Rob Sand’s hunting hobbies get a deep dive, while his Epstein-connected donors get a pass. A comment on the double standard would be nice, but it’s a safe bet the newsroom is already too busy scouting for the Auditor’s next lifestyle feature.
