By Bob Eschliman
Editor
In the run-up to passage of the omnibus transportation funding bill, Senate File 257, which resulted in the 10-cent increase in Iowa’s motor fuel sales and use tax, a number of lobbyist groups declared their support for the legislation.
But only two of those groups, Associated General Contractors of Iowa and the Iowa Farm Bureau Federation, provide direct contributions to political candidates. And while there is nothing to indicate the organizations tied their donations to votes on SF 257, the two groups were the bill’s most vocal proponents.
The following is a summary of the top donations made to state politicians during the 2014 election cycle, based on filings with the Iowa Ethics and Campaign Disclosure Board.
AGCI Top Ten
- Gov. Terry Branstad (R-Boone) – $30,000
- Speaker of the House Kraig Paulsen (R-Marion) – $11,000
- House Majority Leader Linda Upmeyer (R-Clear Lake) – $11,000
- Senate Majority Leader Mike Gronstal (D-Council Bluffs) – $11,000
- Senate Minority Leader Bill Dix (R-Shell Rock) – $11,000
- Rep. Josh Byrnes (R-Osage), House Transportation Chairman – $10,000
- Rep. Brian Moore (R-Bellevue) – $10,000
- Sen. Tod Bowman (D-Maquoketa), Senate Transportation Chairman – $8,000
- House Minority Leader Mark Smith (D-Marshalltown) – $8,000
- Rep. Dave Maxwell (R-Gibson) – $6,000
IFBF Top Ten
- Gov. Terry Branstad (R-Boone) – $29,000
- Sen. Tod Bowman (D-Maquoketa), Senate Transportation Chairman – $8,800
- Rep. Brian Moore (R-Bellevue) – $7,000
- Rep. Josh Byrnes (R-Osage), House Transportation Chairman – $6,500
- Rep. Rep. Norlin Mommsen (R-DeWitt) – $6,500
- Rep. Quentin Stanerson (R-Center Point) – $6,500
- Sen. Daryl Beall (D-Fort Dodge) – $5,750 **
- Sen. Roby Smith (R-Davenport) – $5,500 *
- House Majority Leader Linda Upmeyer (R-Clear Lake) – $5,000
- Sen. Amanda Ragan (D-Mason City) – $4,800
- Sen. Julian Garrett (R-Indianola) – $4,800 *
Combined Top Ten
- Gov. Terry Branstad (R-Boone) – $59,000
- Rep. Brian Moore (R-Bellevue) – $17,000
- Sen. Tod Bowman (D-Maquoketa), Senate Transportation Chairman – $16,800
- Rep. Josh Byrnes (R-Osage), House Transportation Chairman – $16,500
- House Majority Leader Linda Upmeyer (R-Clear Lake) – $16,000
- Speaker of the House Kraig Paulsen (R-Marion) – $14,500
- Senate Minority Leader Bill Dix (R-Shell Rock) – $13,500
- Senate Majority Leader Mike Gronstal (D-Council Bluffs) – $12,000
- Rep. Rep. Norlin Mommsen (R-DeWitt) – $11,500
- Rep. Quentin Stanerson (R-Center Point) – $11,500
* – indicates the legislator voted “No” on final passage of SF 257
** – indicates the legislator was defeated in 2014 election
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The Complete List of Donations
The following is the complete list of campaign donations in 2014 made by AGCI and IFBF, broken down by those who voted for SF 257, further broken down by chamber and party affiliation, those who didn’t vote in favor of the bill, and other state politicians and political parties.
Senate Democrats
Senate Majority Leader Mike Gronstal (D-Council Bluffs)
AGCI – $11,000
Iowa Farm Bureau – $1,000
Senate President Pam Jochum (D-Dubuque)
AGCI – $2,500
Senate President Pro Tempore Joe Bolkcom (D-Iowa City)
AGCI – $4,000
Sen. Bill Dotzler (D-Waterloo)
AGCI – $4,000
Sen. Matt McCoy (D-Des Moines)
AGCI – $5,000
Sen. Amanda Ragan (D-Mason City)
AGCI – $3,000
Iowa Farm Bureau – $1,000
Iowa Farm Bureau – $3,800 (in kind – via Victory Enterprises)
Sen. Tod Bowman (D-Maquoketa)
AGCI – $8,000
Iowa Farm Bureau – $5,000
Iowa Farm Bureau – $3,800 (in kind – via Victory Enterprises)
Sen. Jeff Danielson (D-Waterloo)
AGCI – $1,500
Sen. Bob Dvorsky (D-Coralville)
AGCI – $3,000
Sen. Rita Hart (D-Wheatland)
AGCI – $3,000
Sen. Rob Hogg (D-Cedar Rapids)
AGCI – $5,000
Sen. Wally Horn (D-Cedar Rapids)
AGCI – $5,000
Sen. Herman Quirmbach (D-Ames)
AGCI – $3,000
Senate Republicans
Senate Minority Leader Bill Dix (R-Shell Rock)
AGCI – $11,000
Iowa Farm Bureau – $2,500
Sen. Rick Bertrand (R-Sioux City)
AGCI – $0
Iowa Farm Bureau – $4,500
Sen. Tim Kapucian (R-Keystone)
AGCI – $5,000
Sen. Dan Zumbach (R-Ryan)
AGCI – $4,000
Sen. Bill Anderson (R-Pierson)
Iowa Farm Bureau – $250
Sen. Michael Breitbach (R-Strawberry Point)
AGCI – $2,000
Sen. Mark Costello (R-Imogene)
AGCI – $5,500
Iowa Farm Bureau – $2,100
Sen. David Johnson (R-Ocheyedan)
AGCI – $3,000
Iowa Farm Bureau – $250
Sen. Ken Rozenboom (R-Oskaloosa)
AGCI – $2,000
Sen. Mark Segebart (R-Vail)
AGCI – $2,000
Sen. Tom Shipley (R-Nodaway).
AGCI – $2,500
Iowa Farm Bureau – $250
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House Republicans
Speaker of the House Kraig Paulsen (R-Marion)
AGCI – $11,000
Iowa Farm Bureau – $3,500
House Majority Leader Linda Upmeyer (R-Clear Lake)
AGCI – $11,000
Iowa Farm Bureau – $5,000
Speaker Pro Tempore Matt Windschitl (R-Missouri Valley)
AGCI – $4,000
Iowa Farm Bureau – $1,500
Rep. Lee Hein (R-Monticello)
AGCI – $3,000
Iowa Farm Bureau – $1,500
Rep. Rob Bacon (R-Slater)
AGCI – $1,500
Iowa Farm Bureau – $100
Rep. Clel Baudler (R-Greenfield)
AGCI – $4,000
Iowa Farm Bureau – $500
Rep. Darrel Branhagen (R-Decorah)
AGCI – $4,000
Iowa Farm Bureau – $4,000
Rep. Josh Byrnes (R-Osage)
AGCI – $10,000
Iowa Farm Bureau – $6,500
Rep. Gary Carlson (R-Muscatine)
AGCI – $3,000
Iowa Farm Bureau – $2,500
Rep. Dennis Cohoon (R-Burlington)
AGCI – $4,000
Rep. Cecil Dolecheck (R-Mount Ayr)
AGCI – $1,500
Iowa Farm Bureau – $100
Rep. Jack Drake (R-Griswold)
AGCI – $3,000
Iowa Farm Bureau – $500
Rep. Greg Forristall (R-Macedonia)
AGCI – $1,500
Iowa Farm Bureau – $100
Rep. Tedd Gassman (R-Scarville)
Iowa Farm Bureau – $2,500
Rep. Mary Ann Hanusa (R-Council Bluffs)
AGCI – $3,000
Iowa Farm Bureau – $500
Rep. Dave Heaton (R-Mount Pleasant)
AGCI – $3,000
Iowa Farm Bureau – $1,500
Rep. Dan Huseman (R-Aurelia)
AGCI – $4,000
Iowa Farm Bureau – $500
Rep. Megan Jones (R-Sioux Rapids)
AGCI – $1,000
Iowa Farm Bureau – $500
Rep. Bobby Kaufmann (R-Wilton)
AGCI – $5,000
Iowa Farm Bureau – $3,000
Rep. Dave Maxwell (R-Gibson)
AGCI – $6,000
Iowa Farm Bureau – $3,000
Rep. Linda Miller (R-Bettendorf)
Iowa Farm Bureau – $100
Rep. Norlin Mommsen (R-DeWitt)
AGCI – $5,000
Iowa Farm Bureau – $6,500
Rep. Brian Moore (R-Bellevue)
AGCI – $10,000
Iowa Farm Bureau – $7,000
Rep. Dawn Pettengill (R-Mount Auburn)
AGCI – $4,000
Iowa Farm Bureau – $500
Rep. Mike Sexton (R-Rockwell City)
AGCI – $2,000
Iowa Farm Bureau – $500
Rep. Quentin Stanerson (R-Center Point)
AGCI – $5,000
Iowa Farm Bureau – $6,500
Rep. John Wills (R-Spirit Lake)
AGCI – $2,000
Iowa Farm Bureau – $100
Rep. Jim Worthan (R-Storm Lake).
AGCI – $2,500
Iowa Farm Bureau – $100
House Democrats
House Minority Leader Mark Smith (D-Marshalltown)
AGCI – $8,000
Iowa Farm Bureau – $250
Rep. Sharon Steckman (D-Mason City)
AGCI – $1,500
Rep. Marti Anderson (D-Des Moines)
AGCI – $1,500
Rep. Deborah Berry (D-Waterloo)
AGCI – $1,500
Rep. Dave Deyoe (D-Nevada)
AGCI – $3,000
Iowa Farm Bureau – $500
Rep. John Forbes (D-Urbandale)
AGCI – $3,000
Rep. Lisa Heddens (D-Ames)
AGCI – $1,500
Rep. Bruce Hunter (D-Des Moines)
AGCI – $3,000
Rep. Dave Jacoby (D-Coralville)
AGCI – $1,500
Rep. Jerry Kearns (D-Keokuk)
AGCI – $1,500
Rep. Vicki Lensing (D-Iowa City)
AGCI – $1,500
Rep. Jim Lykam (D-Davenport)
AGCI – $4,000
Iowa Farm Bureau – $100
Rep. Mary Mascher (D-Iowa City)
AGCI – $1,500
Rep. Brian Meyer (D-Des Moines)
AGCI – $1,500
Rep. Helen Miller (D-Fort Dodge)
AGCI – $1,500
Iowa Farm Bureau – $100
Rep. Jo Oldson (D-Des Moines)
AGCI – $3,000
Rep. Sally Stutsman (D-Riverside)
AGCI – $1,500
Iowa Farm Bureau – $100
Rep. Todd Taylor (D-Cedar Rapids)
AGCI – $1,500
Rep. Beth Wessel-Kroeschell, (D-Ames)
AGCI – $1,500
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Those Who Voted No
Sen. Chaz Allen (D-Newton)
AGCI – $3,000
Rep. Chip Baltimore (R-Boone)
AGCI – $4,000
Iowa Farm Bureau – $1,000
Rep. Bruce Bearinger (D-Oelwein)
AGCI – $3,000
Iowa Farm Bureau – $500
Iowa Farm Bureau – $2,700 (in kind – via Victory Enterprises)
Sen. Tony Bisignanon (D-Des Moines)
AGCI – $4,000
Sen. Tom Courtney (D-Burlington)
AGCI – $2,000
Rep. Peter Cownie (R-West Des Moines)
AGCI – $4,000
Iowa Farm Bureau – $2,000
Rep. Dave Dawson (D-Sioux City)
AGCI – $1,500
Rep. Nancy Dunkel (D-Dyersville)
AGCI – $3,000
Iowa Farm Bureau – $3,000
Sen. Randy Feenstra (R-Hull)
AGCI – $4,000
Rep. Abby Finkenauer (D-Dubuque)
AGCI – $2,000
Rep. Dean Fisher (R-Garwin)
Iowa Farm Bureau – $1,000
Rep. Joel Fry (R-Osceola)
Iowa Farm Bureau – $1,000
Sen. Julian Garrett (R-Indianola)
Iowa Farm Bureau – $1,000
Iowa Farm Bureau – $3,800 (in kind – via Victory Enterprises)
Rep. Pat Grassley (R-New Hartford)
Iowa Farm Bureau – $1,500
Rep. Stan Gustafson (R-Cumming)
Iowa Farm Bureau – $100
Rep. Chris Hagenow (R-Windsor Heights)
AGCI – $4,000
Iowa Farm Bureau – $2,000
Rep. Chris Hall (D-Sioux City)
AGCI – $3,000
Rep. Curt Hanson (D-Fairfield)
AGCI – $4,000
Iowa Farm Bureau – $500
Rep. Greg Heartsill (R-Melcher-Dallas)
Iowa Farm Bureau – $1,000
Rep. Jake Highfill (R-Johnston)
AGCI – $3,000
Rep. Wally Horn (D-Cedar Rapids)
AGCI – $5,000
Iowa Farm Bureau – $250
Rep. Ron Jorgensen (R-Sioux City)
AGCI – $1,000
Iowa Farm Bureau – $100
Rep. Jarad Klein (R-Keota)
Iowa Farm Bureau – $1,500
Rep. Kevin Koester (R-Ankeny)
AGCI – $3,000
Iowa Farm Bureau – $500
Rep. Bob Kressig (D-Cedar Falls)
AGCI – $3,000
Rep. John Landon (R-Ankeny)
AGCI – $1,000
Iowa Farm Bureau – $100
Rep. Rick Olson (D-Des Moines)
AGCI – $1,500
Rep. Scott Ourth (D-Ackworth)
AGCI – $3,000
Iowa Farm Bureau – $500
Rep. Todd Prichard (D-Ionia)
AGCI – $1,500
Iowa Farm Bureau – $100
Rep. Walt Rogers (R-Cedar Falls)
Iowa Farm Bureau – $500
Rep. Patti Ruff (D-McGregor)
AGCI – $3,000
Iowa Farm Bureau – $1,000
Iowa Farm Bureau – $2,700 (in kind – via Victory Enterprises)
Rep. Kirsten Running-Marquardt (D-Cedar Rapids)
AGCI – $1,500
Rep. Sandy Salmon (R-Janesville)
Iowa Farm Bureau – $2,500
Rep. Tom Sands (R-Muscatine)
AGCI – $5,000
Iowa Farm Bureau – $100
Sen. Charles Schneider (R-West Des Moines)
AGCI – $1,500
Sen. Jason Schultz (R-Schleswig)
Iowa Farm Bureau – $250
Rep. Larry Sheets (R-Moulton)
Iowa Farm Bureau – $250
Sen. Roby Smith (R-Davenport)
Iowa Farm Bureau – $5,500
Rep. Chuck Soderberg (R-Le Mars)
AGCI – $1,000
Iowa Farm Bureau – $100
Sen. Rob Taylor (R-West Des Moines)
Iowa Farm Bureau – $100
Rep. Guy Vander Linden (R-Oskaloosa)
AGCI – $1,000
Iowa Farm Bureau – $100
Rep. Ralph Watts (R-Adel)
Iowa Farm Bureau – $100
Sen. Jack Whitver (R-Ankeny)
Iowa Farm Bureau – $1,250
Rep. Mary Lynn Wolfe (D-Clinton)
AGCI – $1,500
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Others Who Received Donations
Republican Party of Iowa
AGCI – $5,000
Governor Terry Branstad (R-Boone)
AGCI – $30,000
Iowa Farm Bureau – $29,000
Secretary of State Paul Pate (R-Ottumwa)
AGCI – $1,000
Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey (R-Spirit Lake)
Iowa Farm Bureau – $1,000
Sen. Daryl Beall (D-Fort Dodge) – defeated in 2014 election
AGCI – $5,000
Iowa Farm Bureau – $1,000
Iowa Farm Bureau – $4,750 (in kind – via Victory Enterprises)
Michael Moore (R-Washington) – defeated in 2014 election
AGCI – $5,000
Rep. Dan Muhlbauer (D-Manilla) – defeated in 2014 election
AGCI – $3,000
Rep. Joe Riding (D-Altoona) – defeated in 2014 election
AGCI – $3,000
Iowa Farm Bureau – $500
Joe Seng (R-Davenport) – defeated in 2014 election
Iowa Farm Bureau – $2,250
Jeff Smith (D-Spirit Lake) – defeated in 2014 election
AGCI – $2,000
Rep. Frank Wood (D-Eldridge) – defeated in 2014 election
AGCI – $3,000
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