By: Josh Wilson
State Senator Jeff Danielson, D-Cedar Falls, who embarrassed himself last year with his politician tattoo and is rumored to be a potential candidate for Congress or Iowa Secretary of State took to Twitter on Tuesday calling for campaign finance reform. His Tweet was in response to a conservative lobbyist being photographed with Governor Terry Branstad.
The lobbyist here is Drew Klein, Iowa Director for Americans For Prosperity, who addressed his organization’s campaign contributions with the Des Moines Register this week:
“We don’t have a PAC (Political Action Committee) and have never made either direct or in-kind contributions to candidates here in Iowa. Our efforts have always been focused on promoting good policies and holding politicians accountable for their stance on those issues.”
Nevertheless, Senator Danielson continued to allege that his Republican colleagues were bought and paid for by supporters of the collective bargaining bill. Black Hawk County Republican’s responded to Danielson’s tweets today by pointing out contributions made to his campaign by unions representing public employees:
A closer review of Danielson’s 2016 campaign financial reports show that he received more than $40,000 from these unions including $25,000 from IAFF FirePAC based in Des Moines alone. This seems to tell a much more interesting story than a picture with Governor Branstad. After all pictures with governors are pretty common. Just ask Danny Homan, president of AFSCME Iowa Council 61 seen here with former Governor Chet Culver:
I don’t agree with Senator Danielson on much but I do agree with him here. Money can certainly buy influence in politics and in his case it has. His pockets are lined with union contributions and while he puts on a big smile and claims to be a voice for all people, his campaign finance reports tell the real story.
At Governor Branstad’s regular press conference he spoke of the criticism, “Here’s the thing that I think is interesting. The organized groups that spent the most money lost. So they aren’t happy. I understand that but they’ve had their way for decades.”
Despite the lack of contributions from Americans For Prosperity, Danielson has a long, personal history of accepting contributions from groups pushing to keep taxpayer interests out of Collective Bargaining including:
Check # 1050 PAC 17 Davenport Assn of Professional Fire Fighters 4003 Lillie Ave Suite 6 Davenport, IA 52806 N/A $1,000.00
Check # 1019 WDM Professional Fire Fighters L3586 PAC 2084 NW 146th St Clive, IA 50325 N/A $5,000.00
Check # 136 Sioux City Professional Firefighters Association Local #7 1724 Nash St. Sioux City, IA 51109 N/A $1,000.00
Check # 2023 State Police Officers Council- PAC Fund 24315 Richfield Loop Council Bluffs, IA 51503 N/A $250.00
Check # 3167 Iowa Providers PAC 7025 Hickman Road, Suite 5 Urbandale, IA 50322- N/A $750.00
Local #4 Fire PAC 2910 SE 10th Des Moines, IA 50315 N/A $2,000.00
Check # 150 Sioux City Professional Firefighters Association Local #7 1724 Nash St. Sioux City, IA 51109 N/A $1,000.00
Check # 147 Sioux City Professional Firefighters Association Local #7 1724 Nash St. Sioux City, IA 51109 N/A $1,000.00
Check # 8904 IAFF FIREPAC Non-Federal 2000 Walker Street Des Moines, IA 50317 N/A $25,000.00
Check # 1034 Iowa City FIRE PAC 19 Eversull Lane Iowa City, IA 52245 N/A $500.00
Check # 1076 Iowa Professional Fire Fighters PAC 4003 Lillie Avenue Suite #6 Davenport, IA 52806 N/A $1,000.00
Check # 1417 State Police Officers Council- PAC Fund 244 SE Booth Ave Waukee, IA 50263 N/A $250.00
Check # 1046 Iowa Professional Fire Fighters PAC 4003 Lillie Avenue Suite #6 Davenport, IA 52806 N/A $1,000.00
Josh Wilson is a Waterloo native and former Public Liaison to the Governor at the Office of Governor Branstad
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