The month of January could not get worse for gubernatorial candidate Ron Corbett.
Following a lackluster fundraising report, Ron Corbett is now front and center in a scandal involving an organization he helped found, Engage Iowa.
According to the Associated Press:
The organization, Engage Iowa, stopped holding public events, raising money or issuing research papers last June when Corbett launched his primary campaign against Gov. Kim Reynolds. But Corbett told The Associated Press that serving as the organization’s president remains his day job and that he continues to research Iowa education, environment and economic policy in that capacity. He compared himself to candidates who work as lawyers or farmers.
So not only did Engage Iowa serve as a campaign in waiting for Ron Corbett, he’s still on the organization’s pay roll— cashing in on $185,000 in salary and compensation. Iowa law dictates that candidates “shall not use campaign funds for personal expenses or personal benefit.” Corbett, by paying himself out of this fund, violated the spirit of that law, if not the letter.
In a statement provided to the Associated Press, Ron Corbett said, “I shouldn’t be expected to give up my day-time job.”
With that response, you almost have to feel sorry for anyone who’s contributed to this personal slush fund.
What is also interesting to note is that Engage Iowa was in operation as Ron Corbett served as the Mayor of Cedar Rapids. Meaning Corbett was also drawing a salary from Cedar Rapids taxpayers (a six figure salary) at the same time he cashed in on Engage Iowa’s lavish salary.
It makes one wonder … with so much money at his disposal, why hasn’t he given his own campaign a contribution!
Between lackluster fundraising, limited support, and this latest scandal, does Ron Corbett even file to run when the window to do so opens in February?
