The Iowa House Ethics Committee unanimously dismissed a complaint Tuesday against Republican Rep. Dean Fisher of Montour that alleged he abused his power by voting to use taxpayer dollars for private schools, and then leading the development of a new private school that intends to use that funding.
Barb Kalbach of Dexter filed the complaint last month on behalf of Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement. She alleged Fisher violated the House Ethics Code “by abusing his public power for private gain.”
“He violated the confidence, respect and trust of the public by setting up a private school to benefit directly from House File 68, the private school voucher bill that he campaigned on, voted for, and helped pass in January 2023.”
In a response to the complaint, Fisher wrote Kalbach did not provide any proof of an ethics violation, and he called the complaint politically motivated by Kalbach’s opposition to private school vouchers. He said he was keeping his campaign promises by voting for the tax-funded scholarships.
Fisher led the effort to establish the Tama-Toledo Christian School and serves as board president, according to the North Tama Telegraph, and the school is eventually expected to accommodate up to 160 K-8 students.
The North Tama Telegraph also reported Fisher said the school would have to raise at least $100,000 to start up.
“Once we start classes the ESA funding will pay the bulk of our operating expenses, and we will also continue to fundraise from the community to enhance our funding,” Fisher said.
Kalbach highlighted this statement in her complaint, saying the private school Fisher founded, which is registered as a nonprofit, could eventually get more than $1.2 million of taxpayer funding per year if all students got an Education Savings Account to pay for private school tuition.
In 2025, when the school is slated to open, all Iowans will be eligible to apply for taxpayer funding to send their children to private school.
Rep. Ruth Ann Gaines, D-Des Moines, said she researched applicable laws and rules to figure out if the complaint was legally valid.
“And even though we are in certain empathy and sympathy with the complainant, it is not valid, according to the code,” Gaines said. “And so we don’t see any further need for investigation.”
Rep. Monica Kurth, D-Davenport, agreed.
“In studying the complaint, I am concerned about what the complainant has stated,” she said. “It just gives me a bad feeling overall. However, I don’t think it rises to the point of being a violation of the ethics code.”
Rep. Stan Gustafson, R-Norwalk, also suggested dismissing the complaint.
“I don’t think that Dean Fisher’s personal interest was necessarily the driving force behind the effort to have vouchers for a private school,” he said.
The ethics committee voted six to zero to dismiss the complaint.
Kalbach said this decision has opened the door to unethical behavior by lawmakers.
“Fisher’s actions are self-dealing and self-servicing. Some would say they’re corrupt,” she said. “And the House Ethics Committee is letting him get away with it. And that’s shameful.”
Fisher issued a statement following the committee’s decision.
“I’m glad to hear that the ethics committee voted unanimously to dismiss the ridiculous complaint against me,” he said. “This complaint was clearly just a politically-motivated attempt to smear me. It’s wrong to attempt to use the mechanisms of government to attack someone you simply disagree with on policy. Fortunately, the ethics committee agrees, and this situation has been resolved.”
