Branstad's “Gross” Connection: Too Close for Comfort?
October 6, 2009
In 1994, Terry Branstad said he couldn’t “recall conversations" with his former Chief of Staff Doug Gross, regarding the building of a $21 million dollar privately-run prison facility in Clarinda. The controversy arose when Gross' law firm, Brown, Winick, Graves, Donnelly, Baskerville & Schoenebaum, filed $188,455 in legal bills for its work on the prison, to be paid by Iowa taxpayers. Gross said he had eight conversations with Branstad between June 1993 and April 1994.Six of the conversations in question allegedly "occurred before Branstad declared his support" for the project, according to Gross. Branstad said: "I've got a pretty good memory. He never talked to me about the merits of the case." Branstad "repeatedly denied that Gross used his influence with Branstad to line up the governor's endorsement" of the project. State Treasurer Michael Fitzgerald said Branstad's "denial of conversations with Gross calls into question all the law firm's bills filed for state reimbursement." [The Des Moines Register, July 6, 1994,] [Hotline, July 7, 1994.]
"The credibility of the governor's former closest aide is being called into question by the governor himself. How can you believe it?" Fitzgerald said. Branstad's endorsement of the prison was seen as an "election year ploy" to gain votes. Campaign opponent Bonnie Campbell said she supported the prison, but "as a taxpayer I don't want to pay Doug Gross' lobbying fees. ... this is another example of another guy who has been there too long. Major public policy decisions are based upon helping his cronies." [The Des Moines Register, July 6, 1994,] [Hotline, July 7, 1994.]
Gross said he is not surprised at Branstad's "denials": "I can understand why the governor could not recall having conversations with me because, frankly, he talks with a lot of people. Number two, the conversations I had with him really weren't that noteworthy." Branstad said, "at no time did Doug Gross even talk with me about the merits of the case ... The decision was based on economics that made sense in terms of building the prison and also in terms of long term cost" [The Des Moines Register, July 6, 1994,] [Hotline, July 7, 1994.]
And if you believe that, we here at IowaKnowsBetter.com have a bridge we’d like to sell. In a new Branstad Administration, how many “forgettable” conversations will Gross bill the state of Iowa for? Iowa has had enough of Branstad and Gross, their cozy insider politics and their whole way of doing business.