Branstad in Office Means Big-Time “Gross” Profits
October 7, 2009
If you want to know why Doug Gross has been using a 527 group to promote Terry Branstad’s campaign, look no further than the bottom line. As we shared with you in a post yesterday, Gross billed taxpayers for more than $188,000 to lobby Branstad on behalf of just one client in 1993-94!
But wait, there’s more. The lobbying business that came into Gross’ law firm during the Branstad years was, well, gross. The Associated Press reported in September 1994 that, “there's been a summer-long controversy over Branstad's ties to Doug Gross, a former top aide who is now a Des Moines lawyer. A state panel said it couldn't find evidence that Gross violated the state ethics laws, but critics said the $160 million in state business landed by clients of his law firm showed he was cashing in on his links to Branstad.” [Associated Press, 9/6/94]
$160 million is a giant chunk of change. And that’s just the state business he was helping his clients get their hands on. Imagine how many private clients got regulations eased, contracts greased or new business in Iowa because of their connections to Gross.
Fast forward to 2009 – tough economy, and even the big time law firms are feeling it. To Doug Gross, Terry Branstad looks like the Golden Goose! The question is, whose goose gets cooked in the process?
Branstad and Gross: a “limited partnership” Iowans just cannot afford.