Matt Schultz, Call Your Office

A couple bumps today for the soon to launch Matt Schultz For Congress crew.

First bump comes from a predictable source, my team:

Without Congressional action, Matt Schultz ‘is free to thumb his nose at taxpayers’
“Iowa Secretary of State Schultz is setting a terrible example by misusing federal dollars intended to help voters vote,” said Senator Tom Courtney (D-Burlington)

 Last month, the office of Iowa State Auditor Mary Mosiman released the results of a six-month investigation of the possible misuse of almost $300,000 in federal Help America Vote Act funds by Secretary Schultz.  The federal dollars, intended for “educating voters concerning voting procedures, voting rights and voting technology” were used instead for nearly fruitless criminal investigations.

The report by Iowa’s State Auditor concluded that Secretary Schultz should be prepared to repay the federal dollars in the event that the U.S. Election Assistance Commission finds against him.

Hiring a criminal investigator does not fall under prescribed uses of HAVA funds (Section 101 of the Help America Vote Act of 2002 states that funds may be used for ‘educating voters concerning voting procedures, voting rights and voting technology...

All familiar yet still interesting stuff.

But even more interesting, Craig Robinson at The Iowa Republican notes "Schultz’s decision to run for Congress means that Republicans are now scrambling to find a Secretary of State candidate. "

Had State Auditor Dave Vaudt not resigned his position this spring, Mary Mosiman, the former Story County Auditor and Deputy Secretary of State under Schultz, would have been an obvious successor.  With Mosiman seeking election as Iowa’s State Auditor, Republicans must now get a littler creative in finding a candidate.

A number of legislators have indicated interest in running for the open U.S. Senate and congressional seats, but when the rubber meets the road, most of them have opted against seeking higher office.

And Civic Skinny picks up on my meme from last week:

“Can’t wait for the debates [if Secretary of State Matt Schultz decides to run for Congress]: ‘Mr. Schultz, explain your position on the farm bill.’ ‘Voter ID.’ ‘Should we intervene in Syria?’ ‘Voter ID.’"

The headline proclaims, "John Deeth is funny." I don't quite understand.


The classics never gets old.