T-R PHOTO BY ROBERT MAHARRY State Auditor Rob Sand spoke to a small audience at Elks Park on Wednesday afternoon and discussed some investigations and initiatives he has undertaken during his first term in office.

It’s common to hear elected officials and constituents alike bemoaning a lack of bipartisanship in the modern political climate, but State Auditor Rob Sand has moved beyond the term.

Sand, a Democrat, described himself as “anti-partisan” during an event held at Elks Park in Marshalltown on Wednesday afternoon, and he spent about 35 minutes speaking to a crowd of approximately 10 that included Mayor Joel Greer, Police Chief Mike Tupper and Democratic State Rep. Sue Cahill gathered in the shelter area.

During his first term, Sand said he has worked with Republicans and independents and even promoted people who donated to his last opponent, Mary Mosiman. He has criticized Gov. Kim Reynolds, he added, but he has also defended her on several occasions.

“I don’t like political parties. I’m sorry. If you belong to the same one as me and you’re disappointed to hear that, it’s the truth,” he said. “If we could get rid of them all, we’d be better off. I think that way too often, we decide what we think about something based on whether or not someone in the other party likes it or doesn’t like it. It’s not really the best way to decide how to solve a problem.”

Along with anti-partisanship, Sand also stressed another “A” word — aggressiveness. Under his leadership, he argued, the auditor’s office has “awoken the watchdog” and not been afraid to pursue difficult investigations, regardless of the political leanings of the subjects.

“Would you rather have a watchdog that barks slightly too often or not quite often enough?” he asked rhetorically.

He also made the case that his philosophy as the auditor has dissuaded government employees from engaging in risky behaviors or making questionable purchases for fear of being caught, citing a case that went all the way to the Iowa Supreme Court and ultimately required the University of Iowa to disclose investors in a public-private partnership.

After discussing his own efforts on the job and the success of the Public Innovations and Efficiencies (PIE) program, which the state of Mississippi has since co-opted, Sand took questions from the audience about a few topics including Hot Lotto fraudster Eddie Tipton being released from prison (as a former assistant Attorney General, Sand played a major role in investigating and prosecuting the case), and, unsurprisingly, his own political future, as Sand is often seen as a potential gubernatorial candidate.

Before he wrapped up, Sand was asked if his office had conducted any sort of inquiry into the Marshall County Courthouse project, which has seen several delays and a change in contractors, and he said it had not. The courthouse has now been closed for over four years and is expected to reopen by late fall.

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Contact Robert Maharry at 641-753-6611 ext. 255 or rmaharry@timesrepublican.com.