The response filed by Rep. Dean Fisher to the ethics complaint reads like no response at all. It is 6 sentences long. He attacks the author of the complaint, Iowa CCI and its President, Barb Kalbach. He falsely states that the complaint states that he violated the House Code of Ethics by “upholding a campaign promise to my constituents.” Nothing in the House Code of Ethics says you can not fulfill your campaign promises if elected.

But you cannot profit from the bills you sponsor, and vote for. When he promised to vote for Gov. Reynolds’ private school voucher program in 2023, did he promise to form a non-profit corporation to establish a new private school? Did he promise to head the board of that corporation along with his wife? Did he promise to take the money he gets from the program to fund the operating expenses of that school? Because the ink was barely dry on the bill when signed by the Governor, before he did just that!

It doesn’t matter whether Iowa CCI or Barb Kalbach are for or against the private school voucher program or not. What matters is Rep. Fisher’s actions. Legislators are to represent their constituents, not their private interests.

It is plain that there is an appearance of impropriety here, and for Rep. Fisher to dismiss the complaint as an attempt to use the Ethics Committee as political is also false, and if there is a finding that Rep. Fisher did not violate the House Code of Ethics, I submit that there should be a stronger Iowa House Code of Ethics. Because this is not right. By the way, 700 Iowans signed on to our complaint as filed with the House Ethics Committee.