Failor leaving Iowans for Tax Relief group

Ed Failor Jr., a fixture in Iowa politics as the spokesman for Iowans for Tax Relief, has left the Muscatine-based group without offering an explanation.

The departure of Failor, who followed his father, Ed, into the leadership of the group that lobbies for lowering state government spending and taxes as a way to attract business and industrial development to broaden Iowa's tax base. He's been the 55,000-member group's president for 16 years.

Failor, 46, said the timing was right to leave to pursue new opportunities. He declined to elaborate other than to say he's not running for public office.

He would not comment on speculation around the Iowa Capitol that he's joining a 2012 Republican presidential hopeful's campaign.

His departure from Iowans for Tax Relief was on good terms.

“The organization is in great shape. It's golden,” Failor said.

Asked whether his departure after 16 years as the group's president would leave a void in Iowa politics, Failor laughed and said, “That assumes I'm leaving Iowa politics.”