District 3's McGrane castigated by his two opponents for campaign-flier 'lie'

Both of City Council incumbent Jerry McGrane's opponents say McGrane has sent a flier to his District 3 constituents that doesn't tell the truth about opponent Pat Shey, who currently is an at-large council member.

Shey on Sunday called the mailing “character assassination” and “a lie” while candidate Kathy Potts called the mailing “dirty politics.”

The flier, in part, says Shey “had been accused of ethics violations and appeared before the city ethics board … TWICE!”

In fact, Shey twice sought an opinion from the Board of Ethics related to his private employment, first as a bank development officer and then as the part owner in a contracting business, and how his job might conflict with a development project in front of the City Council. In the first instance, the ethics board advised him to recuse himself from voting on matters related to the development, which Shey did. In the second, the board concluded Shey, who recused himself on votes in question, had acted appropriately.

McGrane on Sunday referred the matter to a campaign adviser.

McGrane's recent flier to constituents also noted that Shey did not file a routine annual campaign disclosure report in January 2008 as he should have. Shey acknowledged the oversight on Sunday.

Potts, though, said McGrane has a current violation of the state's campaign finance law. The law says a candidate must file a form of campaign organization with the state Ethics and Campaign Disclosure Board within 10 days of raising more than $750 in a campaign. McGrane had raised more than that amount early this summer, but didn't file his document until September, Potts noted.

McGrane on Sunday referred the matter to his campaign treasurer, Shirley Miller, who admitted the error. Miller said she notified the state office immediately upon learning of the error in September.

Shey on Sunday said he has his own fliers going out to the constituents in District 3, which has precincts in southeast and southwest Cedar Rapids. Shey said his flier talks about his own accomplishments. It doesn't mention McGrane, he said.

“He had more than three years to do something, and now it's all about me,” Shey said of McGrane's fliers. “What upsets me the most is the character assassination.

“To me it's a question of honor. He just took the gloves off and fabricated this.”

Shey also said last week that McGrane's TV ads about attendance at council meetings and a “buy-local” initiative were misleading in the first instance and untrue in the second. McGrane said the ads were factual.