Preliminary hearing set for Mechanicsville woman in extortion case

A preliminary hearing on Dec. 8 was set this week for Mary Kathryn Moravek, 51, of Mechanicsville, accused of attempting to extort $1 million from Muscatine-based Iowans for Tax Relief.

Gary Koos of Bettendorf was appointed as her attorney during a hearing Tuesday at the Muscatine County Courthouse. Moravek is free of a $5,000 surety bond.

Moravek had accused Cloyd “Robbie” Robinson of Cedar Rapids, who was a lobbyist for the taxpayers' group, of illegal campaign contributions. She was arrested after meeting in the parking lot of the Muscatine Holiday Inn with Iowans for Tax Relief Vice Chairman Robert Solt and an undercover sheriff's deputy.

She thought they were delivering a $30,000 payment from Dave Stanley of Iowans for Tax Relief in exchange for her keeping silent about her accusations against Robinson, according to authorities.

Moravek claims she witnessed illegal campaign contributions being made by at least one Iowans for Tax Relief employee over a period of at least five years. She said she was “set up” by the group - with the help of law enforcement - to prevent her from filing a formal complaint about the organization with the state ethics board.