Scott County sheriff under scrutiny for campaign violations

DES MOINES — Iowa’s campaign ethics board has launched an investigation into whether Scott County Sheriff Tim Lane’s use of patrol cars during a parade last year was a violation of state campaign laws.

The investigation stems from a complaint filed with the Ethics and Campaign Disclosure Board alleging the sheriff violated the law by using patrol cars in a Bettendorf Halloween parade. Lane has denied that the event, which happened before he announced his re-election bid, was a campaign event.

Iowa law generally prohibits the use of “public resources” for political purposes.

Law enforcement officials are allowed to wear their uniforms while campaigning, said board Executive Director Zach Goodrich at its April 18 meeting, but that is the extent of the public property they can use to campaign. The Iowa Ethics and Campaign Disclosure Board voted unanimously during that meeting to investigate the complaint.

Lane said he did enter patrol cars in the Bettendorf Halloween parade last year, but he said it was not a campaign event and denied he violated any laws.

“The Sheriff’s Office and myself were in the Bettendorf Halloween parade handing out candy to kids. The Sheriff’s Office has participated in this event for many years and also assists with the uniformed security for the event," Lane said in a statement. "This was a public relations event, not a campaign event."

Lane announced his re-election campaign in January.

He paid for the entry in the parade personally, and not out of a campaign account or the sheriff's office funds, he said in an interview. He provided a copy of the complaint filed with the board, which alleged that his wife and children were at the parade wearing his campaign T-shirts.

One photo attached to the complaint shows Lane with reserve deputies standing in front of a patrol car at the Oct. 28, 2023, parade. Another photo, which was posted on the Scott County Republicans Facebook page, appears to show Lane in front of a separate float at the same parade that says "Vote Republican," alongside family members wearing Tim Lane campaign T-shirts.

Lane suggested that the complaint came from the campaign of his Republican primary opponent, Chris Laye. "Even though my Republican opponent denies involvement in the ethics complaint, the name of the person who filed the complaint is public and is in fact from his campaign," Lane said.

Laye denied he had any involvement. The complaint was filed by Diana Danielson. She has walked in parades in support of Laye, but he said she is not employed by his campaign and he did not direct her to file the complaint.

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“(T)he accusation by Tim Lane this originated with our campaign is once again misinformation levied against myself and our campaign to mislead the public,” Laye said in an email. “The ethics board has determined this is a complaint requiring further investigation so we will have to wait for the completion of the investigative process and see what the findings are. Every individual has the right to due process regardless of who they are, so we will have to let this process occur before any findings are provided.”

Lane, a Republican, has been the Scott County sheriff since 2016. He is up for re-election this year and is being challenged by Laye in the June 4 primary. Democrats Gordon Morse and Thomas Gibbs have also filed to run.

"I expect to be exonerated in this, and I plan on putting cars in the Bettendorf Halloween parade again this year," Lane said.