Democrats seek to tie Pate to questions about SOS staff pay

CEDAR RAPIDS - The chairman of the Iowa Democratic Party and a veteran legislator joined their party's secretary of state candidate in calling on three former employees of that office to repay $110,000 they were paid while allegedly performing no work.

They accused incumbent GOP Secretary of State Matt Schultz of mismanagement and sought to tie Paul Pate, a Cedar Rapids Republican running to replace him, to the controversy. Pate's campaign spokesman is Todd Henderson, also of Cedar Rapids, who is one of the employees who allegedly was paid for 90 days after resigning from Schultz's staff.

A state audit concluded that Henderson and two others were paid a total of $110,000 for time during which there is no evidence they were performing work for the office.

'Frankly, Secretary Schultz's mismanagement of this office is an embarrassment,” Iowa Democratic Party Chairman Scott Brennan said Thursday during a conference call with reporters.

Sen. Tom Courtney, D-Burlington, accused the 'no-show” employees of stealing and said if the funds aren't repaid by the time the Legislature convenes in January, he may introduce legislation to force repayment.

'Pate has made it clear on this issue he is following Matt Schultz's lead (and) hasn't called on them to return the money,” Courtney said. 'It's disappointing that instead of distancing himself (from Henderson), Pate welcomed him into the campaign.”

Pate, who was unavailable Thursday, has suggested that whether those employees repay the money is up to Schultz.

'I think that Matt Schultz has got a responsibility to the taxpayers, just like any other statewide elected official has, and he'll have to respond to that and deal with it,” Pate said when asked on Iowa Public Television's Iowa Press Oct. 3.

Henderson declined to comment.