Mechanicsville woman pleads to extortion

A Mechanicsville woman charged with trying to extort $1 million from Iowans for Tax Relief last year pleaded guilty to the charge on Friday and now faces up to five years in prison.

Mary Kathryn Moravek, 51, was accused of demanding $1 million to keep her from filing a complaint alleging the group made illegal campaign contributions. She claimed that she had witnessed illegal campaign contributions being made by at least one Iowans for Tax Relief employee over a period of at least five years.

She was arrested in the parking lot of the Muscatine Holiday Inn when she met with an undercover detective, believing he was delivering $30,000 from Iowans for Tax Relief and its co-founder David Stanley.

Moravek claimed she saw former Iowans for Tax Relief lobbyist Cloyd “Robbie” Robinson of Cedar Rapids write checks to candidates and then cash checks from the organization for the same amount. Robinson denied her claims.

Robinson, a former Democratic legislator, told The Gazette that he resigned his position as lobbyist with Iowans for Tax Relief because of Moravek's previous allegations about his personal and professional conduct.

Moravek is scheduled to be sentenced in Muscatine County at 9 a.m. May 21.