Capitol Notebook: Iowa Senate Republicans urge audit of Des Moines schools; Sand pushes back

Three Iowa Senate Republicans are calling on State Auditor Rob Sand to conduct an audit of the Des Moines Public Schools following the arrest of former Superintendent Ian Roberts, who federal authorities say overstayed a deportation order.

Sens. Jesse Green of Boone, Kerry Gruenhagen of Walcott and Lynn Evans of Aurelia said in a letter Wednesday that taxpayers deserve accountability after revelations that Roberts, originally from Guyana, allegedly misrepresented his citizenship and immigration status while leading the state’s largest school district.

Roberts was arrested last month after federal officials said his work authorization expired in 2020. He attested to being a U.S. citizen when hired by Des Moines Public Schools in 2023, according to district officials, who said they were unaware of the deportation order issued in 2024.

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Roberts resigned after being arrested by federal immigration authorities and now faces charges for illegal firearm possession.

“With the news consistently coming out regarding Ian Roberts and the ways he misled students, parents, teachers and the Des Moines Public Schools community, we believe it is important the auditor take the time to actually do his job and ensure the hundreds of millions of dollars taxpayers invest into education in DMPS is properly accounted,” Green said.

The letter says that DMPS received $460 million in fiscal year 2025 for the education of Des Moines-area students by Iowa taxpayers, while Iowa's education savings (ESA) program is projected to cost just over $314 million statewide.

"Given your continued interest in the education savings account program and its cost, we believe you and your office should be far more concerned about the hundreds of millions of dollars overseen by a superintendent with an ever-increasing list of deceptions and fraud," the letter states.

In a statement, Sand said that the request for an audit didn't give his office the ability to do so — and that all public school districts, including Des Moines, are already subject to annual audits. Sand accused the lawmakers of political grandstanding, noting they voted for a 2023 law restricting his office’s access to records, “which could block an audit of these issues.”

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“I agree with these descriptions of Ian Roberts' deceptions and agree that DMPS needs to be more transparent around what happened here,” Sand said in a statement to The Gazette.

The Iowa Auditor’s Office may conduct an audit, reaudit or examination of a school district only under specific circumstances — such as when a board member or employee reports suspected misuse of funds under Iowa Code section 11.6(7), when a state or federal agency requests testing after identifying concerns, or when the office receives a valid citizen petition under section 11.6(4). The law does not allow the Auditor to launch an audit at the request of citizens without substantiated cause, according to Sand’s office.

The office noted that Senate File 478 limits its access to certain records, including personnel files, cybersecurity information, criminal identification data and ongoing law enforcement investigations — restrictions that could prevent a full audit in some cases.

While school districts are audited annually, they can choose whether the Auditor’s Office or a private CPA firm conducts the audit. The Des Moines Public Schools have for the past decade used RSM US LLP, a national accounting firm. The Auditor’s Office may review such firms’ workpapers to ensure compliance with state and federal requirements. All audit reports are publicly available on the Auditor of State’s website https://www.auditor.iowa.gov/reports/audit-reports.

Iowa House Republicans name new committee leaders

With a number of members running for other political offices in 2026, Iowa House Republicans announced a series of committee leadership changes for next year’s legislative session.

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Rep. Carter Nordman of Panora is the new chairman of the Ways and Means Committee on tax policy. Nordman replaces Rep. Bobby Kaufmann of Wilton, who was selected by his colleagues to serve as the new House Majority Leader.

Rep. Austin Harris of Moulton is the new Health and Human Services Committee chair, replacing Nordman.

Rep. Dan Gehlback of Urbandale is the new education budget subcommittee chairman, replacing Harris.

Other new House committee chairs are: Rep. Derek Wulf of Hudson (Agriculture), Rep. David Young of Van Meter (Commerce), Rep. Jeff Shipley of Birmingham (International Relations), Rep. Brooke Boden of Indianola (Local Government), Rep. Devon Wood of New Market (Natural Resources), Rep. Megan Jones of Sioux Rapids (Transportation), and Rep. Tom Determann of Clinton (Veterans Affairs).

Iowa AG joins coalition backing use of National Guard in U.S. cities

Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird has joined a multistate coalition in supporting President Donald Trump’s deployment of National Guard troops to Portland and Chicago, arguing the action is necessary to protect federal law enforcement from attacks outside Immigration and Customs Enforcement facilities.

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Bird and 19 other Republican attorneys general filed emergency briefs defending Trump’s decision to send troops to Portland and Chicago after clashes outside ICE offices. Iowa co-led both filings with Montana, Oklahoma and South Carolina.

In a statement, Bird said the federal government must act when “local and state officials won’t,” adding that violent agitators have targeted law enforcement “under the false banner of protest.”

In the Chicago case, the 12-page amicus brief filed Oct. 8 in the Northern District of Illinois contends that the president acted within his authority under federal law to federalize the National Guard in response to violence that has “harmed federal officers and property and impeded enforcement of immigration laws.” The filing cites reports of attacks on ICE agents and argues that continued unrest imposes costs on all states by undermining immigration enforcement.

Officials in both Portland and Chicago have sharply criticized Trump’s deployments, calling them federal overreach that could inflame tensions rather than restore order.

Grassley, Ernst back nomination of Iowa sheriff for U.S. Marshal post

Iowa U.S. Sens. Chuck Grassley and Joni Ernst have endorsed Iowa County Sheriff Robert Rotter’s nomination to serve as U.S. Marshal for the Northern District of Iowa.

Grassley, the Senate Judiciary Committee chair, said he was glad to recommend Rotter — a veteran law enforcement officer with more than 30 years of experience — and pledged to move the nomination swiftly through the committee.

“With over three decades of experience in state and local law enforcement, Sheriff Rotter is an excellent candidate to protect and serve the people of Iowa,” Grassley said in a statement.

Ernst praised Rotter’s “unwavering commitment to protecting Iowans and keeping our communities safe.”

Rotter is serving his fifth term as Iowa County sheriff, where he launched programs to dispose of unused medications and train thousands of residents in active-shooter response. His nomination now goes to the Judiciary Committee for consideration before a full Senate vote.

Dozen projects awarded state specialty crop grants

A dozen Iowa projects received state grants totaling nearly $370,000 for research, education and market development of specialty crops, the Iowa Department of Agriculture announced.

The Specialty Crop Block Grants, which are authorized in the federal Farm Bill, are designed to “enhance the competitiveness of Iowa-grown fruits, vegetables, nuts, flowers, honey and other specialty crops,” according to an agency press release.

Iowa State University received five of the 12 grants for various projects, and Practical Farmers of Iowa received two. A full list of grant winners can be found on the department’s website: iowaagriculture.gov.

“Iowa’s specialty crops bring variety and diversity to our state’s agriculture, from fruits and vegetables to honey, flowers, nuts, wine and so much more,” Iowa ag secretary Mike Naig said in a press release. “These Specialty Crop Block Grant projects will help farmers expand markets, connect more consumers with Iowa-grown products, and spark new ideas that strengthen this important sector.”

Gazette-Lee Des Moines Bureau