IOWA DEMOCRAT STATE AUDITOR ROB SAND IS TAKING REPUBLICAN ATTORNEY GENERAL BRENNA BIRD TO TASK SAYING HE’S CONCERNED ABOUT THE LENGTH OF TIME THE ATTORNEY GENERAL IS SPENDING ON REVIEWING THE PRACTICE OF USING THE CRIME VICTIMS’ COMPENSATION FUND TO PAY FOR EMERGENCY CONTRACEPTION.
IN THE 14 MONTHS SINCE BIRD TOOK OFFICE, SAND SAYS THE IOWA ATTORNEY GENERAL’S OFFICE HAS YET TO ANNOUNCE WHETHER IT WILL CONTINUE COVERING EMERGENCY CONTRACEPTION FOR SEXUAL ASSAULT VICTIMS.
SAND SUGGESTS BIRD IS CAUSING CONFUSION BY REFERRING TO THE DELAY AS AN AUDIT:
SANDBIRD1 OC……….INTERNAL REVIEW. :26
SAND SAYS HE DOESN’T UNDERSTAND WHY THE ATTORNEY GENERAL IS DOING THIS.
SANDBIRD2 OC……OF THOSE LISTS” :13
BIRD’S COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR ISSUED A STATEMENT SAYING THE STATE AUDITOR AND PLANNED PARENTHOOD ARE FLAT WRONG AND “IT IS A SHAME THAT THE AUDITOR IS PLAYING POLITICS WITH A CRITICAL AUDIT OF VICTIM SERVICES AND BLASTING MISINFORMATION TO BOOST HIS OWN PROFILE.”
THE STATEMENT GOES ON TO SAY IT IS NOT REQUIRED BY IOWA LAW, BUT THE VICTIM COMPENSATION FUND HAS PREVIOUSLY PAID FOR PLAN B AND ABORTIONS.
IT SAYS AS A PART OF HER TOP-DOWN, BOTTOM-UP AUDIT OF VICTIM ASSISTANCE “ATTORNEY GENERAL BIRD IS CAREFULLY EVALUATING WHETHER THIS IS AN APPROPRIATE USE OF PUBLIC FUNDS.
THAT AUDIT IS ONGOING. UNTIL THAT REVIEW IS COMPLETE, PAYMENT OF THESE PENDING CLAIMS WILL BE DELAYED.”
RADIO IOWA CONTRIBUTED FILE PHOTO
