This Bitch: Iowa ReTHUGlican Governor Kim

This week a state audit report on government spending has accused Iowa’s ReTHUGlican Governor Kim Reynolds of using nearly $450,000 in federal coronavirus relief funds to pay salaries for 21 staff members for three months last year and then hiding the spending by passing it through the state Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management.

Thief. Con artist. Liar. Who does that sound like?

State Auditor Rob Sand said a review of the state's payroll system shows the money was used to pay the ReTHUGlican governor's office staff, but it's unclear why she took federal money to pay state employees’ salaries:

"What is not clear, is why these salaries were not included in the governor's budget set prior to the fiscal year and prior to the pandemic. Based on this information, we conclude that the budget shortfall was not a result of the pandemic."

So where did the money go? Thief. Con artist. Liar.

Sand had asked ReTHUGlican Reynolds' office twice for documentation to support the spending and was told the governor's staff members during March, April, May and June of 2020 were fully focused on responding to COVID-19 and protecting Iowa but never provided proof of the expenditure on the COVID response. He then wrote to the ReTHUGlican governor to tell her that paying staff salaries without proper documentation likely wouldn't get federal approval but said they ignored his suggestion.

Alex Murphy, a spokesperson for ReTHUGlican Reynolds, said in a statement that the Treasury Department had allowed the use of coronavirus relief money to reimburse salaries for governors:

"During this time, the Governor's staff spent a vast majority of their time responding to the pandemic. In fact, many members of Gov. Reynolds' staff worked seven days a week out of the State Emergency Operation Center to provide direct support to Iowans. This has always been our justification for the expense. We are now working with Treasury to provide them documentation, per their request."

Wait, you’re working to provide documentation now? Why didn’t you provide that when you spent the money, the COVID money, on Reynold’s minions?

Oh yes … Thief. Con artist. Liar.

ReTHUGlican Reynolds addressed the issue in September only after Laura Belin, publisher of the liberal-leaning online blog Bleeding Heartland, reported on the issue. Reynolds said then that federal coronavirus relief law allowed salaries to be paid for workers whose job requirements were significantly changed due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Like staff members, secretaries, gofers, and such, who work for the governor, but not a penny went to front-line workers, doctors, nurses, hospitals, for overtime pay or equipment needed to keep them safe while carrying for COVID patients.

ReTHUGlican Governor Kim Reynolds used the money to pay her staff because … Thief. Con artist. Liar.

This Bitch. Kim Reynolds.

This Bitch. Her entire staff who took the money.

This Bitch. Iowa; for voting another ReTHUGlican criminal into office.

PS This newest The audit isn't the first time ReTHUGlican Governor Kim Reynolds has been found to have spent federal funds for nonapproved use. Back in December 2020, she was forced to return $21 million in COVID-19 relief money after using it to upgrade an outdated state information technology system.

Thief. Con artist. Liar. Bitch.