Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds says she’ll ask the legislature to “address a loophole” that apparently has allowed two state officials to work as agents of a foreign government. Kim Schmett – a former Republican candidate for Congress – and his wife, Connie, were paid 100-thousand dollars by Saudi Arabia to lobby against a federal law that allows 9/11 victims to sue Saudi Arabia. Kim Schmett is chairman of the Iowa Employment Appeal Board and earns an 80-thousand-dollar state salary. His wife serves on two other state boards, including one with veto power over hospital expansion plans. The governor says she lacks the authority to force the Schmetts to resign from the executive branch of state government.
Reynolds says it’s unclear if the Schmetts violated any STATE laws by failing to disclose their lobbying contract with Saudi Arabia when they filled out financial disclosure forms required for their state roles.
The couple co-hosted a fundraiser for Governor Reynolds several weeks ago. Reynolds says she had no idea at the time the two had been lobbying against 9/11 victims who were seeking the right to sue Saudi Arabia — and the governor does “not agree” with that couple’s lobbying goal. Reynolds says the Schmetts have donated 100-dollars to her 2018 reelection campaign. She’ll decide whether to return the money after getting the Ethics Board report on whether the Schmetts broke any state laws or regulations by lobbying for Saudi Arabia
