Citing her ‘fowl’ record of mismanagement and policy failures, Progress Iowa today declared Governor Kim Reynolds as the ‘Turkey of the Year’ in advance of the Thanksgiving holiday.
According to the advocacy organization, key ingredients for her failure have been the misuse of COVID-19 funds intended to help Iowa families, using the highest office in the state to stoke divisions instead of uniting us, and her relentless attacks against workers.
“While the Governor stuffs her office with COVID-19 aid, working families are too often left fighting for table scraps,” said Matt Sinovic, executive director of Progress Iowa. “Instead of focusing on political games, Iowans need a leader that will serve us first, instead of going back for seconds for her own personal, political interests.”
“Governor Reynolds’ fowl record also includes cutting off financial support from struggling Iowans, trying to make it harder for us to vote and participate in the democratic process, and dishing up one policy failure after another. She has been in office for a decade, and in that time our labor force has shrunk, our state’s growth has become anemic, and she has tried to sneak even more cash to her corporate pals while doing everything she can to distract us and the media with divisive dog whistles.”
“Iowans deserve better than this turkey of an agenda, and we are thankful for everyone who speaks out against it. And there is no one more deserving of the ‘Turkey of the Year’ than Governor Kim Reynolds.”
The recipe for Governor Reynolds earning this year’s ‘Turkey of the Year’ award includes:
- A recent audit showed that Governor Reynolds spent nearly $450,000 of COVID-19 federal relief funds to pay her staff’s salaries.
- Governor Reynolds put children’s safety at risk by signing a ban against mask policies in schools in May of 2021. This legislation was blocked by a federal judge in September following an increase of COVID-19 cases.
- While Iowans were struggling through the pandemic, Governor Reynolds cut off their federal unemployment benefits months earlier than the intended cut off date.
- Iowa had the greatest voter turnout in our history in 2020 while maintaining a secure election. Governor Reynolds then signed voter suppression legislation, shortening early and Election Day voting, into law in March of 2021.
- Governor Reynolds refused to use $95 million in COVID aid from the federal government, and then bragged about this refusal on Fox News. This funding would have been used for testing in schools.
- Governor Reynolds attacked the right to receive abortion care, supporting extreme policies in the legislature and asking the Supreme Court to overturn Roe v. Wade despite the fact that a majority support abortion.
- Governor Reynolds refused to help migrant children, stating that the situation is “not our problem.” Meanwhile, Reynolds hypocritically sent Iowa troopers down to the border on Iowa taxpayers’ dime.
Additional Information:
- Audit finds Iowa governor spent COVID-19 funds on salaries
- Iowa governor signs bill prohibiting mask mandates in schools and businesses
- Reynolds: Iowa Will End $300 Federal Unemployment Benefit
- Iowa governor signs controversial law shortening early and Election Day voting
- Reynolds Brags About Sending Back COVID Money At Fox News Town Hall
- Gov. Reynolds asks US Supreme Court to overturn Roe v. Wade
- Reynolds says border surge is ‘not our problem,’ declines federal request for help with child migrants
- Reynolds says Iowa will pay for troopers sent to border
