Des Moines, Iowa — State Auditor Rob Sand says the Board of Parole reports it has resolved an issue raised by a whistleblower who contacted Sand’s office, accusing the board of failing to have the right officials sit on the state panels for parole hearings.
However, Sand says the board is citing a new law and refusing to provide documents showing the policy’s been fixed.
That 2023 law set up an appeal process if a state agency refused to provide the state auditor’s office with documents, but Sand says it would be pointless to seek an appeal.
The Board of Parole says the information was not provided because Sand refused to provide a letter outlining the rights and responsibilities of those involved in the audit. A bill introduced in the Iowa Senate this week would let state agencies hire private CPA firms to conduct audits and Sand says that would destroy anti-corruption checks and balances in state government.
Sand says private CPAs charge far more than the hourly rate for auditing done by his office and having private CPA firms audit state government agencies would cost taxpayers about five million more dollars.
The Republican senator who’s sponsoring the bill says Iowa cities, counties and school districts are allowed to use private CPAs for annual audits and the policy should be extended to state government agencies. Sand says the bill prohibits his office from following up if any of those private CPAs find problems.
