It was discovered today that Iowa Attorney General Tom Miller’s campaign was loaned $95,000 by two of his Deputies, Jeff Thompson and Tammie Ormiston. Thompson loaned $75,000 to Miller’s campaign on October 21st. Ormiston loaned the campaign $20,000 on October 25th.
How can he effectively lead and manage his office if he is indebted to two of his employees? He can’t. Also did they do this willingly or by compulsion? Perhaps they fear for their future employment?
His Republican challenger, Brenna Findley had this to say in response:
I think that Iowans should find it very disturbing that Attorney General Miller is now in debt to his staff. One has to question what were the terms to this loan? In 2009, Jeff Thompson earned $120,000 in salary from the Attorney Generals office and just funneled over half of his yearly salary in a loan to the Attorney General’s campaign. This loan is suspicious at best and just adds to the long list of questionable actions of Attorney General Miller and his office.
Our message continues to resonate with voters across the state of Iowa. It is time for Iowa to have an Attorney General that will listen to the people of this state and work to stop Washington-style spending in Iowa, clean up state government, lock up sexual predators and keep them locked up, and protect Iowans from being forced to buy Washington’s handpicked health insurance. Attorney General Miller has a record of inaction and the voters are ready for a new direction in Iowa.
Not only does this present an ethical quagmire (understatement of the year), but may very well be in violation of federal law (the Hatch Act).
Is this really who we want representing us as our Attorney General?