Iowa's COVID Transparency Battle Ends in $600K Settlement

A former Iowa health official, Polly Carver-Kimm, has secured a $600, 000 settlement from the state after claiming she was fired for doing her job during the COVID-19 pandemic. She alleged that her bosses wanted her to ignore public records requests, but she chose to fulfill them anyway. Carver-Kimm's troubles began when she posted daily COVID-19 case statistics on the Department of Public Health website. She also provided records to media outlets, which led to stories that were critical of Iowa's handling of the pandemic. This didn't sit well with the governor's office, which started to get involved in the release of information more than usual. Things came to a head when Carver-Kimm provided statistics to the Des Moines Register about an increase in Iowa abortions in 2018 and 2019. This data was linked to a change in the state's family planning program. The resulting story was likely embarrassing for the governor, and Carver-Kimm believes this was the final straw that led to her firing in July 2020. The Iowa Supreme Court ruled in 2023 that Carver-Kimm could proceed with her claims against the Department of Public Health for wrongful firing. However, her claims against the governor and her spokesperson were dismissed. The court found that they did not have direct authority to fire her. After more than five years of legal battles, Carver-Kimm has finally reached a settlement with the state. The State Appeal Board approved the $600, 000 settlement, with $310, 000 going to Carver-Kimm and $290, 000 to her lawyers. It's important to note that the state is not admitting to any wrongdoing as part of this settlement. Carver-Kimm's case is not the only one questioning the Reynolds administration's commitment to transparency during the COVID pandemic. The Iowa Supreme Court also ruled that several journalists could sue Reynolds' office for extreme delays in responding to records requests. Reynolds later agreed to pay plaintiffs $175, 000 for their legal fees to settle those suits.