Obradovich: Branstad says state workers guilty of abuse, but he hasn't dug into details

Kathie Obradovich

Gov. Terry Branstad on Monday said cases of child abuse, elder abuse and sexual abuse by state employees are being hidden from the public by confidentiality laws related to personnel records.

At his weekly news conference, Branstad was peppered with questions from reporters for the second week in a row about confidential settlements to former state employees. He again raised concerns that employees fired for serious misconduct are able to keep allegations under wraps because some personnel records are confidential.

"One of the concerns I have as the chief executive of the state is we do have state employees that have been guilty ... involved in certain misconduct: Elder abuse, child abuse, sexual misconduct," Branstad said.

He said, "These things are presently confidential and not released to the public. The danger in that is these individuals who may be dangerous or violent can then be rehired by another unsuspecting employer who doesn't know that information. The public has a right to know that."

A reporter asked the governor how many cases of child abuse, elder abuse and sexual abuse are being hidden from the public. "I don't know, but there are a lot of them," Branstad said.

That's just jaw-dropping.

Dangerous, violent individuals apparently are getting hired by the state, abusing children or vulnerable adults, and getting fired for it. But then, based on the governor's comments, these criminals are free to get another job where they can prey on more victims without worry of anyone spreading the word.

Doesn't it ever occur to anyone to call the police?

Branstad's remedy for this problem is asking the Legislature to change state law so details about why a state employee was terminated can be released. Most personnel records are confidential, except for basic information such as length of employment, job title, salary and the like.

Lawmakers in 2011 opened the door a crack, allowing someone who files a public information request to learn whether a public employee was discharged "as the result of a final disciplinary action." But that's far from full disclosure about why a person was fired.

Branstad wants lawmakers to make more details public. Last week, he said he didn't think there was enough time in the legislative session to pursue the issue. This week, he said legislators should address it while they remain in session.

The public has learned about some cases of abuse at state-run facilities through various other means, even though the state has fought against the release of information. One recent example was the reports of the use of long-term isolation and other abuses of troubled youths at the Iowa Juvenile Home that came via a non-profit oversight agency and newspaper reporting. Branstad closed the home after months of newspaper reports about the abuses.

The Des Moines Register announced last week it has filed a lawsuit seeking access to video that reportedly shows a state worker violently restraining a 17-year-old girl at the Toledo facility in 2012.

Branstad, by the way, defended the decision of the Iowa Public Information Board to keep the video secret. "This is a troubled child, and they don't want the identity of the child made public because of the harm that could be to this person," he said.

The governor said he didn't know about secret employee settlements. But when confronted with newspaper reports, he quickly signed an executive order saying there will be no more confidentiality clauses.

Now, he's saying he's aware of state employees committing child abuse, elder abuse and sexual abuse and he believes the state is letting them go without exposing their actions. But he hasn't, apparently, investigated even to the point of learning how many of these cases there have been.

Yes, legislators should open the records. But if abuse by state employees is as rampant as Branstad seems to believe, he should be turning those agencies upside down already. He doesn't have to wait until he can read these reports in the newspaper.