Editorial: A campaign gift – Storm Lake Times Pilot

Republican legislators are giving State Auditor Rob Sand a great campaign issue as he explores running for governor as a Democrat. The Iowa Senate voted Tuesday along party lines to allow state agencies to hire private accounting firms to conduct their annual audits required by law, instead of using the auditor’s office.

Last year, the legislature stripped the auditor of many of his investigative powers.

Sand and Democratic senators claim Republicans are trying to knee-cap the auditor. Sand says that diminishing the auditor’s role in these stages will lead to less public oversight and more corruption.

Iowa State Auditor Rob Sand speaks at a Storm Lake town hall at Sunset Park on July 6, 2023.

Republicans said that agencies could save money by using private certified public accounting firms….