State and federal auditors said Thursday that they’re reviewing whether it is appropriate for Iowa elections officials to use federal money meant to improve elections to fund a two-year criminal investigation into potential voter fraud. The inspector general of the U.S. Election Assistance Commission and Iowa’s state auditor said they’re gathering information from Secretary of State Matt Schultz about his agreement to hire an agent to investigate and prosecute illegal voters such as felons and noncitizens. Inspector General Curtis Crider sent a letter Dec. 5 asking Schultz’s office to turn over records related to the agreement for the review, which comes in response to an October complaint filed by Democratic State Sen. Tom Courtney of Burlington.
“We are in the process of reviewing this complaint and are in need of some information from your records to assist us in evaluating its merits,” Crider wrote in the letter, obtained through a public records request by AP.
Crider confirmed Thursday the review remained open.
Schultz, a Republican, has drawn criticism from Democrats and civil libertarians for the two-year agreement reached last June with the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation that could cost up to $280,000 in funding from the federal Help America Vote Act.
Full Article: Funding of Iowa’s voting probe is under scrutiny – Omaha.com.