Iowa CCI Ethics Complaint Against Iowa Representative Dean Fisher
Filed with the Chief Clerk of the House (February 28, 2024)
Re: Iowa State Representative Dean Fisher, District 53.
I, Barb Kalbach, on behalf of Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement (Iowa CCI), 2001 Forest Avenue, Des Moines, Iowa, hereby complain that Iowa House of Representative Dean C. Fisher has violated the House Code of Ethics[1] in that:
The Preamble to House Resolution 7[2]—House Code of Ethics—states:
Every legislator and legislative employee has a duty to uphold the integrity and honor of the general assembly, to encourage respect for the law and for the general assembly, and to observe the house code of ethics. The members and employees of the house have a responsibility to conduct themselves so as to reflect credit on the general assembly, and to inspire the confidence, respect, and trust of the public.
Complainants’ comments on the Preamble:
Rep. Fisher has violated the Preamble. He discredited Iowa’s General Assembly by abusing his public power for private gain. He violated the confidence, respect, and trust of the public by setting up a private school to benefit directly from House File 68[3], the private school voucher bill that he campaigned on, voted for, and helped pass in January 2023. His actions also failed to uphold the integrity and honor of the General Assembly and discouraged respect for the law and the General Assembly.
Fisher helped establish and is now Board President of an emerging private school, Tama-Toledo Christian School, that plans to use vouchers to pay the bulk of their operating costs. Vouchers, also known as “ESA’s,” are currently worth $7,635 per student. Fisher’s new private school anticipates enrolling 120-160 students and that would generate between $916,200 - $1.2 million of public dollars for his private school each year. [4]
In a news article from the North Tama Telegraph, January 18, 2024, “New K-8 private Christian school aims to start classes in Tama Co. in 2025--Tama Toledo Christian School helmed by board president Rep. Dean Fisher,”[5] Rep. Fisher stated:
“Our funding falls into two categories, startup expenses to get us to the first day of school in 2025, and operating expenses from the first day on. Our start-up expenses are expected to be slightly over $100,000. These funds will come from fundraising events, donations by community members and churches, corporations that wish to support the effort, and grants from organizations that wish to support Christian School startups like ours. Once we start classes the ESA funding will pay the bulk of our operating expenses.”
We allege in this complaint that Rep. Fisher is breaking trust with the public and is in violation of House Resolution No. 7 because of his actions on voting for private school vouchers and using them a year later in his personal project as Board President of establishing and operating Tama-Toledo Christian School. Rep. Fisher’s private school is made possible with the nearly $1 million per year of public dollars he is attempting to steer toward his private project. In no way do these actions “inspire the confidence, respect, and trust of the public.” Instead, they diminish the honor and integrity of the Iowa General Assembly.
Section 4. CONFLICTS OF INTEREST to House Resolution 7[6]—House Code of Ethics—states:
In order for the general assembly to function effectively, members of the house may be required to vote on bills and participate in committee work which will affect their employment and other areas in which they may have a monetary interest. Action on bills and committee work which furthers a member’s specific employment, specific investment, or other specific interest, as opposed to the interests of the public in general or the interests of a profession, trade, business, or other class of persons, shall be avoided.
Complainants’ comments on Section 4, CONFLICTS OF INTEREST:
Rep. Fisher is in violation of the conflicts of interest in his role as founder and now President of the Board of the Tama-Toledo Christian School. Fisher’s votes on voucher bills and use of the vouchers for a private school he founded and presides over furthers his specific interest as opposed to the interests of the public in general. It also furthers his power, prestige, and status at the expense of the integrity and honor of the General Assembly.
Rep. Fisher’s actions—again, campaigning on, voting for, and attempting to cash in on legislation he helped to pass—are by definition self-serving. This appearance of corruption shall be avoided to maintain public trust in effective, accountable governance.
Background:
Governor Kim Reynolds attempted to pass private voucher bills in 2021, 2022, and finally succeeded in 2023 (HF 68)[7] after primarying several Republican legislators. After redistricting, the 2022 House District 53 primary (June 7) put two Republican legislators against each other – anti-voucher David Maxwell and pro-voucher Dean Fisher. Fisher received Reynolds’ endorsement and won.[8] Fisher was endorsed by the American Federation for Children Action Fund as seen in this ad from May 2022. [9] The American Federation for Children lobbied in support of the voucher bill. Fisher has boasted and strongly expressed his support for private school vouchers in an October 2022 profile by the North Tama Telegraph,[10] an October 2022 candidate forum,[11] and his January 2023 newsletter.[12]
In May 2023, Tama-Toledo Christian School officially filed for their Certificate of Existence with the Iowa Secretary of State. Rep. Dean Fisher is the President and other board members are Vicki Fisher, Elaine Gibson, Linda Rosenberger, Megan Rosenberger, and Marja Leena Turner. Fisher wrote an update in a January 11, 2024 Tama-Toledo News Chronicle that they intend to start classes in August 2025 and included the group’s mission – “The mission of the Tama-Toledo Christian school is to assist families in equipping students with a Christ-centered education and Biblical worldview, while preparing them to impact the world for the glory of God through life-long learning, servant leadership, worship, and stewardship.”[13]
The North Tama Telegraph interviewed Fisher and published an article on January 18, 2024. Fisher says, “Once we start classes the ESA funding will pay the bulk of our operating expenses, and we will also continue to fundraise from the community to enhance our funding.”[14]
They expect 120 students in their first year and recently signed a lease agreement to build their school in former St. Patrick’s Catholic Church building in Tama. Each student is currently eligible for $7,635 in vouchers. That means up to $916,200 (120x$7,635) of public dollars going to this private school each year. Rep. Fisher’s private school would be siphoning nearly $10 million in public funding in its first 10 years of operation.
Action requested by Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement: We request that upon review of this complaint, the House Ethics Committee take the following actions for Rep. Fisher’s ethics violations of House Resolution 7:
1.) Tell Rep. Fisher that he cannot discuss, lobby for, or vote on any future bill or legislation that continues or expands voucher benefits.
2.) Tell Rep. Fisher that he cannot use vouchers for his private school.
3.) Tell Rep. Fisher that if he continues to serve as Board President of Tama-Toledo Christian School using vouchers, he should resign from the House.
4.) Tell other House members that they can’t use voucher money to send their children or grandchildren to private schools. Using a public position for private gain is a direct ethics violation. Cashing in on vouchers by those who used their power and authority to put them into place violates the principles of ethical government and the foundations of our democracy.
[1] https://www.legis.iowa.gov/docs/publications/HCE/1369271.pdf
[2] Ibid.
[3] https://legiscan.com/IA/text/HF68/id/2660784
[4] Tama-Toledo Christian School signs lease agreement, begins renovations | News, Sports, Jobs - North Tama Telegraph
[5] https://www.northtamatelegraph.com/news/education/2024/01/18/new-k-8-private-christian-school-aims-to-start-classes-in-tama-co-in-2025/
[6] https://www.legis.iowa.gov/docs/publications/HCE/1369271.pdf
[7] https://legiscan.com/IA/text/HF68/id/2660784
[8] Reynolds Helps Oust Several Anti-Voucher Republicans In Primary (iowastartingline.com)
[9] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JCmjyqjeJuM
[10] Meet the Candidates: Dean Fisher (R-Montour) | News, Sports, Jobs - North Tama Telegraph
[11] Fisher, Smith go back and forth in recent House District 53 candidate forum | News, Sports, Jobs - North Tama Telegraph
[12] District 53 Newsletter Jan. 26, 2023, from Rep. Dean Fisher | News, Sports, Jobs - Tama-Toledo News Chronicle (tamatoledonews.com)
[13] New Tama-Toledo Christian School | News, Sports, Jobs - Tama-Toledo News Chronicle (tamatoledonews.com)
[14] New K-8 private Christian school aims to start classes in Tama Co. in 2025 | News, Sports, Jobs - North Tama Telegraph