Iowa governor rejects judge nominees, citing tainted process

By RYAN J. FOLEY
Associated Press

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Iowa’s governor is taking the rare step of rejecting two nominees for an open judgeship, saying a judge who chaired the nominating commission tainted the process by favoring one candidate and opposing others. Gov. Kim Reynolds said in a letter Thursday to the District 2b Judicial Nominating Commission that it’s only the second time in Iowa history that a governor has taken such a step. She noted that she is normally required to appoint judges from the list of nominees submitted by the nominating commission within 30 days. But she said the commission’s chairman, Judge Kurt Stoebe, acted inappropriately Oct. 12 when the commission met to interview several candidates for a district judge vacancy and recommended two nominees. She’s ordered the commission to restart the process.