Iowa state official fired for sexually explicit language had recently completed sexual harassment

Less than a month before he was fired for speaking in graphic sexual detail to employees, a former Iowa state director told Gov. Kim Reynolds that he and his staff had completed sexual harassment prevention training, new records show.

Reynolds fired Iowa Finance Authority Director Dave Jamison on March 24 after her administration received an explicit three-page letter from a woman who is no longer an employee of the agency.

In that March 21 letter, the woman identified 24 allegations against Jamison, accusing him of talking about her breasts, asking her to tell him sexually explicit and profane details about her past relationships and sending texts to employees about male genitalia.

Reynolds — whose administration last year agreed to pay $1.75 million following a jury verdict against Senate Republican staff — asked all state directors in February to make sure all their employees take sexual harassment prevention training.

Reynolds told directors in the Feb. 21 directive that sexual harassment is “a destructive force that must be stopped and so we must all do our part.”

Jamison reported to Reynolds’ Chief of Staff Jake Ketzner on Feb. 27 that the Finance Authority's training had been completed.

“I am pleased to report IFA has reached 100 percent,” Jamison said in an email to Ketzner.

Reynolds cited “credible allegations of sexual harassment” when she fired Jamison 25 days later.

Since Jamison’s termination, the public has learned about other details or issues associated with his leadership:

• QUESTIONABLE MOVE: The agency's $17 million move later this year will cost $6 million more than a plan recommended by a third-party that it retain its current state-owned location. The Iowa Executive Council approved the move in February without being informed by Jamison about the savings
• PREVIOUS WARNINGS:  Multiple employees had previously warned Jamison about his alleged bad behaviors, including the agency's interim executive director. The whistleblower's letter to Reynolds additionally says Chief Administrative Officer Brian Crozier and Attorney Mark Thompson also warned Jamison that he needed to stop making lewd and suggestive comments to employees.
• ACCOUNTING PRACTICES:  Multiple questions have been raised about spending and accounting practices that occurred while Jamison was director. Jamison, for example, was allowed to spend as much as $100,000 each year that was not in the budget.

There are now at least three investigations or audits linked to Jamison’s work, including one commissioned by Reynolds and spearheaded by Mark Weinhardt, a Des Moines attorney.

Weinhardt wrote a 2013 report that found former Sen. Kent Sorenson broke ethics rules by accepting payments from presidential candidate Michele Bachmann. Sorenson resigned after Weinhard's report and was in 2017 sentenced to 15 months in prison.

Jamison has not returned multiple phone calls seeking comment. He has filed for unemployment and a hearing is scheduled June 5.

Folllow Jason Clayworth on Twitter @JasonClayworth

WPXI