The last two scandal-ridden weeks of the Reynolds Administration have raised serious questions about the governor’s credibility as the state’s chief executive. In a new editorial, the Quad-City Times sharply criticized Reynolds’ botched handling of the IFA investigation and the “shear arrogance” of secretly appointing her father to a state board.

“The last two weeks have shown that Kim Reynolds is unwilling and unable to clean up the culture of corruption that has flourished under her administration. At every turn, Reynolds abused the public’s trust to save her own reputation, and it’s blowing up in her face. Her credibility as governor has taken a serious hit, and these ethical failures will haunt Reynolds when Iowans head to the ballot box this fall,” said Iowa Democratic Party Spokesperson Tess Seger.

Excerpts from the editorial can be found below:

QUAD-CITY TIMES: Editorial: “Reynolds has only herself to blame”

“Gov. Kim Reynolds spent the past two weeks dousing her credibility with gas. And, on Tuesday, she lit a match and torched it.”

“Last week’s self-inflicted burn was the Iowa Finance Authority (IFA) sexual harassment scandal, where the Reynolds administration assumed  “take our word for it” could pinch hit for compliance with state transparency laws. Then, on Tuesday, Iowa’s freshman Republican governor appointed her father to a state panel tasked with selecting judges. And her administration didn’t even disclose the conflict of interest until, yet again, a pesky journalist started asking questions.”

“The Reynolds administration — perched on a foundation poured by former Gov. Terry Branstad — isn’t the well oiled machine it likes to pretend to be. It’s choking on its own fumes.”

“The own-goaling of the past two weeks were completely unnecessary. It was nothing short of shear arrogance that Reynolds opted to name her father — without disclosure — to a state board, especially as the dumpster fire at Iowa Finance Authority still smoldered.

At the very least, the Reynolds administration has shown itself lacking any sense of optics. And, throughout this brash flouting of all that’s considered standard political procedure, runs a thread of conceit.”

“For the first time, Reynolds finds herself politically exposed. And she has no one to blame but herself.”