BREAKING: “Lenders, Farmers Accuse Lt. Gov Candidate Derek Wulf of Theft, Fraud”
DES MOINES – A stunning new investigation from the Des Moines Register reveals how Zach Lahn’s running mate Derek Wulf is under criminal investigation and accused of “fraud and theft, alleging that he misled … creditors about his finances and failed to alert them to livestock transactions.”
According to the report, Wulf is involved in multiple disputes with farmers, lenders, and contractors, and is millions of dollars in debt. Farmers said they’re “offended” by how Lahn has tried to spin Wulf’s financial troubles as those that any Iowa farmer would face, given Wulf’s close ties to “powerful” agricultural interests, in addition to having “married into one of the state’s elite farming families.” Farmers said Wulf’s predatory business practices even “contributed to their strain” as the agricultural economy declined.
Lahn’s campaign was also caught lying about Wulf’s finances. In July, they claimed Wulf’s $900,000 debts were settled — yet refused to say who paid for his bailout. But the Des Moines Register now reports that a local judge ordered the bank to “take over Wulf’s farm on Tuesday, Sept. 1, after … Wulf failed to provide a refinancing commitment letter.” It’s the latest in a long series of embarrassments for the Lahn-Wulf ticket, after it was revealed that Wulf “voted to protect farm chemical polluters,” took “significant” donations from big pesticide companies, and backed a glyphosate immunity bill.
From Iowa Democratic Party spokesperson Terra Hernandez:
“Zach Lahn choosing a running mate who’s under criminal investigation and accused of fraud and theft that have only deepened farmers’ pain tells you everything you need to know about how he’d make decisions for our state. Iowans deserve honest answers about Derek Wulf’s lawsuits, millions of dollars in debt, and ongoing criminal investigation, but Lahn only has excuses and lies.”
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