No Background Checks Required for Clerks at Iowa Capitol
According to a blog posted on the De Moines Register website, a newly hired clerk in Iowa Capital noticed that none of the clerks were being given background checks. Very surprising considering that many of them work side-by-side with state lawmakers and even have special badges that allow them to bypass security checks and metal detectors at the doors of the Capital.
Chief clerk, Mark Brandsgard, makes the point that “most lawmakers hire people they already know to be their personal secretaries: a spouse, a constituent, a student or someone recommended by another lawmaker.” This is fine and dandy but can you really trust someone based solely on character or who they know? It’s a topic of concern especially because these people have access to confidential legislative business.
According to Brandsgard the system they have going now is appropriately balanced and if they were ever to require background checks it would get to be “ridiculous”. I agree that it could become somewhat ridiculous if you don’t know the first thing about running a background check but how about leaving it to a company that does. Just a thought.
For the complete article click here.
