DES MOINES, Iowa (KCRG) - Iowa will pay $600,000 to settle a lawsuit filed by a former public health spokesperson who said she was fired for releasing COVID-19 case statistics.

Polly Carver-Kimm sued the state after she was terminated in 2020. She alleged she faced retaliation after releasing Iowa’s daily COVID case statistics and said Governor Kim Reynolds’ office stalled her response to public records requests during the pandemic.

The Iowa Supreme Court allowed the case to proceed in 2023. The State Appeal Board approved the settlement this week.

State Auditor Rob Sand was the only board member to vote no, arguing the governor rather than taxpayers should pay the settlement.

“This is the fourth settlement related to open records violations by Governor Reynolds and her administratio

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