Democratic attorney general candidate Nate Willems is pushing back against legal threats from biofuel giant POET, asserting his campaign will not pull a political advertisement highlighting an environmental enforcement dispute in Shell Rock.
POET Biorefining threatened legal action this week and is alleging Willems’ commercial falsely implies its CEO bribed Republican Attorney General Brenna Bird, Willems’ opponent, to escape penalties over high emissions.
In an interview with Iowa Starting Line, Willems defended the ad, insisting it focuses on Bird’s oversight record rather than the company.
“This is about her record and her pattern of letting corporate polluters off the hook with just a slap on the wrist,” Willems said.
Willems emphasized his idea of what the attorney general’s independent enforcement should look like.
“The DNR and the AG’s office are routinely in contact,” Willems said. “Even if the DNR chose to only make a $10,000 fine, the AG still has independent authority to seek additional penalties.”
The Iowa Department of Natural Resources fined POET $10,000 for excessive facility emissions over a three-year span, but the case resulted in no further state-level prosecution. While POET contends its emissions posed no public health risk and the equipment came from a previous owner, Willems pointed to state regulatory data and news reporting as support for his campaign’s claims.
POET argued the political ad falsely accuses leadership of criminal bribery due to the timing of campaign contributions to Bird. Willems dismisses accusations of defamation, characterizing POET’s legal pushback as a pressure tactic. He also said he feels confident in his legal standing considering Iowa’s anti-SLAPP statute, which protects public discourse against meritless lawsuits.
“This is a bullying tactic to try to shut up our campaign,” Willems said. “The claims in the ad are true. I mean, anybody can look at that for themselves, even without hiring expensive attorneys or putting together a legal case.”
Iowa Starting Line reached out to the office of Brenna Bird and to POET but did not hear back prior to publication.
