Top Republicans in the Iowa Legislature said Monday that they won't investigate a claim by former state agency director Jerry Foxhoven that Gov. Kim Reynolds ousted him after he declined to do something questionable.

Foxhoven abruptly resigned as director of the Iowa Department of Human Services on June 17.

Last week, Foxhoven told a Pitchfork reporter of Reynolds: "Her staff asked me to do something I thought was illegal, and so I wouldn’t do it," a comment that was then published on Iowa Public Radio. Foxhoven added: "And so they said, 'OK, well, then you need to go.'"

House Speaker Linda Upmeyer on Monday called Foxhoven's allegation vague and shot down a request by House Democrats to have the chamber's Republican-led oversight committee look into it.

"The former director’s vague comment to a music publication has not come with any other details," the Clear Lake Republican said in a statement. "I would not have our chairwoman of the Oversight Committee initiate an investigation when the former director has declined to elaborate."

But Iowa State Auditor Rob Sand, a Democrat, told the Register that he plans to investigate Foxhoven's departure.

Sand said his senior leadership staff talked about Foxhoven's allegation Monday at their weekly meeting and agreed to look into the claim. Sand said his office has not determined whether its investigation of Foxhoven's resignation would come as part of its annual audits of the governor's office and DHS or as a special audit.

Sand said he agreed with Upmeyer that you can't draw conclusions solely from Foxhoven's comments. "But that's why I think it's important to investigate the facts so that we learn what those facts are," he said.

"Whether that comment is made publicly at a press conference or to a magazine, by its nature, it’s explosive," Sand said. "You have a cabinet member here who is making a pretty serious allegation."

Foxhoven has not responded to multiple requests by the Register for comment. In an email to the Cedar Rapids Gazette on Monday evening, he said he gave an interview about his resignation to a special agent with the Office of Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, according to the paper. He also told the Gazette he had agreed to participate in an interview with Sand and has spoken to a Republican Senator and Republican House member, the paper reported.

Pat Garrett, the governor's spokesman, said last week that he didn't know what to make of Foxhoven's claim.

"We have no idea what former Director Foxhoven is referring to. He never raised a concern like that to us," Garrett wrote in an email to the Register on Friday.

Senate Majority Leader Jack Whitver, R-Ankeny, said he also didn't plan to move forward with an investigation.

Whitver said a hearing "at this time is unnecessary," noting he made the conclusion after speaking with Sen. Amy Sinclair, R-Allerton and the chairwoman of the Senate Government Oversight Committee.

"Gov. Reynolds should select department directors to best implement her priorities as a result of the mandate given to her by the people of Iowa. I look forward to beginning the confirmation process next session with the individual the governor appoints to become the new director of DHS,” Whitver said in a statement.

Foxhoven's ouster made national news last week after reports that he sent emails to employees sharing his fandom of the rapper Tupac Shakur. Reynolds' office said the late rapper had nothing to do with her decision to ask Foxhoven to resign.

Reynolds has not provided a specific reason publicly for asking Foxhoven to step down, except to say that "a lot of factors" went into it. In late June, her office told the Register that it has no records explaining Foxhoven's exit.

Iowa Senate Democrats on Monday criticized Reynolds' explanation over the records. Reynolds' predecessor, Terry Branstad, signed a law change in 2017 that required Iowa officials to publicly disclose the reasons when state employees are demoted, fired or resign in lieu of being fired. Reynolds' office has declined to say why she doesn't think that law applies to Foxhoven's resignation.

Senate Democrats on Monday also requested a similar oversight committee in the GOP-led chamber to hold a public meeting on Foxhoven's claim.

"Gov. Reynolds has said that she wanted her administration to be one of the most honest and transparent in history," said Sen. Tony Bisignano, D-Des Moines and a ranking member of the Senate Government Oversight Committee. "We are calling on her to be transparent, release all relevant information, and to clear up the real reasons for Jerry Foxhoven’s resignation."

► More: No, a love for Tupac wasn't why Jerry Foxhoven was ousted, Iowa governor's office says

Rep. Ruth Ann Gaines, D-Des Moines and ranking member of the House Government Oversight Committee, made a similar request in a news release Friday. She reached out Monday to Rep. Mary Ann Hanusa, R-Council Bluffs and chairwoman of the House committee.

"It's the constitutional duty of the Iowa Legislature to provide oversight and hold the executive branch accountable, especially in cases that involve billions of our tax dollars," Gaines said in a statement.

Garrett, with the governor's office, declined to comment Monday on the statements of both Republican and Democratic lawmakers.

Stephen Gruber-Miller covers the Iowa Statehouse and politics for the Register. He can be reached by email at sgrubermil@registermedia.com or by phone at 515-284-8169. Follow him on Twitter at @sgrubermiller. Barbara Rodriguez covers the Iowa Statehouse and politics for the Register. She can be reached by email at bcrodriguez@registermedia.com or by phone at 515-284-8011. Follow her on Twitter at @bcrodriguez.

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