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Iowa Democrats hire lawyers to investigate caucus chaos

Iowa Democratic Party officials have agreed to hire two high-profile lawyers to investigate the factors leading to a meltdown in the state’s lead-off presidential caucuses and how the party responded.

Attendees hold letters that read "CAUCUS" during a campaign event for Democratic presidential candidate former South Bend, Ind., Mayor Pete Buttigieg at Northwest Junior High, in Coralville, Iowa. Sorting through the wreckage isn't just a humbling experience for the state's Democrats _ it's also a cautionary tale. The disaster has already reshaped how Nevada will run its caucuses 11 days from now and raised questions about whether caucuses, often criticized as quaint vestiges of another political time, can survive in the modern era.
Attendees hold letters that read "CAUCUS" during a campaign event for Democratic presidential candidate former South Bend, Ind., Mayor Pete Buttigieg at Northwest Junior High, in Coralville, Iowa. Sorting through the wreckage isn't just a humbling experience for the state's Democrats _ it's also a cautionary tale. The disaster has already reshaped how Nevada will run its caucuses 11 days from now and raised questions about whether caucuses, often criticized as quaint vestiges of another political time, can survive in the modern era.Read moreMatt Rourke / AP
    by The Associated Press, The Associated Press
    Published 

DES MOINES, Iowa — Iowa Democratic Party officials have agreed to hire two high-profile lawyers to investigate the factors leading to a meltdown in the state’s lead-off presidential caucuses and how the party responded.

The party's State Central Committee voted during a teleconference call Thursday night to spend up to $50,000 to retain Nick Klinefeldt, a former U.S. attorney, and Bonnie Campbell, a former Iowa attorney general, according to The Des Moines Register. Both lawyers are Democrats.

The committee approved the action despite concerns voiced by some of its more than 40 members that such an investigation should be headed by people with no affiliation to the Iowa Democratic Party and that more time was needed before starting such an investigation.

Officials said they hoped the review would be completed in 45 days or less.

The Iowa Democratic Party has been reeling since the night of the caucuses Feb. 3 when problems with a mobile app and other issues prevented it from releasing results. It took until Feb. 6 for the party to release what it called complete results, but The Associated Press hasn't declared a winner because it lacks confidence in the accuracy of those numbers.

On Wednesday, Iowa Democratic Party Chairman Troy Price announced his resignation, saying the party “deserved better than what happened on caucus night.”

The State Central Committee is scheduled to name an interim chair Saturday.