Iowa rebuilds PPE stockpile after deals with unusual sources

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By RYAN J. FOLEY

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Iowa has rebuilt its stockpile of personal protective equipment after a dire shortage that prompted the state to buy through unusual sources, including $7 million in contracts for gowns and goggles with a business known for making Republican campaign signs.

Iowa’s executive branch signed $45 million worth of emergency purchase orders for isolation gowns, masks, face shields, goggles and other equipment from mid-March through April, documents obtained by The Associated Press show.

The deals include 590,000 masks that were purchased directly from China and several with businesses that have never before supplied such materials.

In three contracts worth $7.2 million, the state agreed to purchase 1 million isolation gowns and 100,000 clear plastic goggles through Competitive Edge Inc., a Des Moines business that has never sold either. The company supplies promotional items like T-shirts, and has long been a go-to vendor for Republican campaigns buying yard and barn signs.

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https://apnews.com/b457635e50f286e9a74e54b1c1646e8c

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And from Iowa Starting Line:

Before Getting No-Bid Contract, Iowan Made 1st Big Trump Donation

Posted May 20th, 2020 at 12:11pm by Pat Rynard

David Greenspon has long been a donor to Iowa Republican causes. But the first time he ever contributed to Donald Trump was this February, two months before he happened to receive a no-bid contract on obtaining Personal Protective Equipment for the state of Iowa.

The West Des Moines businessman donated $15,000 to the Trump Victory joint fundraising PAC on February 4. The same day, he also maxed out to Trump’s presidential campaign committee with two donations of $2,800.

The $7.2 million that Greenspon’s Competitive Edge business was awarded in early April has come under scrutiny after reporting from the AP’s Ryan Foley. Greenspon’s business has never produced or acquired medical equipment before; his business has been known for producing t-shirts and Republican campaign signs in the past. He was tasked with obtaining one million gowns and 100,000 plastic goggles.

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https://iowastartingline.com/2020/05/20/before-getting-no-bid-contract-iowan-made-1st-big-trump-donation/

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That's quite a coinkidink, wouldn't you say?!?

[rzemanfl]

1. Grifters will grift until their dying day.

I will keep the rest of my thoughts to myself.

[BComplex]

2. Just another day of republicans fucking over the rule of law in this country.

When will the democratic party and the masses (MAJORITY) of Americans who care about this country going to go fucking ballistic at this out of control crime spree the republicans have embarked upon?

[MFGsunny]

3. GOOPer Grift elevated to an art form - again - under/with MF45 et his cabal. n/t

[Anon-C]

4. There's more...

https://www.kcrg.com/content/news/Owner-of-vendor-awarded-no-bid-coronavirus-contract-charged-with-felony-in-assault-on-woman-570603261.html

Owner of vendor awarded no-bid coronavirus contract charged with felony in assault on woman in November

By RYAN J. FOLEY Associated Press | Posted: Tue 4:14 PM, May 19, 2020 | Updated: Tue 11:14 PM, May 19, 2020


IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) - A Republican donor was awarded millions of dollars in no-bid contracts to supply personal protective equipment to Iowa's executive branch, despite facing a pending felony charge alleging he brutally beat a woman last November.

David Greenspon, owner of Competitive Edge, Inc., is charged with willful injury causing serious injury in the November 2019 assault at his West Des Moines mansion. Police say he kicked and struck the 37-year-old ex-lover numerous times in the head and face, chipping her front tooth and bruising her ribs.

The woman, who was on the floor and intoxicated, recorded part of the alleged attack on her cellphone. Police arrested Greenspon, 63, two weeks later after reviewing the video.

...