Chris Cournoyer

Chris Cournoyer is an American politician serving as the lieutenant governor of Iowa since December 2024. Throughout her career, she has faced the following controversies: In December 2024, Scott County Sheriff Tim Lane filed a sworn ethics complaint against Cournoyer regarding her handling of information from a former deputy, Josh Wall, who had conducted an unauthorized investigation into the sheriff's wife. The complaint alleged harassment, unauthorized access and dissemination of confidential information, and misuse of information for political purposes. The Iowa Senate Ethics Committee rejected the complaint on procedural grounds, stating it was filed on the day she assumed her current office, leaving no jurisdiction to investigate. In 2018, during her tenure on the Pleasant Valley School Board, Cournoyer applied for a grant from the Friends of the NRA. To secure the funding, she included a statement pledging that the school district would advocate for the Second Amendment and pro-gun legislation, which conflicted with school district policy prohibiting advocacy for political agendas. Cournoyer acknowledged including the statement to obtain the grant. She has also faced criticism regarding her past support for legislation banning conversion therapy and her participation in events hosted by Iowa Safe Schools. Note that legal filings regarding fraud and securities violations concern a different individual named Robert Tye Cournoyer.