Prosecutor reprimanded over sexual comments

Judges, defendants targeted in remarks

The Iowa Supreme Court has reprimanded an elected county prosecutor after it found he made repeated sexual comments at work.

An attorney disciplinary panel had recommended Wapello County Attorney Reuben Neff be suspended for 60 days after two female former employees in his office complained about Neff’s inappropriate statements. Among other incidents, Neff was accused of talking about judges whose rulings he disagreed with in sexually derogatory terms, joking about criminal defendants being sexually assaulted, and using slurs about gay people even after an employee objected.

The final disciplinary decision was the Supreme Court’s to make, and Neff’s attorney argued that Iowa’s attorney conduct rules are unconstitutionally overbroad and should not be used as a “general civility code.”

In its order Friday, the Supreme Court ruled without dissent that Neff’s bawdy language was not constitutionally protected, but chose to reprimand him instead of suspending his license.

Justice Christopher McDonald, writing for the five participating justices, wrote that Neff’s misconduct is comparable, but less severe, than that in a 2020 case where the former Van Buren county attorney had his license suspended for six months after repeatedly sexually harassing his office staff.

“In this case, Neff made nine inappropriate statements. His comments, generally, were not targeted toward people in the office,” McDonald wrote. “... On balance, we conclude that a public reprimand is the appropriate sanction for Neff’s improper statements here.”

Neff’s attorney did not return a message seeking comment.