Governor: “New direction” was reason for DHS director exit

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A spokesman for Gov. Kim Reynolds says she asked Iowa Department of Human Services Director Jerry Foxhoven to resign because “she wanted to go in a new direction” at the agency.

The Reynolds administration gave the explanation Tuesday, a day after she sought the immediate resignation of Foxhoven . Reynolds hired Foxhoven two years ago.

Reynolds’ spokesman Pat Garrett says in a statement the governor “has spent the first part of this year assembling a new team, from top to bottom, to carry out her vision.”

He says more changes will be announced in the coming days and weeks.

On Monday, Reynolds announced she’d selected Department of Public Health Director Gerd Clabaugh to take on interim duties running the DHS until a permanent replacement is hired. Reynolds only briefly noted Foxhoven had resigned and didn’t initially give a reason.