The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Iowa has filed a lawsuit against Governor Kim Reynolds, accusing her office of violating the state’s open records law by refusing to release documents tied to the controversial cancellation of a planned Satanic Temple event at the Iowa State Capitol.
The legal action, filed on behalf of the Iowa Atheists and Freethinkers (IAF), demands transparency regarding the decision to block the event, which the plaintiffs argue amounts to an infringement on religious freedom and the public’s right to know.
Background: Satanic Temple’s Controversial Capitol Plans
In December 2024, the Satanic Temple of Iowa announced plans for a winter celebration inside the rotunda of the Iowa Capitol — a space historically used for religious holiday displays such as nativity scenes. Their planned event included “Satanic carols,” a Krampus costume contest, and a ritual aligned with the group’s beliefs, according to the Des Moines Register.
State officials, however, denied the group’s request. Adam Steen, director of the Iowa Department of Administrative Services (DAS), justified the decision by citing concerns for minors. “After careful consideration of administrative rule and DAS policy, I determined the totality of the event request to include elements that are harmful to minors and therefore denied the request,” Steen stated.
Legal Battle Over Transparency
Following the event’s cancellation, the ACLU and IAF submitted open records requests to Governor Reynolds’ office, seeking documentation about how the decision was made. According to the ACLU, the Governor’s Office either withheld materials outright under claims of “executive privilege” or released heavily redacted documents that offered no substantive information.
The withheld materials reportedly include an executive agency report from DAS and multiple internal documents related to media strategies. Instead of the requested information, the Governor’s Office allegedly provided hundreds of pages of irrelevant news clippings.
Thomas Story, staff attorney for the ACLU of Iowa, criticized Reynolds’ office for invoking what he calls an “unprecedented” interpretation of executive privilege. “For more than half a century, the Iowa Open Records Act has ensured that the work of the state happens in the open,” Story said. “The Iowa Constitution does not give the Governor the right to decide unilaterally what the public can or cannot see.”
Broader Legal Tensions
The ACLU’s lawsuit comes amid a broader battle over transparency in Iowa government. Just hours before the ACLU’s legal filing, Reynolds’ administration itself launched a lawsuit against the Des Moines Register over the newspaper’s open records requests, further escalating tensions around access to public information.
The Governor’s Office had not issued a formal public response to the ACLU lawsuit at the time of publication.
What’s at Stake
While the Satanic Temple’s event remains canceled, the broader implications of this case are significant. At its core, the ACLU’s lawsuit is about whether government officials can invoke executive privilege to shield controversial decisions — particularly those that touch on sensitive First Amendment issues — from public scrutiny.
“This case is not about supporting or opposing the Satanic Temple,” Story emphasized. “It’s about the public’s right to know how government decisions are made — especially when they involve denying a group access to a public space based on viewpoint.”
A ruling in favor of the ACLU and IAF could set a powerful precedent for upholding government transparency and reaffirming that even politically unpopular groups are entitled to equal treatment under the law.