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Jerry Foxhoven was asked to resign from the Iowa Department of Human Services. |
Photo: State of Iowa, file
RYAN J. FOLEY, Associated Press
Updated: July 16, 2019 02:07 PM
IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) - Emails show that the director of the Iowa Department of Human Services had an obsession with the late rapper Tupac Shakur during a 2-year tenure before the governor requested his resignation last month.
Jerry Foxhoven hosted weekly "Tupac Fridays" to listen to music in his office. He sent Tupac lyrics about love and change to inspire employees and he marked his own 65th birthday with Tupac-themed cookies.
While some employees praised his Tupac fixation, one complained to lawmakers last year. Reynolds surprised Foxhoven by telling him to resign one day after Foxhoven had emailed his employees asking them to celebrate Tupac's birthday.
A Reynolds spokesman says "a lot of factors" went into the decision to seek Foxhoven's resignation.
A 2017 news release announcing Foxhoven's appointment called him "a well-known and highly respected leader in child protection and family law" who had child protection leadership experience with 18 groups.
RYAN J. FOLEY, Associated Press
Updated: July 16, 2019 02:07 PM
Created: July 16, 2019 02:01 PM
Copyright 2019 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
