Branstad Appoints WC Defense Attorney Joe Cortese as Commissioner

Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad has appointed attorney Joe Cortese as the state's workers' compensation commissioner. Cortese, a partner with the Huber, Book, Cortese and Lanz law firm in Des Moines, will replace Acting Commissioner Michelle McGovern, who had held the post since September. McGovern replaced Commissioner Chris Godfrey, who resigned his post to take a job with the federal Employees' Compensation Appeals Board last summer. Godfrey has filed a discrimination suit against Branstad that has not yet gone to trial. He alleges the governor asked him to resign his post, even ...