In Greek mythology, Cassandra was cursed “to utter true prophecies but never to be believed.” Today, her name symbolizes those who warn of impending disaster only to be ignored.
Yesterday, the Iowa Supreme Court ruled that Davenport does not have qualified immunity—a decision that could have devastating financial consequences for the city.
Twenty-two months ago, I warned the Davenport City Council of this exact outcome:
“Sometime in the next two years a jury will award the victims of 324 Main Street over a hundred million dollars. The City of Davenport does not have insurance coverage for this, nor enough money in reserve. The city will either float junk bonds or go into state receivership—or both. And you, the elected officials, will forever be remembered as the people in charge when the city went bankrupt.”
Over the coming months, city leaders will likely be told behind closed doors that Davenport has nothing to fear—that attorneys can rely on “qualified immunity” to protect it. But Iowa Code 670.4A, which defines qualified immunity, was written to shield police officers in the line of duty, not municipalities accused of gross negligence or felonious malfeasance.
The facts are grim:
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August 2, 2021: A city employee ordered all rental inspections at 324 Main Street to stop—and they never resumed. The building later collapsed, killing three people and severely injuring another.
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February 2, 2023: The same property was officially declared a public hazard, yet no action was taken.
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March 13, 2023: The Fire Marshal cited multiple uncorrected fire safety violations. Again, the city did nothing.
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The city placed more than a dozen HUD Section 8 and Veterans housing recipients in the building, paying the landlord, Andrew Wold, thousands despite knowing the structure was unsafe. Some of these residents lost their lives.
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May 27, 2023: Fire crews responded to a 911 call reporting “bricks bulging” from the building. A fire chief arrived, phoned a city employee, and declared “no further action needed.” Within 24 hours, the building collapsed.
Each of these failures constitutes felonious malfeasance—a deliberate neglect of duty that cost lives.
There is no larger issue facing Davenport today. The lawsuits tied to the 324 Main Street tragedy could cost hundreds of millions, pushing the city toward insolvency.
City officials still have a chance to act responsibly, but most will cling to the illusion of protection under qualified immunity instead of confronting the harsh truth: Davenport’s inaction may well bankrupt it.
The freight train is coming—and it’s not stopping.
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