DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Gov. Terry Branstad is ordering a comprehensive review of his administration’s policies to pay settlements to former workers who agree to sign confidentiality agreements.  Lt. Gov. Kim Reynolds says she and Branstad did not know about agreements with six former employees who were secretly paid a total of more than $280,000 if they agreed to keep quiet.

Reynolds says she and Branstad learned of the payments and confidentiality agreements Sunday when The Des Moines Sunday Register published a story. She says the administration appoints competent agency directors and doesn’t micromanage them.

Many of the workers say they were asked to leave their jobs by Republican Branstad’s administration because they have Democratic ties. Branstad is on vacation in Arizona and was not at the administration’s weekly news conference.