Way worse than NYT uncovers. The Iowa Attorney General conspired with the Iowa Lotto to charge the Iowa Lotto VP of Security with an "annoying speech" simple misdemeanor in retaliation for him blowing the whistle to Iowa Citizens Aide Ombuds investigator Bert Dalmer. Unfortunately for Iowa AG Tom Miller, the criminal complaint affidavit is still available for public records request at Des Moines Police Department even though the court records are sealed due to a deferred prosecution.

See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coates_v._City_of_Cincinnati , but Iowa still has "annoying" speech criminalized under Iowa Code 708.7; the ultimate whistleblower retaliation tool.