Fortenberry’s No Good, Horrible Day
What was Jeff Fortenberry doing accepting campaign funds from a Nigerian billionaire? Why didn’t he raise money from his fellow Nebraskans?
Notwithstanding being indicted for multiple felonies, Jeff Fortenberry announced on Monday that he’s running for a tenth term. Oddly enough, Fortenberry made this announcement while sitting in the same pickup truck where he had filmed himself in October announcing his impending indictment. You can’t make this stuff up. Bizarre.
Yesterday was Fortenberry’s no good, horrible day.
There was a court hearing in which the federal judge assigned to his case heard Fortenberry’s frivolous motions to throw out his statements where he lied to the FBI. The longtime CD01 incumbent would like to throw out his own statements to the FBI on some kind of legal technicality. (I’m old enough to remember when Republicans believed that lying was a big deal.)
In a bad sign for the CD01 incumbent, Judge Stanley Blumenfeld opened up the hearing by blasting Fortenberry’s defense lawyers for filing a motion claiming that a lead investigator was allegedly inspired by “anti-Muslim” beliefs. The Trump appointed judge said the motion was “mistaken, injurious to the agent’s reputation, and filed without meaningful consultation with prosecutors. “ I’ve practiced law in the Nebraska courts for 36 years and I’ve never heard a judge be this critical of a fellow attorney.
If Fortenberry is convicted, his efforts to smear law enforcement officers with false charges of racist behavior won’t go down well with the judge. He will probably get a longer sentence due to his desperate and frivolous defenses. (I want to never hear again that Fortenberry supports law enforcement.)
The February trial date may be continued due to the pandemic. This makes the odds higher that Fortenberry can kick the can down the road and win the nomination in the May primary.
The potential continuance is an interesting development since Fortenberry may have company in the primary. Just last week, the Nebraska GOP threw Fortenberry under the bus and invited a primary challenger to jump in the race.
As it turns out, it is being reported by the Lincoln Journal Star that State Senator Mike Flood is polling a potential run against Fortenberry. Asked about those reports, Flood said: “No comment.”
All of this is great news for Patty Pansing Brooks. On Tuesday, Patty announced that she has raised nearly $210,000. That is a very impressive amount and a sign of Fortenberry’s vulnerability.
National Democrats are beginning to notice this race. From Daily Kos: “While the 1st is conservative turf, it picked up some blue turf in redistricting as part of a Republican gerrymander to protect the 2nd District, shifting the seat from 56–41 for Donald Trump to 54–43 Trump. Throw in Fortenberry’s serious legal woes and we could have an interesting race.”
Please join me in supporting Patty Pansing Brooks! Let’s repeal and replace Fortenberry!